E3 2021

E3 2021 was the 26th E3 press conference, 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.
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. Greg Miller, Jacki Jing, and Alex "Goldenboy" Mendez served as hosts of the virtual events.
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. While the 2021 event was entirely online, ESA planned to return to an in-person event by 2022, though these plans were scrapped and canceled the in-person event in January 2022, and E3 2022 was cancelled altogether on March 31, 2022, including online event. E3 2021 was free for everyone to attend.
Companies that participated at the event included Nintendo, Microsoft, Capcom, Ubisoft, Take-Two Interactive, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Koch Media, Sony, Square Enix, Sega, Gearbox Software, Bandai Namco, Turtle Beach, Verizon, and Xseed Games. Konami had planned to participate but announced later they would not be ready to present at E3 as they were deep into development on several projects which they would reveal at a later time.
== Online events ==
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. 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.
== Press conferences ==
=== Ubisoft ===
Ubisoft held its Ubisoft Forward online press event on June 12, 2021 at 12 p.m. PDT. Games covered during the event included Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction, Rocksmith+, Riders Republic, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege, Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, Just Dance 2022, Far Cry 6 and Inspector Gadget + Rabbids Sparks of Hope.
=== Gearbox Software ===
Gearbox Software held its E3 spotlight on June 12, 2021 at 2 p.m. PDT., providing more info on Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, Godfall, Homeworld 3, Tribes of Midgard and a look at the Borderlands film.
=== Microsoft ===
Microsoft decided to forego hosting a traditional press conference for E3 in favor of a pre-recorded announcement, billed the Xbox Summer Digital Event, which streamed online on June 13, 2021 at 10:00am with an accompanying press release. Anchored by Phill Spencer, Todd Howard and Streaker Prower, and featuring 2D Animated sketches from the producers of both Sonic The Hedgehog: Dudes Vs. Evil and OK K.O.! Let’s Be Heroes, the Digital Event primarily followed a documentary format with game footage and trailers accompanied by short interviews with developers. Games presented included Starfield, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, Contraband, Sonic Colors: Ultimate, Sonic The Hedgehog: Gates of Infinity, Sea of Thieves, Battlefield 2042, 12 Minutes, Psychonauts 2, Fallout 76, The Elder Scrolls Online, Party Animals, Hades, Brave Saga 1+2 Collection, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake, Two Point Campus, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania, PAW Patrol The Movie: Adventure City Calls, My Little Pony: A Maretime Bay Adventure, The Loud House Game, Nickelodeon All Star Brawl, Somerville, Halo Infinite, Diablo II Resurrected, A Plague's Tale: Requiem, Far Cry 6, Slime Rancher 2, Atomic Heart, My Friend Peppa Pig, PJ Masks: Heroes Of The Night, Replaced, Grounded, Among Us, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, The Ascent, The Outer Worlds 2, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Forza Horizon 5, Blaze and the Monster Machines Axle City Racers, Redfall, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, and looks at the Paramount+ Sonic The Hedgehog Series by OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes Creator Ian Jones-Quartey, Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (film) and an Untitled Banjo-Kazooie film by Blue Sky Studios.
=== Square Enix ===
Square Enix held a press event on June 13, 2021 at 12:15 p.m. PDT. Games announced included Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, remasters of Final Fantasy I through Final Fantasy VI, Legend of Mana, Marvel's Avengers, Babylon's Fall, Life Is Strange Remastered Collection, Life Is Strange: True Colors, and Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin.
=== WB Gaming Show ===
Warner Bros. Games presented its WB Gaming Show event on June 13, 2021 at 2:30 p.m. PDT. Among games featured included:
* Back 4 Blood
* Gotham Knights
* House of Ashes
* Dragon Ball Z Kakarot
* Gundam Battle Nexus Online
=== Sony/Capcom ===
Sony and Capcom held a joint E3 presentation was given on June 14, 2021 at 2:30 p.m. PDT. Games presented included Resident Evil Village, Resident Evil RE:Verse, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, Johnny Test x Ratchet and Clank, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Monster Hunter Rise, The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, and Street Fighter V.
=== Nintendo ===
Nintendo held a Nintendo Direct for E3 on June 15, 2021 at 9 a.m. PDT, followed by three hours of Nintendo Treehouse Live gameplay about titles discussed in the Nintendo Direct. Games included Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Worms Rumble, Astria Ascending, Mario Party Superstars, Metroid Dread, Cruis'n Blast, Mario Golf: Super Rush, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, WarioWare: Get It Together!, Danganronpa Decadance, Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water, Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD, and the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Nintendo also announced a limited edition Game & Watch for the Zelda series for its 35th anniversary that included the original Zelda game, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, and Link's Awakening.
=== Best of E3 Awards ===
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.
== Other events ==
=== Guerrilla Collective ===
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.
