Xbox Going Big with Halo Infinite at E3 2019

E3 has become one of the biggest days of the year for gamers, with all of the major publishers showcasing their upcoming creations. This year, the E3 festivities get underway on June 7 with EA Play, which runs until June 9.

The all-important press conferences take place on June 9 and June 10, and then E3 itself starts on June 11 and carries on until June 13. Some have been discouraged by the number of companies who won't be attending E3, but it appears to have paved the way for Xbox and Microsoft to dominate the show even more so than initially expected.

On Sunday, June 9, from 16:00 ET, the Xbox E3 presentation will commence. The highly anticipated showcase is expected to divulge key information concerning the console's biggest upcoming exclusive games, including Halo Infinite. It's a tremendous gaming franchise which is sure to set Xbox up as the champion of E3 2019 in the eyes of gamers, but how do the other platforms compare?

Xbox going big in 2019

The Xbox One has been noted as somewhat lacking in exclusive games compared to the likes of the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch, but that perception could very well be changed at E3 2019. The biggest name on the sheet so far is, undoubtedly, Halo Infinite. Teased at E3 last year, Infinite will see the return of the Master Chief in a brand new game developed by 343 Industries with the state-of-the-art Slipspace Engine. Fans of the legendary franchise are very excited for this game, and the hope is that a release date and some gameplay footage will be revealed. It is one of the few new games confirmed to be showcased at E3 so far.

But Halo Infinite isn't the only much-loved title set to be unveiled by Xbox at E3. Along with a Forza Motorsport 8, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Phoenix Point, Battletoads, and possibly a long-awaited Fable game rumored for E3, Gears 5 is almost guaranteed to be shown and create a huge buzz. Following Kait Diaz, the fifth game in the mighty Xbox franchise is set to recapture everything that made the early games great while developers The Coalition have also made an effort to evolve the franchise with some new mechanics.

PlayStation backs out of E3

Xbox's primary home console competitor has decided to back out of E3 this year, citing that Sony is exploring new ways to engage with their audience throughout the year. What this has resulted in is a couple of Nintendo Direct-style videos called "State of Play" which have detailed a few new games set for release this year. The PlayStation's only major triple-A release has been Days Gone this year. While Ghost of Tsushima, The Last of Us Part II, WiLD, and Death Stranding are in the works, the lack of information regarding release windows, let alone release dates, hints to most of them being 2020 titles.

Mobile games with have a showing

The ever-prevailing fact of the games industry is that mobile gaming is a major player. These hugely available, "lite" games earn close to half of the industry's total revenue, so it makes sense that more are being unveiled and advertised at major events like E3. There's very little doubt that some new mobile games will be shown this year with Bethesda's Elder Scrolls Blades set to be among the new mobile games shown. Hopefully, Bethesda learns from Diablo's Blizzcon stage last year, don't hype-up their showing to be about the highly-anticipated Elder Scrolls VI, but then just present the mobile game.

Online casino games continue to grow

The online gaming platform of online casinos continues to grow in popularity all over the world. It has come to the point where developers host extravagant launch parties for their most anticipated games at launch, despite there being so many new games released each week. While all eyes are on the world of gaming as E3 nears, online slot developers have been keen to release their best new casino games like Trigger Happy, Seven Stripes, Fire Dragon, and The Mariachi 5 to make the most of the gaming hype that's swirling around right now. While Seven Stripes is a progressive jackpot game, the medium-to-high volatility of Trigger Happy and The Mariachi 5 are to capture the audiences as we close in on E3.

Switch continues to lean into its uniqueness

The Nintendo Switch opted into a huge task of competing on the mobile and handheld front and the home console front due to its hybrid form and the selection of games that it creates. But hats off to Nintendo; they've embraced the uniqueness of the console to offer the best of both worlds. At E3 2019, Nintendo will show a pre-filmed video, a Nintendo Direct, to show fans what's to come. The Switch will be Xbox's biggest competitor to be deemed "best in show," with the likes of the recently showcased Super Mario Maker 2 as well as Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3, Fire Emblem, Animal Crossing, Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield, and Dragon Quest XI S set to titillate the crowd.