Watch the Xbox E3 press conference here
With its Scorpio console set to dominate the show, is there any way Microsoft doesn't win E3 2017? Find out June 11 at 2 p.m. PDT / 10 p.m. BST
When? June 11 at 2 p.m. PDT / 10 p.m. BST
The debate over which platform holder 'won' E3 rages each and every year, but this time it's tempting to declare the victor in advance.
The Scorpio console is set to dominate the Xbox conference this year, and yet the price, release date, software line-up and real name are all still unknown. In fact, the only thing we do understand is the power it will offer to developers, and that alone is enough to make it the single most intriguing prospect at the whole of E3. While there are no guarantees, Microsoft will have to work very hard to be less exciting than its competitors this year.
However, if you're expecting details on how Microsoft's VR strategy will relate to gaming you may well be disappointed. The company has already confirmed that it won't be talking about VR for consoles this year, so that leaves plenty of time to restore confidence in its line-up of first-party and exclusive games (Crackdown 3? State of Decay 2?), champion its open-armed approach to indie developers, and champion services like Xbox Play Anywhere and its recently renamed Mixer streaming service.
Phil Spencer has confirmed that the Xbox conference will be running longer than its usual 90 minutes this year, suggesting the 120 minutes normally favoured by Sony. With any luck that will be filled with games, and not a performance by Cirque du Soleil.