Today's Xbox E3 2019 Press Conference Promises "Something New"

Microsoft's E3 2019 press conference is one of the first of the show; after EA Play yesterday, the Xbox conference takes place today in just over an hour. Microsoft has already promised to "go big." The briefing is scheduled to run just under two hours, and, via a tweet from the official Xbox account, Microsoft has made something of an usual tease, writing, "We invited something new to #XboxE3 this year."

Of course, E3 presentations are often full of new announcements, but this one was conspicuous. This something seems bigger than most E3 surprises, and the mention of an invitation could imply it is bringing in something from outside its own company.

So what could it all mean? The curious wording could hint at something big--in which case, it might be teasing the reveal of its next-gen Xbox, Scarlett. While that isn't expected to launch until next year at the earliest, Sony has already been talking a great deal about the still-unnamed PS5, so Microsoft may want to follow suit and outline its vision for next-generation hardware. Microsoft has more specifically teased a next-gen system over the past few days, even pointing somewhat indirectly at the word "scarlet."

Beyond that, we know Microsoft will be talking about its xCloud streaming service coming later this year. It has also been hinting at expanding Xbox services to other platforms, including the recent announcement of Xbox Game Pass on PC. It is also planning to show off 14 Xbox Studios games, including some from its spate of new acquisitions.

Altogether, this could be anything ranging from a surprising partnership to new hardware or services. We'll have to watch the Xbox E3 press conference to be sure. That will begin on June 9 at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET / 9 PM BST (6 AM AET on June 10). Be sure to check our full press conference schedule for more dates and times.