E3 is almost with us, and this year it's a show dominated by talk of new hardware. It seems like only yesterday we were gearing up to the launch of the PS4 and Xbox One, but already Sony and Microsoft are suggested to be launching mid-generational upgrades, likely to debut at this year's show. Nintendo, meanwhile, was originally tipped to show off new hardware with the NX, but is now going for a Legend of Zelda-focused affair with a day-long live stream the day the show kicks off.
EA E3 conference times - Sunday June 12th
- BST: 9pm
- CEST: 10pm
- PDT: 1pm
- EDT: 4pm
It's all change for EA this year, which is ditching its booth presence at the show floor for off-site fan events in Los Angeles and London. As a result, the conference has moved from its usual Monday slot to the Sunday before the show. Expect a shooter-heavy focus thanks to Titanfall 2 and Battlefield One releasing later this year, a closer look at the now 2017-bound Mass Effect Andromeda, and likely some Star Wars stuff too. Something about Respawn's newly announced action game or Battlefront 2? Or maybe a first look at Visceral and Amy Hennig's third-person adventure?
Bethesda E3 2016 conference times - Sunday June 12th
- BST: 3.00am (Monday)
- CEST: 4.00am (Monday)
- PDT: 7.00pm (Sunday)
- EDT: 10.00pm (Sunday)
Bethesda stepped up its E3 presence with a lengthy conference last year, and it returns with another showcase on the Sunday (or to those in the UK, in the early hours on Monday morning). This November's Dishonored 2 is likely to headline the show, and we can probably expect sneak peaks for future Fallout 4 expansions and Doom multiplayer DLC as well. Card battler Elder Scrolls: Legends should make an appearance, and while we almost certainly won't see the next big thing from Bethesda Game Studios (a new Elder Scrolls?) so soon after Fallout 4, we could see something new from the publisher's other teams.
Microsoft E3 2016 conference times - Monday June 13th
- BST: 5.30pm
- CEST: 6.30pm
- PDT: 9.30am
- EDT: 12.30pm
While Sony has attracted the most buzz when it comes to unannounced hardware, insiders believe we'll see new Xbox One hardware very soon, and E3 could be the perfect place to showcase it. Rumours suggest a slimline version with a refreshed controller rather than the PS4K's horsepower and resolution upgrade, but we could hear plans for something along those lines at a later date too. Otherwise, expect to hear plenty on Microsoft's Windows 10 gaming strategy, a sizable look of tentpole release Gears of War 4, and maybe a glance of fellow first-party titles Sea of Thieves and Forza.
PC Gaming Show E3 2016 conference times - Monday June 13th
- BST: 7:30pm
- CEST: 8:30pm
- PDT: 11.30am
- EDT: 2:30pm
For a second year running, PC gaming is once again receiving a dedicated showcase thanks to AMD and PC Gamer. The likes of Bohemia Interactive, Relic and Ark: Survival Evolved's Studio Wildcard have all signed up, and with a new Monday slot that's sandwiched between big players such as Microsoft and Ubisoft, this headline billing could give it the weight to roll out some big surprise announcements before the show floor opens the following day.
Ubisoft E3 2015 conference times - Monday June 13th
- BST: 9pm
- CEST: 10pm
- PDT: 1pm
- EDT: 4pm
In an E3 where most publishers are changing approaches and times, Ubisoft holds firm with its Monday slot, hosted once again by Aisha Tyler in the Orpheum Theatre. The publisher has been open about what it's going to show; Watch Dogs 2, For Honor and Ghost Recon Wildlands will get some stage time, and while it's very unlikely we'll see the next Assassin's Creed game with the franchise taking a year off, you can sure the upcoming Michael Fassbender-led movie will feature in some form.
Sony E3 2016 conference times - Tuesday June 14th
- BST: 2am (Tuesday)
- CEST: 3am (Tuesday)
- PDT: 6pm (Monday)
- EDT: 9pm (Monday)
The elephant in the room for Sony is the PlayStation 4K. After so many leaks of its existence, will Sony finally show the hardware upgrade, or let the games do the talking? An announcement would certainly sit nicely the PlayStation VR, which will undoubtedly be a huge focus ahead of this October's launch. We also expect more on The Last Guardian - a recent re-reveal confirmed a 2016 release - as well as hopefully a few surprises. Perhaps Naughty Dog will show us The Last of Us 2?
Nintendo E3 2016 conference times - Tuesday June 14th
- BST: 5pm
- CEST: 6pm
- PDT: 9am
- EDT: 12pm
Every sign pointed to this year's E3 playing host to a big NX arrival, but Nintendo has put the breaks on such rumours, confirming it will dedicate its showfloor presence to the next Legend of Zelda. The day-long Nintendo Treehouse: Live event is being introduced by Nintendo of America boss Reggie Fils-Aime, and while the stream is neither press conference nor online-only Digital Event, it'll focus primarily on new details and footage for the new Legend of Zelda, as well as 3DS duo Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon. If you stick around for the following day's stream at Wednesday 10am PDT, expect to see some footage of Monster Hunter Generations, Dragon Quest VII and Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE, too.