E3 2021 is almost here, kicking off at the weekend and running for four days until Tuesday, June 15th. Microsoft is easily one of the biggest names participating in this year's event, with a joint presentation with Bethesda taking place on Sunday, June 13th. Perhaps to take advantage of all the excitement surrounding the event, Microsoft has announced a summer sale for Xbox games and related hardware that will be running throughout E3's duration.
The sale is named Deals Unlocked and discounts will be available on the official Xbox website, the Microsoft Store, and participating retailers (although the announcement doesn't specify which retailers). It starts on June 11th and will run for a week until June 17th, so from just before E3 starts and a couple of days after it ends.
As for what's actually on sale, Microsoft provides some examples. Firstly, over 500 titles will be included, with digital games to have discounts of up to 55% off. Select digital PC games will also be up to 60% off and select games from Xbox Games Studios will go for even cheaper, up to 75% off. This extends to major blockbuster releases as well, such as Doom Eternal, Destiny 2, and Assassin's Creed Valhalla. Select retailers will offer deals on some of Microsoft's biggest first party offerings, like Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Gears 5, and Hellblade.
Unsurprisingly, Microsoft is pushing its Xbox Game Pass service as well, which makes sense considering it offers a massive library of first and third party games that can be played for no extra cost. For Deals Unlocked, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate can be subscribed to for only $1 for the first month. However, this only applies for new users so existing members can't take advantage of the offer. Other retailers may have Game Pass related offers too, but no other details are provided.
Multiple accessories will be discounted as well, such as the Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gaming Headset and Western Digital WD_Black P10 Game Drives. Meanwhile, PC owners will be able to upgrade to a new gaming PC or gaming laptop from a starting price of $699. Full details on what's on offer can be found on the official Xbox website.
There are some mighty expectations for Microsoft's E3 showing this year. With Bethesda playing such a major role, no doubt titles related to its IPs, like Elder Scrolls, will be a big focus. There have even been rumors that its Starfield game will get a proper showing and be confirmed as an Xbox exclusive. However, the only game that's absolutely guaranteed to make an appearance is Halo Infinite, which is still scheduled to release this fall.
Source: Xbox News Wire