EA E3 2016 conference live report
Mass Effect! Star Wars! FIFA! Andrew Wilson! Live from 9pm BST.
Updated on
E3 kicks off, as is fast becoming tradition, before the show properly starts, with EA opting out of the convention centre this year and having its own events in Los Angeles and London. We'll be at both venues, and live reporting on the conference which kicks off at 9pm BST.
Our live coverage of this event has finished.
Happy E3 eve.... eve? I think this is like December 23rd where everyone's rushing around to get everything in place for the big day or something.
Fittingly I'm in a shopping mall in Hammersmith right now, biding my time for the doors to open at EA's London event at the Apollo.
Meanwhile, in just as overcast LA, our US team is getting itself in place for the day's activities.
I'll be honest, all I care about right now is getting to play Battlefield One, which is going to be happening very soon.
Elsewhere, Titanfall 2 has already leaked - it'll feature a single-player campaign and is out the end of October.
With all the leaks, as well as Nintendo and Sony declining to show the new hardware we know exists, it's a wonder we have anything left to discuss at E3 this week.
Which is quite nice, really - with the games and hardware out the way, we'll be able to focus on what really matters.
The obscure celebrity cameos, the occasional on-stage blundering and a parade of high fashion from gaming's greatest execs.
Will Pele return? Can anyone outdo the business jacket and cargo pants combo spotted on Ubisoft's stage a couple of years ago?
The real questions of E3 2016 are still hanging in the air, and where be here with you all the way as they're all answered.
That's the spirit! I'm heading down to the Brighton offices just after EA's conference to be in place for Bethesda at 3am (!), but I've already got a hipflask full of fine bourbon to make the journey that little bit more bearable. Just don't let Oli know.
We're now inside the Hammersmith Apollo. Waiting... Last time I was here was to see My Bloody Valentine with Metabomb hero John Bedford. I think it was slightly more squiffy.
We're embargoed until later on everything that's being shown at this event.
What I can say, though, is that EA has done a wonderful job scrubbing up the toilets at the Apollo.
Last time I was in there the floor was soaked to the point I think I got piss between my toes.
Would have been quite apt if they'd kept them that way for today. Real-time trench foot to go with Battlefield 1!
Appreciate the more sanitary conditions though. If that freshness is any indicator for what we're going to get later we're in for a treat!
Good evening! I'm in the Brighton office with team UK. Heads up: FIFA 17 has A STORY MODE.
Hello from Los Angeles, where Wes and I are attending EA's big press conference! Just a plain cloth wristband this year, no fancy light-up shenanigans.
We're half an hour away from the press conference starting! In a queue with a 60 second loop of canned hype music. Bad-dum-dum-dum. Bad-dum-dum.
One of the security guards is dancing. Bad-dum-dum. Dum-dum-dum.
Everywhere smells of fried chicken. Bad-dum-dum. Dum-dum-dum.
Well hello. Just finished playing some games I couldn't possibly talk about (for another couple of hours at least) and am sat three rows from the front at EA's London event.
We're all sat in Hammersmith's Apollo - a not inconsiderable venue - to watch a livestream.
Which is quite an odd prospect. But!
We do have Peter Moore here, who's already been onstage to gee up the crowd.
The Peter Moore Live at The Apollo DVD will be available from all good service stations this Christmas.
We're 15 minutes from GO GO GO. Although, to be honest, I'm not really sure there's left to reveal.
The LA team is still in the queue to get in the venue.
So, er, don't expect this one to start on time.
I'm being spared some awful bantz in the main stream though, it seems.
Can't say I'm *too* upset.
Just switched on the Twitch stream. Just switched it off again. Thanks for sparing us here in Hammersmith, EA!
The one leak I'm worried about right now is from myself. Just had a coffee and a beer before this - can I make it through all 90 minutes?
Oh wait!
Peter Moore is onstage!
I'm filming this.
Reckon I can sell bootlegs of this routine down Bovingdon Market.
This is going on 'til 10pm local time.
So the conference is only an hour.
We're being promised some great content from Moore.
I *love* content. That's what I came here for.
rep-: Any idea how long the conference is?
60 minutes, it seems.
SpaceMonkey77: Cool lets go. Waited too long. Let's go!
LET'S DO THIS. In about five minutes or so idk.
So.... Who's drinking what?
