Microsoft and Bethesda are holding their first joint E3 2021 showcase event on Sunday, June 13 at 1PM ET. The 90-minute show will include new game reveals, world premiers, and some other surprises along the way. The Xbox E3 2021 showcase will be available to watch live on a number of different platforms, including Twitter, YouTube, Twitch and Facebook.
“The show will be focused on games from Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda, and many game creators from our partners around the world,” Aaron Greenberg, general manager of Xbox games marketing, said in a blog post.
For the first time, Microsoft and Bethesda will jointly host their big E3 event. Earlier this year, Microsoft completed its high-profile acquisition of ZeniMax, the parent company of video game publisher Bethesda. The Redmond-based tech giant announced in September that it would buy ZeniMax for $7.5 billion in cash, making its biggest acquisition to date. Bethesda is best known for the popular Doom series and Fallout franchise.
The move to acquire Bethesda is clearly aimed at Sony. Both Microsoft and Sony recently launched their next-generation consoles. However, unlike Sony, Microsoft wants its Xbox Game Pass subscribtion service to be its cash machine. Sony, on the other hand, is betting on exclusive games for its PlayStation 5 console.
Microsoft’s E3 showcase event will most likely tease what the two companies have been working on. Sure, Microsoft now owns Bethesda but that does not mean Bethesda will stop making games for rival platforms. For instance, Deathloop is destined to debut on PS5 and PC.
Beyond games that are currently being developed by Bethesda, Microsoft could reveal more details on Halo Infinite, one the most highly-anticipated Xbox Series X games. We may also hear more about upcoming new titles in the Fable and Forza Motorsport series.