For the last few years EA has skipped E3 and instead hosted its own EA Play Live event around the same time in Los Angeles. Last year EA Play Live went online instead, and this year will be no different.
Well, there is one difference: while EA Play Live usually takes place the same week as E3, this year it won’t go live until July, more than a month after E3 2021 – which was of course online-only itself too.
Still, a month delay just gives EA more time to prep its biggest announcements, with the new Battlefield 2042 no doubt high on the agenda. Here’s when EA Play Live takes place, how to watch it, and what to expect.
When is EA Play Live 2021?
EA Play Live takes place on Thursday 22 July, with the pre-show starting at 10am PST/1pm EST/6pm BST – though we don’t yet know how long the pre-show is, so we’re not sure exactly what time the main show will actually start.
EA has also confirmed that the show will be hosted by Austin Creed, perhaps better known as the WWE star Xavier Woods.
How to watch EA Play Live
It’s most likely that the event will be streamed on EA’s and channels, but we’ll have to wait until closer to the event for specific streaming options.
What will EA announce during EA Play?
EA owns a huge number of massive franchises, so there’s a lot that it could tease or show off during EA Play. That makes it hard to predict exactly what will show up, but there are definitely some safe bets.
June saw the reveal of the multiplayer-only Battlefield 2042, so expect to see more from the game. No doubt a new trailer, but also likely a few looks at new features, maps, or weapons, and some developer interviews.
Proper looks at FIFA 22 and Madden 22 are also almost certain, and we could also see the new Need for Speed that EA has confirmed it’s working on.
It might be too early for footage from the expected sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, but the company might tease it with a logo reveal or similar. Developers Respawn also work on Apex Legends of course, so it’s likely we’ll see something coming up for that game too.
Finally, EA subsidiary BioWare should also be represented. More details on the upcoming Dragon Age 4 game seem a certainty, but we might also get further teases on Mass Effect 5 following the recent release of the remastered original trilogy.