Games announced during the two-day event included:
* Aeon Drive (PC)
* AK-xolotl (PC)
* Akatori (PC)
* Among Us (PC)
* ANNO: Mutationem (PC)
* Aragami 2 (PC)
* Arcade Paradise (PC)
* Archvale (PC)
* Arietta of Spirits (PC)
* Batora: Lost Haven (PC)
* Bats the Game (PC)
* Beasts of Maravilla Island (PC)
* Behind the Frame (PC)
* Black Book (PC)
* Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (Stadia)
* Blooming Business: Casino (PC)
* BPM: Bullets Per Minute (PC)
* Chernobylite (PC)
* Death Trash (PC)
* Demon's Mirror (PC)
* Demon Turf (PC)
* Despot's Game (PC)
* El Paso, Elsewhere (PC)
* Elderand (PC)
* Endling (PC)
* The Eternal Cylinder (PC)
* Fire Tonight (PC)
* Firegirl (PC)
* Ghostrunner (PC)
* Grime (PC)
* Grow: Song of the Evertree (PC)
* Guild of Dungeoneering: Ultimate Edition (PC)
* Happy's Humble Burger Farm (PC)
* Hello Neighbor 2 (PC)
* Hunt the Night (PC)
* Industria (PC)
* King of the Hat (PC)
* Kitsune Tails (PC)
* Kraken Academy (PC)
* KungFu Kickball (PC)
* Lamentum (PC)
* Legend of Keepers: Return of the Goddess (PC)
* The Legend of TianDing (PC)
* The Light of The Darkness (PC)
* The Lightbringer (PC)
* Loot River
* Moroi (PC)
* My Lovely Wife (PC)
* Neverwinter (PC)
* No Longer Home (PC)
* Omno (PC)
* Onsen Master (PC)
* Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator (PC)
* Raji: An Ancient Epic (PC)
* Rawmen: Food Fighter Arena (PC)
* Robodunk (PC)
* Rubi: The Wayward Mira (PC)
* Run Die Run Again (PC)
* Sable
* Serial Cleaners (PC)
* Severed Steel (PC)
* Slime Heroes (PC)
* Source of Madness (PC)
* Super Space Club (PC)
* Tamarindos Freaking Dinner (PC)
* Tinkertown (PC)
* Trash Sailors (PC)
* Trifox (PC)
* Ultra Age (PC)
* UnMetal (PC)
* Venice 2089 (PC)
* Vertigo (PC)
* White Shadows (PC)
* Wolfstride (PC)
* Ynglet (PC)
* Zodiac Legion (PC)
=== Summer Game Fest ===
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. 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 8, 2021. Announcements made during the event include:
* Arcadegeddon
* Deathloop
* Death Stranding: Director's Cut
* Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles
* F.I.S.T.
* Hunter's Arena: Legends
* Jett: The Far Shore
* Lost Judgment
* Moss: Book II
* Sifu
* Tribes of Midgard
From June 15–21, 2021, ID@Xbox offered a number of demos of upcoming games on the Xbox platform as part of the Summer Game Fest.
The Summer Game Fest opened with an announcement stream of games hosted by Keighley on June 10, 2021. Among titles presented include:
* Among Us
* The Anacrusis
* Back 4 Blood
* Call of Duty: Warzone
* The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes
* Death Stranding Director's Cut (PS5)
* Elden Ring
* Escape from Tarkov
* Evil Dead: The Game
* Fall Guys
* Jurassic World Evolution 2
* Lost Ark
* Metal Slug Tactics
* Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin (NS)
* Overwatch 2
* Planet of Lana
* Salt and Sacrifice
* Solar Ash
* Tales of Arise
* Tiny Tina's Wonderlands (PC, PS4, PS5, XBO, XBXS)
* Two Point Campus
* Valorant
* Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodhunt
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. These games included:
* The Big Con
* Harold Halibut
* Kena: Bridge of Spirits
* Lost in Random
* NORCO
* Sable
* Signalis
* 12 Minutes
Koch Media presented a showcase on June 11, 2021 at 12 p.m. PDT., as part of the Summer Game Fest. Alongside introducing their new publishing label, Prime Matter, Koch Media's presenting covered the following games:
* The Chant
* Codename Final Form
* Crossfire: Legion
* Dolman
* Echoes of the End
* Encased
* Gungrave G.O.R.E.
* King's Bounty 2
* The Last Oricru
* Painkiller 2
* Payday 3
* Scars Above
=== IGN Expo ===
IGN held its IGN Expo event on June 11, 2021, at 1 p.m. PDT. Among featured games included:
* Arboria
* AudioClash: Battle of the Bands
* Big Rumble Boxing: Creed Champions
* Black Skylands
* Bramble: The Mountain King
* Broken Pieces
* Blacktail
* Chernobylite
* Core Keeper
* Death's Gambit: Afterlife
* Disciples: Liberation
* Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!