In the interests of preventing any more leaks - especially as I'm sat next to the lovely Edwin and I don't want to leak all over him - I'm staying dry for this conference.
Silverflash: Aberlour Abunadh, Martin. Only the best to kick off E3.
Fancy dan!
I'm so tempted to start on the hipflask that's in my bag, but lord knows what state I'd be in come 3am.
Unclebenny: I've got this and the football going at the same time. that's too much content already.
You can never, ever have too much content. Humankind is a bottomless receptacle for content.
We're running late but there's still a huge queue here outside. Security is very tight.
That music is still looping.
The deep house gets deeper, and the wait goes on.
rep-: I'm confused are EG in London or LA?
Both! We're an international bunch. I'm in London, Tom P and Wes are in LA.
vandal_gab: Thought it started a 9pm BST?
That was the plan, yeah. There's a slight delay in LA so we should be up and running shortly.
It's gone quiet here in London.
And we have a countdown on screen.
People are genuinely losing their shit over this countdown.
And.
We are live.
Andrew Wilson's shiny visage is being streamed in hypervision.
He's poured himself into those jeans, and you could cut your fingers off the creases in that shirt.
'The content creators here can tell you what they've seen', says Andrew.
We're *all* content.
My god, it's full of content.
Anyway, I'm up on screen. Wave!
Cyndi Lauper is playing the Apollo in a couple of weeks time. Tonight, though, it's all Moore's.
There's a schism in EA, it seems - Andrew Wilson is tucked, ironed to a crisp.
Peter Moore, however, is letting it hang out, all in black.
Andrew Wilson talking about play feels like the weirdest TED talk I've ever witnessed.
There's a lot of guff to get through, but we can expect looks at Mass Effect, Battlefield, Titanfall and FIFA.
And we're kicking off with Titanfall via Vince Zampella, who looks super casual with a cargo jacket.
Titanfall 2 will be coming to PS4 as awell as Xbox One and PC.
It's got mechs and - this is the big new thing - grappling hooks.
I've also got a guy sitting next to me who keeps staring at my screen. Hello sir!
This is coming out on October 28th - a week after Battlefield 1.
More customisation options, single-player. And mechs. Lots of mechs.
And now our look at the single-player.
Our second look, that is, after this morning's leak. Kudos to EA for owning it and getting the high quality trailer out straight after the leak.
I didn't think a Titanfall single-player campaign was something I wanted.
But the single-player trailer is beginning to convince me otherwise.
Robots really are the greatest things.
oldskooldeano: I think you can buy Zampellas cargo jacket in The Division. 350 Bird coins and its yours.
I'd love an Andrew Wilson skin for any MP shooter, really.
It's Madden time!
Does that mean it's time for me to try and sneak to the toilet?
If I'm being honest, Peter Moore's shirt is a little too long to be able to be worn untucked.
There. I said it.
Take those trousers off and it could double up as an eye-catching mini-skirt.
You'd just get a hint of cheek, I think.
Donlan in the office, on Moore and Wilson: "This is like Bowie and Jagger at Live Aid." But the question is, who's who?
Not enough to offend, but just enough to titillate.
I think to pull off the mini-skirt look, Moore would have to pair up that shirt with some high heels.
Sorry, I say mini-skirt, I obviously mean a daring A-line or something.
Have they stopped with Madden yet?
Peter's gone offstage while we watch the VT.
I hope he's going to take my advice and ripping off those trousers so that outfit can really shine.
They're still talking Madden, right?
Peter Moore is back onstage. He's kept his trousers on, for shame.
Anyway, there's an eSpats thing in Madden.
And now we're on to the meat with BioWare.
I haven't played too much Mass Effect so I'm wondering why this guy is advertising the night bus to Northolt on his t-shirt.
I mean, I've had some fun on that route home. But I wouldn't go as far as wearing the t-shirt.
N47 all the way for me.
Here, though, is a look at Mass Effect Andromeda.
Which is being made in Frostbite.
Everything is at EA these days, it seems.
It's offering brief glimpses of gameplay, and a look at some returning races looking all shiny with their new mo-cap.
And the return of the Mako. Or at the very least something that looks like it.
That was a slim look, unfortunately. Just a dev diary (again) with only small snippets of gameplay.
But! Mass Effect Andromeda is certainly a looker.
