E3 2020 might be canceled, but that hasn't stopped game developers and publishers from making their usual suite of announcements both in preparation for and as part of the summer gaming season. Last week, Ubisoft lifted the veil off its latest Assassin's Creed and Naughty Dog gave fans a new Last of Us Part 2 story trailer to sate their appetites, but most know the big guns are still lying in wait.
Perhaps the first of those big reveal events is set to begin in about an hour, with Microsoft hosting an Inside Xbox that promises to offer a look at next-gen gameplay running on Xbox Series X. The event is the first of what should be many next-gen gameplay reveals and will go live at 8am PT.
While this is not Xbox's first-party showcase, it will presumably feature some extensive looks at third-party software. Assassin's Creed Valhalla is already confirmed to be a major player at the event, with Ubisoft offering its first look at the Viking-themed game in action. But outside of that, the rest of the Inside Xbox presentation is a mystery.
There are a lot of third-party titles that are rumored to be in the works, from a new Batman game to a Black Ops reboot, so it's possible that Xbox fans could be in for some major reveals. Microsoft has also been the platform for new Cyberpunk 2077 footage and trailers, although CD Projekt Red did announce its own event for later in June.
If nothing else, this will be one of the first opportunities for Xbox fans to see games running on the new Xbox Series X. Games like Halo Infinite and Outriders have been billed as next-gen titles slated to arrive on the Xbox Series X, but most presumed that prior footage has been a PC build.
That being said, the Xbox team has done its best to temper expectations from those expecting an E3-level event. The first party Xbox Series X games are being held for a July Microsoft event, which is where the big reveals like Halo Infinite will make an appearance. It's also where rumored games like the Fable revival would get their official unveiling.
Outside of first-party, Xbox also clarified that a lot of its third-party partners are working on a summer timeline. These studios are planning their reveals as if E3 is still happening and preparing for a June (or later considering the circumstances) presentation. Some of these games will be part of their own streams and events, while others will partner up with Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest to make their announcements.