E3 2021 was the 26th E3, during which hardware manufacturers, software developers, and publishers from the video game industry presented new and upcoming products. The event, organized by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), ran as a virtual, online-only event with free access to all, from June 12–15, 2021.[1][2][3]
Virtual events included keynote sessions from major publishers broadcast from a live stage in Los Angeles, an awards show, and a preview night, as well as helping companies to hold online private meetings with media and businesses. Because of the online-only nature, the event had been rebranded for the year as the Electronic Entertainment Experience 2021 rather than the standard Electronic Entertainment Expo.[4]Greg Miller, Jacki Jing, and Alex "Goldenboy" Mendez served as hosts of the virtual events.[5]
E3 2021 followed the cancelled E3 2020 event due to the COVID-19 pandemic and after the ESA could not work out a replacement event in time. The ESA had intended to hold an in person event in 2021 during its normal June dates, as stated to partners in April 2020, but had to alter their plans due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns.[6][7][8] While the 2021 event was entirely online, ESA plans to return to an in-person event by 2022. E3 2021 was free for everyone to attend.[9]
To host the online event, the ESA offered a mobile app and online portal to the public. Members of the media and press had access to this app and portal on June 7, for a media access week prior to the event. The public obtained access on June 12. The app and portal were used for accessing game showcases, developer panels, and press conferences, with some of this content also mirrored onto streaming services.[14] Members of the media were able to register for access starting on May 24, while industry professionals and creators and influencers were able to register on May 31. General members of the public were able to register on June 3.[15]
Editors from IGN, GameSpot, PC Gamer, and GamesRadar+ collectively decided on the Best of E3 Awards on June 15, 2021. Among their picks, Forza Horizon 5 was named as the Most Anticipated Game overall, with the Microsoft and Bethesda event as the Best Presentation.[29]
Featured games
This is a list of notable titles that appeared by their developers or publishers at E3 2021.
The Guerrilla Collective, a group of indie game developers and publishers, held a two-day showcase of new game announcements over June 5 and June 12, 2021.[30][31]
Games announced during the two-day event included:[31][32]
Geoff Keighley's second Summer Game Fest kicked off around the same time as E3 2021 and will last two months, through Gamescom in August 2021, featuring a range of promotional events outside of E3. Though Keighley had already stepped away from participating in E3 2020 before its cancellation, he arranged the first Summer Game Fest as a replacement for the cancelled show.[33] Sony and the PlayStation brand had announcements during this event, forgoing E3 as they have done so from previous years, instead opting to do a dedicated State of Play event for the summer on July 8th, 2021. Announcements made during the event include:
The Summer Game Fest included the first Tribeca Games Spotlight on June 11, 2021, featuring games that had been nominated for the inaugural Tribeca Film Festival Video Game award.[36] These games included:[37]
Koch Media presented a showcase on June 11, 2021 at 12 p.m. PDT., as part of the Summer Game Fest.[38] Alongside introducing their new publishing label, Prime Matter, Koch Media's presenting covered the following games:[39]
Wholesome Games held its Wholesome Direct event on June 12, 2021 at 10 a.m. PDT. It featured over 75 indie titles from small developers around the world.[42][43]
Devolver Digital held its presentation on June 12, 2021 at 1:30 p.m. PT.[44] Games presented included Shadow Warrior 3, Trek to Yomi, Phantom Abyss, Wizard With a Gun, Death's Door, Inscryption, Devolver Tumble Time, and Demon Throttle.[45] As with its recent presentations, the Devolver Digital continued to use the humor based on the character of Nina Struthers, this time presenting their new games as part of a new monetization scheme, the "Devolver MaxPass+". As part of the actual presentation, Devolver sold a single "NFT" copy - a "non-fuckwithable tape" rather than a non-fungible token - of the presentation which sold for $1,000, the funds going to the Scratch Foundation charity.[46]
UploadVR Showcase
UploadVR held a presentation focusing on virtual reality games on June 12, 2021. Among games featured in this presentation included:[47]
After the Fall
Blaston
Demeo
Fracked
Green Hell
I Expect You To Die 2
In Da Hoop
Larcenauts
Nerf Ultimate Championship
Pistol Whip
Rhythm of the Universe: Ionia
Sam and Max: This Time it’s Virtual
Sniper Elite VR
Song in the Smoke
A Township Tale
Traffic Jams
Unplugged
Waltz of the Wizard
Limited Run Games
Limited Run Games held its annual #LRG3 event on June 14, 2021, at 1 p.m. PDT.[48] It featured over 25 new announcements for games being published physically,[49] including the 3DO game Plumbers Don't Wear Ties.[50]
Hooded Horse held its presentation on June 14, 2021. Games featured during the presentation included:
Alliance of the Sacred Suns
Falling Frontier
Terra Invicta
Freedom Games Showcase
Freedom Games held its first event on June 15, 2021. Games featured during the presentation included:[53]
Airborne Kingdom
Anuchard
Cat Cafe Manager
Coromon
Dark Deity
Dreamscaper
Monster Outbreak
One Lonely Outpost
Sands of Aura
Slaughter League
To The Rescue!
Tower Rush
Yooreka Studio
Yooreka Studio held its presentation on June 15, 2021. Games featured during the presentation included:[54]
Extremely Realistic Siege Warfare Simulator
The Immortal Mayor
Loopmancer
Metal Mind
Mohism
Reshaping Mars
The Swordsmen X: Survival
Tales of Wild
New Blood Interactive
New Blood Interactive held its presentation on June 16, 2021. Games featured during the presentation included:
Amid Evil
Dusk 82
Faith: The Unholy Trinity
Fallen Aces
Gloomwood
Ultrakill
Unfortunate Spacemen
Steam Next Fest
From June 16–22, 2021, Valve ran its Steam Next Fest, a rebranding of its prior Steam Game Festival which it first ran in 2019. During the event, Valve had hundreds of game demos available via the Steam platform along with livestreams with developers and selected game sales.[55]
^Kelly, Andy (June 12, 2021). PC Gamer [Here are all 8 trailers from Devolver's weird-ass E3 show Here are all 8 trailers from Devolver's weird-ass E3 show]. Retrieved June 12, 2021. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)