Andrew Wilson is now announcing Play to Give - which combines in-game achievements with charitable donations.
A noble cause, so kudos to them.
Now onto some video games.
FIFA 17 is next, and we're about to see what it looks like on Frostbite engine.
Which is being touted as a big evolution for the series - perhaps its biggest since 07.
Where, though, is Pele?
Oh god we're getting live theatre here at the Apollo.
I could've gone to the NFT tonight, but this is where it's at.
Suddenly we're all wishing for Pele instead.
That was amazing. So pleased to have been here to witness that.
So, FIFA has a story mode. Cmoplete, I believe, with BioWare-esque dialogue options. It looks properly, properly nuts.
MrTomFTW: I'm enjoying Peter Moore's pokey nipples. Anyone else?
I hadn't even noticed. For shame!
I'm a fan of nuttiness in games, so I'm all over this.
The story mode is called The Journey.
I'm about to look at Moore's nipples now.
It's not even cold here. So I don't know what his excuse is.
Manager models are in FIFA which means.....
Holy hell, I was about to write about a virtual Sam Allardyce.
But Jose is here! He is so goddamned handsome.
This, everyone, is how you have a presence on stage. Never mind Moore's nipples - mine are standing to attention right now.
Excuse me. I'm genuinely starstruck.
Pretty sure he just winked at me too.
There'll be a FIFA preview on the site shortly.
That was FIFA. And now this is DICE.
I think they're about to announce the new game from the Unravel chap.
EA Originals is a new indie initiative.
Maybe Wes or Tom P can confirm, but Patrick's shoes look boxfresh, like he bought them especially for today. Got to appreciate the effort.
Fe.
We're sat quite far back. But sure, whatever floats your boat.
rep-: Did Mr 80s not mention Star Wars earlier?
It will likely be a look at the Bespin DLC. I'd love a look at an all-new Star Wars game - has enough of them in the works - but I'm not 100 per cent sure we'll get one.
Fe.
Is it part of your EA Originals contract that you always have to look like you're about to start to cry?
Excuse the radio silence. It's just that Fe looks a bit, well, fey.
I'm sure, however, that it'll be lovely. Getting faint Tearaway vibes from it.
To make things a bit more exciting for you all back at home, I think I'm about to leak.
It'll be the best E3 leak we've had yet, I promise.
STEEEER WEERS.
And Jade Raymond is on-stage, which suggests we'll see something new.
Battlefront 2 is being developed by Dice with the help of Motive, and it'll feature content from the new films.
And in 2018 we'll be getting the Visceral game. All of this is known.
So please let's see some actual footage of these games.
Rather than just a dev diary.
Oh wait, here's a dev diary.
NoTheMama: They aint showing anything are they? Lol
I don't think so, no...
2017: Battlefront the game you hoped the first would be
2018: Star Wars Uncharted
2019: Star Wars Titanfall
We did see a brief glimpse of Battlefront in VR - it was an X-Wing in space.
Bolin: hahaha this is shit.
Pretty succinct, and pretty on-point.
But no, we're not going to see anything of Battlefront 2 while there's still Battlefront 1 DLC to sell.
A very brief look at Visceral's Star Wars game which gives little away - it's third-person, I imagine it'll be Uncharted-esque.
One last game, and it's Battlefield 1.
In about three minutes time I can tell you that this is a very good video game.
For now, though, here's a brief trailer.
Jamie Foxx and Zac Efron are here to show us Battlefield 1. This is the content I live for.
Both of them look, super, super awkward.
So it's 10pm and I can tell you...
Battlefield 1 feels like a return to Battlefield 1942 - it's more slow and considered.
It's also really, really good, with dynamic destruction and weather that change the maps as you play them.
Also, losing teams get access to a Behemoth - a huge airship that's like a mobile gun platform.
It's all an awful lot of fun, it looks gorgeous - and I hope to bring you plenty more on it tomorrow morning.
This is our first look at the game properly in action. We played it on a pretty high-end PC, but it looks pretty close.
Also, there are now more dynamic transitions as you move into vehicles.
And it's out October 21st.
Oh, and horses. How could I forget horses!
That, I think, was your E3 2016 conference from EA.
In summary *shrugs shoulders*.
Still, we'll always have Jose and Peter's nipples here in London.
Here's hoping for more from Bethesda at 3am. Right, I'm off to leak. Laters!