* The Forgotten City
* Haunted Space
* Inkulinati
* Martha Is Dead
* Mortal Shell
* OlliOlli World
* Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One
* Sifu
* SkateBird
* Smite
* Splitgate
* Steelrising
* Streets of Rage 4
* Survival Machine
* Tiny Tina's Wonderlands
* Two Point Campus
* Unbound: Worlds Apart
* Unpacking
* Wild West Dynasty
* World War Z: Aftermath
=== Wholesome Games ===
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.
* Alekon
* Amber Isle
* APICO
* BattleCakes
* Bear & Breakfast
* Beasts of Maravilla Island
* Behind the Frame
* Bird Problems
* Book of Travels
* Button City
* Cat Cafe Manager
* Cat Designer Mocha
* Clawfish
* Cloud Jumper
* co-open
* Dordogne
* Dreamland Confectionery
* Fire Tonight
* Floppy Knights
* Fossil Corner
* Freshly Frosted
* Frogsong
* Game Director Story
* The Garden Path
* Garden Story
* The Gecko Gods
* Here Comes Niko
* Hoa
* Hot Pot for One
* KeyWe
* Kokopa's Atlas
* Kotodama Diary
* KreatureKind
* Lake
* Lego Builder's Journey
* Letters: A Written Adventure
* A Little to the Left
* Loddlenaut
* Lonefarm
* Luna's Fishing Garden
* The Magnificent Trufflepigs
* Moonglow Bay
* Moonshell Island
* Mythic Ocean
* Ooblets
* The Outbound Ghost
* ParaLives
* Passpartout 2: The Lost Artist
* Pekoe
* Please Be Happy
* PowerWash Simulator
* Princess Farmer
* Pupperazzi
* Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan
* Recolit
* RoboCo
* Sally
* Seasonspree
* Shashingo
* SkateBIRD
* Snacko
* Soup Pot
* Spirit Swap
* Tasomachi: Behind the Twilight
* Teacup
* Toodee and Topdee
* Tracks of Thought
* Unpacking
* Venba
* A Walk With Yiayia
* We Are OFK
* Witchery Academy
* Witchy Life Story
* Woodo
* Wytchwood
* Yokai Inn
=== Devolver Digital ===
Devolver Digital held its presentation on June 12, 2021 at 1:30 p.m. PT. 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. 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.
=== UploadVR Showcase ===
UploadVR held a presentation focusing on virtual reality games on June 12, 2021. Among games featured in this presentation included:
* 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. It featured over 25 new announcements for games being published physically, including the 3DO game Plumbers Don't Wear Ties.
=== Future Games Show ===
GamesRadar+ hosted its second Future Games Show on June 14, 2021 with hosts Troy Baker and Laura Bailey. Games featured during the presentation included:
* Batora Lost Haven
* Chernobylite
* Conway: Disappearance at Dahlia View
* DeathRun TV
* Dying Light 2: Stay Human
* Eldest Souls
* Enlisted
* Esports Boxing Club
* Grow: Song of the Evertree
* Get Packed: Fully Loaded
* Happy Game
* Harold Halibut
* Hell Let Loose
* Immortality
* Instinction
* Jurassic World Evolution 2
* Keywe
* Lake
* Minute of Islands
* OlliOlli World
* Project Ferocious
* Red Solstice 2: Survivors
* Severed Steel
* Sonic Colors Ultimate
* Starmancer
* Tails of Iron
* Two Point Campus
* Warcry Challenges
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:
* 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:
* 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.
=== EA Play ===
Electronic Arts had its separate EA Play event on July 22, 2021. Games shown off in the event included:
* Apex Legends
* Battlefield 2042
* Battlefield: Portal
* Dead Space (Remake)
* FIFA 22
* Grid Legends
* Knockout City
* Lost in Random
* Madden NFL 22
* The Sims 4
=== Annapurna Interactive Showcase ===
Annapurna Interactive held its first event on July 29, 2021. Games shown off in the event included:
* The Artful Escape
* Gorogoa
* I Am Dead
* A Memoir Blue
* Neon White
* Outer Wilds: Echoes of the Eye
* The Pathless
* Skin Deep
* Solar Ash
* Storyteller
* Stray
* Telling Lies
* What Remains of Edith Finch
=== Future of Play Direct ===
GLITCH debuted its Future of Play Direct showcase on June 12, 2021. It featured 22 titles from developers around the world. The games included were: 
* Raddminton
* Zodiac XX Leo Edition
* Killer Auto
* Umurangi Generation
* HyperDot
* Sephonie
* Anodyne 2: Return to Dust
* Spirit Swap
* The Wild At Heart
* Aerial_Knight's Never Yield
* Among Us
* Unbeatable
* Skullgirls
* Bravery Network Online
* Love Shore
* Hellbent
* Soup Pot
* Dome-King Cabbage
* Chinatown Detective Agency
* She Dreams Elsewhere
* Way To The Woods
* Bomb Rush Cyberfunk