Xbox, Ubisoft and Every Virtual Gaming Announcement Scheduled This Summer

From Summer Games Fest to Gamescom, here’s where and when to catch the biggest video game news

Indoor quarantines likely to spur increase in gaming
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The video game industry will hold several virtual conferences and presentations throughout the latter half of this summer as part of its ongoing plan to keep game announcements rolling despite a global pandemic.

Several big names in game publishing have events scheduled throughout July and August, including Ubisoft and Xbox. Check out an updated schedule of upcoming online events and how to access them below. All times are shown as PST.

July 12: Ubisoft Forward
Ubisoft’s one-day annual Ubisoft Forward (also known colloquially as Ubiforward) event will take place July 12 at 12 p.m. The annual gathering will “a fully digital showcase with exclusive game news, reveals and more,” according to Ubisoft — but the game developer hasn’t provided a full lineup of games to be showcased during the event. It’s expected Ubisoft will provide updates on its upcoming “Assassin’s Creed Valhalla” game, scheduled for release this holiday. Ubisoft will also likely provide updates on other developing titles like “Watch Dogs: Legion,” “Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Quarantine,” and its recently released “Hyper Scape” game.

July 14: Google Stadia Connect
Google will give an update on its Stadia game streaming service, which it launched in November 2019. The event will showcase new games coming to the platform in July — there are about 50 games on the platform right now. In its last update, Stadia added the ability to connect with Android phones so users could use their mobile phones to play.

July 20: Summer Game Fest July Developer Showcase
Geoff Keighley, creator of The Game Awards, devised the Summer Game Fest earlier this year as an online, months-long substitute for Los Angeles’ annual E3 video game conference, which was canceled because of coronavirus. The Summer Game Fest continues throughout July and August, with an update from game publishers July 14. The Developer Showcase will prioritize indie developers but also contain a few announcements from “larger-scale studio projects,” its website notes.

July 23: Xbox Games Showcase
After months of keeping fans in suspense, Microsoft’s Xbox announced its summer Xbox Games Showcase will take place July 23 at 9 a.m. The event’s star is expected to be the upcoming “Halo Infinite” game from 343 Industries, which is scheduled to debut in fourth quarter this year. Microsoft’s network of subsidiary studios and partner developers is extensive, so expect several other game announcements during the publisher’s event as well.

August 27-30: Gamescom 2020
Annual German gaming convention Gamescom is online this year in lieu of a global physical event. The three-day series will begin August 27 with an opening night organized by Keighley and expected to feature some new game reveals. The show wraps up with a “best in show” event at a to-be-determined time on July 30.

See the announcements below:

Samson Amore

Reporter • samson.amore@thewrap.com • Twitter: @Samsonamore