Not-E3 2023 schedule: how to watch all summer video game showcases
E3 2023 was canceled two months ago after all major game studios pulled out, but that doesn’t mean that this summer won’t be packed with the usual video game announcements. Apart from Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest, which has now de facto replaced E3, a dozen publishers and the big-three console makers are holding their own showcases this June.
The first half of June is shaping up to be quite busy, with the Summer Game Fest happening on June 8, while the weekend of June 10-11 is set to be packed with a total of eight video game events.
Lots to go over, so let's have a look at all gaming events coming up this summer, where to watch them, and what to expect.
Not-E3 2023 summer gaming events schedule
Here’s the full schedule of summer video game events and showcases:
May 24
- PlayStation Showcase - 4 p.m. ET
June 1
- Meta Quest Gaming Showcase - 1 p.m. ET
June 7
- Guerilla Collective Showcase - 12 p.m. ET
June 8
- Summer Game Fest - 3 p.m. ET
- Day of the Devs Digital Showcase - 5 p.m. ET
- Devolver Digital Showcase - 6 p.m. ET
June 9
- Access-Ability Summer Showcase - 11 a.m. ET
June 10
- Future of Play Direct - 11 a.m. ET
- Wholesome Direct - 12 p.m. ET
- Future Games Show - 1 p.m. ET
- OTK Games Expo - 3 p.m. ET
June 11
- Final Fantasy XVI Pre-Launch Celebration Live Stream - 6 p.m. ET
- Xbox Games Showcase - 1 p.m. ET
- Starfield Direct - right after the Xbox showcase
- PC Gaming Show - 4 p.m. ET
June 12
- Ubisoft Forward - 1 p.m. ET
- Capcom Showcase - 6 p.m. ET
June 13
- Dames-4-Games - 4 p.m. ET
June 14
- UploadVR Showcase - 2 p.m. ET
June 16
- RGG Summit Summer - 11 p.m. ET
PlayStation Showcase 2023
The PlayStation showcase is already in the books, and it was met with mixed reactions due to the somewhat disappointing lineup of announcements. The highlights of the show were Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 first gameplay trailer, the reveal of a Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater remake in the works, and release dates for Alan Wake 2 and Assassin’s Creed Mirage.
You can read more about every game featured in the PlayStation May 2023 Showcase in our event roundup.
Meta Quest Gaming Showcase
Meta
The Not-E3 summer announcements season kicks off with Meta offering a 40-minute glimpse of what’s coming to their Meta Quest VR platform (formerly Oculus Quest). A 15-minute pre-show with game updates and trailers is planned, so you might want to tune in at 12:45 p.m. ET on June 1. You can watch the main event at 1 p.m. ET on Twitch, Facebook, YouTube, and in Meta Horizon Worlds.
Guerilla Collective Showcase
The Guerrilla Collective Showcase, produced by Media Indie Exchange (The MIX), will feature trailers and announcements about indie games. Some of the confirmed titles include farming cat game Snacko, Contra-inspired action platformer Iron Meat, rogue-lite StormEdge, sandbox survival horror Outbreak Island and many more.
Guerrilla Collective Showcase goes live at 12 p.m. ET on June 7, and you can watch it via Twitch.
Summer Game Fest
The Game Awards
Arguably one of the biggest summer shows and best contender to fill the void left by E3, Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest promises updates, announcements, and world premieres from more than 40 publishers.
This year’s respectable lineup includes console makers Sony and Xbox, as well as big names like Activision, Capcom, Square Enix, EA, Epic Games, Bandai Namco, CD Projekt Red, Ubisoft, and HoYoVerse, plus indie game publishers like Annapurna Interactive and Devolver Digital.
Two of the biggest streaming services’ gaming units, Amazon Games and Netflix Games, have also been confirmed to feature in the show.
Mortal Kombat 1 will have a world premiere of its gameplay at the Summer Game Fest, as well as Alan Wake 2. CD Projekt Red has confirmed it will be showcasing the long-awaited Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty DLC, which will star Idris Elba.
The Summer Game Fest will be broadcast live from YouTube Theater in LA, and you can watch it via YouTube, Twitch, or Twitter on June 8 at 3 p.m. ET.
Day of the Devs Digital Showcase
The Summer Game Fest will be followed by Day of the Devs, a regular segment during the fest that showcases indie games. This starts at 5 p.m. ET on June 8, and you can watch it via the same channels as the main event.
Devolver Digital Direct
Devolver Digital
The indie game publisher is hosting its own live stream as part of Summer Game Fest, promising “new game announcements, playable demos, and a host of other surprises.” The event’s announcement trailer had a retro vibe, featuring Volvy, Devolver’s "mouse mascot", which didn't exist before the trailer. The Devolver Digital Direct starts at 6 p.m. ET on June 8, and you can watch it via the Summer Game Fest’s channels and from the Devolver Direct page.
Access-Ability Summer Showcase
The first annual Access-Ability Summer Showcase will feature a selection of games created by game developers with disabilities, and games made with extensive accessibility options. Games by indie developers Soft Leaf Studios, Hyper Luminal Games, and Whitethorn Games have been confirmed to make an appearance. The focus of the event will be on the games’ accessibility features, designed to ensure that more disabled gamers are able to play.
