Nintendo Details E3 Plans With Tournaments, Direct Video
By Liz Lanier
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Nintendo is gearing up for E3 2019 with tournaments, a Direct presentation, and Nintendo Treehouse: Live stream planned, according to a press release .
To kick off this year’s events, there will be a “Splatoon 2” and then a “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” tournament on June 8. Players are coming to Los Angeles from all over the world to compete in the culmination of past tournaments to compete for the title of world champions. The “” World Championship is up first at 11 a.m. PT, with the “” World Championship 2019 3v3 following at 2 p.m.
There’s free entry for those who want to watch the tournament on a first-come, first-serve basis at the The Theatre at Ace Hotel in LA— alternatively, those interested can watch at home via livestream .
A Nintendo Direct will also be livestreamed on June 11, in which the company plans to reveal details on upcoming games. The presentation will only cover software, according to the press release— so it doesn’t look like we’re getting any news regarding the upcoming new versions of the Switch console just yet.
Another livestream starting on June 11 is Nintendo Treehouse: Live on the Nintendo website. This is a chance for viewers at home to get a peek at Nintendo’s E3 booth with looks at upcoming games and commentary from developers.
Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser, who took over last month after Reggie Fils-Aime’s retirement , commented on what the game maker has planned for this summer’s events.
“We’re starting with some heated competitions and delivering new content the whole week,” Bowser said, according to the press release. “Whether people are attending the show in person or watching from home, our goal is to provide them with the best possible Nintendo experience.”
For those who are able to attend in person, Nintendo is encouraging attendees to reserve a free, adorably-named Warp Pipe Pass t reduce wait time at the booth to play demos. More details for how to reserve a pass are still to come, but those interested will need a Nintendo account.
E3, short for the Electronic Entertainment Expo, is coming to Los Angeles June 11 to 13. We’ll cover all the highlights from the event right here on Variety.
