Like previous years, Electronic Arts has decided to hold its own event in lieu of a proper E3 showcase. While it had usually occurred around the same time as E3, the company decided to change it up this year, with EA Play Live 2021 taking place in late July. It's been an interesting year, to say the least, due to the pandemic and we don't have a solid roadmap for EA's upcoming games.
Unfortunately, some big names are expected to be absent. BioWare has already confirmed that it won't be showing off anything from Dragon Age 4 or the next Mass Effect. EA's Star Wars team also revealed that it wouldn't have anything to show off until next year. The highly-anticipated Skate will miss the show as well. That leaves games like Battlefield 2042 and the usual sports games like FIFA and Madden NFL. That doesn't mean EA won't have any surprises up its sleeve, though.
Rumors are swirling that we could see the revival of Dead Space with a remake from EA Motive, and the publisher has plenty of IP to draw upon during the 40-minute showcase.
EA Play Live 2021: Date and start time
EA Play Live 2021 will take place on Thursday, July 22, 2021 with a pre-show that begins at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT. The company revealed that WWE star Austin Creed will host the roughly 40-minute conference. EA Play Live 2021 will be streamed through EA's official channels around the world.
EA has also held several smaller spotlight showcases leading up to EA Play Live that highlighted games like Madden NFL 22, FIFA, and EA Originals from independent studios.
How to watch EA Play Live 2021 live stream
EA is hosting EA Play Live across its multiple social media channels. We've embedded the YouTube video so that you can easily view it once it's live. If YouTube isn't your thing, you can check it out on Twitch, Twitter, or Facebook.
EA Play Live 2021 announcements: What to expect
I've already gone over what we shouldn't expect. It's been confirmed that Dragon Age 4, Mass Effect, Star Wars, and Skate won't be making appearances. However, that doesn't necessarily mean it'll be light on announcements. EA makes some of the best Xbox games out there, and with several studios under its belt, we have some games to look forward to.
One of the biggest showcases during the event will likely be Battlefield 2042. Set in the near future, the latest entry in the long-running franchise is set to release on Oct. 22, 2021. We already know that it will support cross-save and cross-play, along with 128-player multiplayer, but DICE is expected to unveil a third game mode at EA Play Live.
Sports games are always a big presence at any EA event, and this should be no different, even though FIFA and Madden NFL 22 had their own mini spotlight showcases ahead of the event. In addition, we wouldn't be surprised to see other yearly franchises like NHL make an appearance. EA is also expected to reveal more about its upcoming college football game.
According to VentureBeat's Jeff Grubb, EA Motive is working on a Dead Space remake. If the rumor's true — and there's a good chance it is — this would be the perfect title to close out the show with. Despite a rocky third entry, Dead Space is a beloved horror franchise that many were sad to see put on ice following Visceral Games' closure. The remake apparently takes inspiration from Capcom's Resident Evil 2 remake, which was met with critical acclaim upon launch. Should this rumor come to fruition, players can expect a new experience built on the original's foundation but with overhauled graphics and gameplay mechanics.
Aside from that, I wouldn't expect a ton of big surprises. A safe bet would be a smaller Apex Legends announcement (Respawn did just announce a new character) or something about the future of Need for Speed, but the latter was delayed until 2022.
Whatever the case, EA and its subsidiaries are working on a bunch of games, even if some aren't ready to see the light of day just yet. Let us know what you hope to see at EA Play Live in the comments below.