You can watch it live on LauraKBuzz’s Twitch and YouTube channels on June 9 at 11 a.m. ET.
Wholesome Direct
The fourth edition of the Wholesome Direct will once again showcase upcoming cozy games that are positive, thoughtful, and relaxing. The annual live stream was created back in 2020 in response to the cancellation of many live events due to the Covid-19 pandemic. No lineup of games has been revealed yet, but if you’re a fan of the likes of Stardew Valley and Unpacking, that’s the showcase for you. Watch it live via Wholesome Games’ Twitch and YouTube on June 10 at 12 p.m. ET.
Future Games Show
Held by GamesRadar and hosted this year by Marvel’s Spider-Man voice actors Yuri Lowenthal and Laura Bailey, the show promises 70 minutes of game announcements, trailers, and reveals. You can watch FGS on June 10 at 1 p.m. ET on the FGS YouTube channel.
OTK Games Expo
Hosted by streamer collective One True King, the OTK Games Expo will show 30 video games from a variety of genres will be shown in a live studio and include OTK’s streamers Asmongold, Emiru, and Esfand. The OTK Games Expo starts at 3 p.m. ET on June 10, and you can tune in to Asmongold’s YouTube channel.
Final Fantasy 16 Pre-Launch Celebration Live Stream
Square Enix has confirmed a big pre-launch live stream for Final Fantasy 16. The game is coming out on June 22, and the pre-release special event is scheduled for June 11 at 6 p.m. ET. No details about the celebration stream have been revealed yet.
Xbox Games Showcase
Microsoft
Another bigger event, the Xbox Games Showcase, will have Microsoft announce the upcoming releases of its studios. A sequel to Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice and the next Forza Motorsport game are expected to be shown. We haven’t heard about the Fable reboot in a while, and a short teaser posted on May 31 seems to confirm that we’re getting an important Fable announcement 12 years after the last mainline release in what was once a premier Xbox franchise.
Other games that have been in development for a while now and might be featured in the showcase include Elder Scrolls 6, Everwild, Ark 2, Perfect Dark, and Avowed.
The Xbox Games Showcase starts at 1 p.m. ET on June 11, and you can watch it on the Xbox official channels on YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook.
Starfield Direct
We know for sure that one big Xbox-exclusive game will get a lot of attention and that’s Starfield, which will be treated to its own dedicated Starfield Direct, airing immediately after the Xbox Games Showcase. Developer Bethesda promises a deep dive into the upcoming game with lots of gameplay footage, interviews with the development team, and behind-the-scenes info about what is arguably the biggest release for the Xbox this year.
The Starfield Direct is coming on June 11, starting right after the Xbox Games Showcase.
PC Gaming Show
Launched by PC Gamer in 2015 to showcase PC games, the show will feature 55 titles, including 16 new game announcements with the confirmed presence of Baldur’s Gate III and Dune: Awakening, among others.
PC Gaming Show 2023 starts at 4 p.m. ET on June 11, right after the Xbox Showcase and Starfield Direct, and will air on YouTube and Twitch, so if you are a PC gamer, it’s gonna be a busy Sunday afternoon.
Ubisoft Forward
Ubisoft
Ubisoft is hosting its annual event live from LA, promising “exciting news on upcoming games from our teams around the world.” No details about specific games and announcements have been revealed yet, but the publisher will be sharing more as the event draws closer.
Ubisoft has had a tough year of cancellations, delays, and layoffs with barely any big releases, so it would be nice to see more about long-awaited games like Skull & Bones and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, and the upcoming Assassin's Creed Mirage.
Ubisoft Forward is happening on June 12 at 1 p.m. ET.
Capcom Showcase
Capcom has also announced a showcase as part of the Summer Game Fest, which will celebrate the Japanese publisher's 40th anniversary. The live stream, which is expected to run for 36 minutes, will feature news and updates on Capcom's upcoming games.
There's no official information about any specific games that will be featured yet, but the publisher could reveal more about Monster Hunter Now, an upcoming mobile game that Capcom is making in collaboration with Pokémon Go developer Niantic, and is slated for a September 2023 launch.
More details about the lineup of games will be coming as the showcase approaches.
The Capcom Showcase is going live at 6 p.m. ET on June 12, and you can watch it on Capcom USA's YouTube and Twitch channels.
Dames-4-Games
Dames-4-Games is a new show that will feature women’s contributions to the video game industry and highlight women in the gaming community in general. You can tune in on June 13 at 4 p.m. ET via the Guerrilla Collective YouTube and Twitch channels.
Upload VR Showcase
Dubbed VR’s biggest showcase, the summer edition of The Upload VR Showcase is scheduled for June 14 at 2 p.m. ET, coming with updates about upcoming VR games for a variety of platforms. You can tune in via Upload VR’s YouTube channel.
RGG Summit Summer
The RGG Summit Summer 2023 from Sega’s Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio will feature news and updates on the upcoming Like a Dragon/Yakuza games, including Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name and Like a Dragon 8. You will be able to watch the stream with simultaneous interpretation at Sega Asia’s English YouTube channel. The presentation starts at 11 p.m. ET on June 16.
