Where to watch tonight's Microsoft Xbox E3 event on CNET
Microsoft opens the E3 gaming show tonight with a press conference where it's expected to unveil a bunch of scorching new games.
Games. That's what Microsoft needs to bring to tonight's Xbox One presentation, which opens the gargantuan E3 gaming show. After a launch event that showed off hardware and lots of home entertainment features, Xbox fans are gagging for some real demos of fresh new games.
CNET is at the event in force, with a live blog and a stream of the show right here, kicking off at 5pm UK time for the pre-show and 5.30pm for the press conference itself. CNET's talented, charming and erudite editors Jeff Bakalar, Eric Franklin, Josh Miller and Roger Cheng are in Los Angeles for the event and will deliver a non-stop cavalcade of insight, wit and analysis.
While Forza 5 and Call of Duty: Ghosts (complete with adorable killer attack dog) were briefly shown off last month, there wasn't much real gameplay in evidence. Microsoft also promised a whopping eight completely new game series for the new console, with only Quantum Break named. Expect proper gaming footage and much more detail on next-gen games tonight.
Having said that, I'm also hoping for a little more on how the Xbox One will work with set-top boxes. Will it be able to record TV? Will UK companies like Sky and Virgin be involved? How much will it cost here?
Rumours have been swirling that Sky will offer the Xbox One as a kind of replacement set-top box and subsidise its cost if you sign up for a contract. The company has denied any deal has been struck, but it would be a very quick way to put hundreds of thousands of consoles in homes across the UK.
The company has also faced considerable criticism from hardcore gamers about its restrictive online policies, which leave it up to publishers as to whether you can lend your games to your friends or sell them on. It may attempt to address those concerns, but I rather suspect it's made up its mind on how the system is going to work, and is unlikely to go back on agreements it's made with game makers.
Sony is also putting on a show in LA tonight -- or rather, early tomorrow morning UK time -- after which we'll have a much better idea of how the two rivals' next-gen machines compare. Apple too has a major event today, at its WWDC conference in San Francisco. Busy day for us!
What are you looking forward to seeing at tonight's Xbox event? Are Microsoft's online requirements putting you off? Or can it turn it all around with some cracking exclusives? Make your predictions down in the comments, or over on our next-gen Facebook page.
