Xbox event at Gamescom 2015: Live stream, start time, and what to expect

While Xbox’s E3 press conference is Microsoft’s biggest gaming event of the year, the company has saved a few announcements for this week’s Gamescom in Cologne, Germany — including updates on Crackdown, Quantum Break, and Halo 5. Here’s what we’re expecting to see — and where you can watch it live.

Start time: San Francisco: 7AM / New York: 10AM / London: 3PM / Berlin: 4PM / Moscow: 5PM / Beijing: 10PM / Tokyo: 11PM / Sydney: 12AM Wednesday

Live stream: Microsoft is streaming the event via Xbox.com, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Windows Phone, and YouTube.

Quantum Break’s release date

Remedy’s follow-up to Alan Wake was first announced alongside the Xbox One itself and promised to blend TV and gaming for a “revolutionary entertainment experience.” It’s since been delayed a few times — most recently to 2016. We know it’s going to be at Gamescom in a big way (after being a no-show at E3). An explicit release date seems like a safe bet, especially after this tweet from Xbox chief Phil Spencer:

Crackdown gameplay

A new Crackdown, the third in Microsoft’s open world “super-cop” series (as I’m calling it), closed out Microsoft’s E3 2014 press conference. But like Quantum Break, Microsoft intentionally kept the game out of this year’s E3 in lieu of Gamescom. As for what we’ll see of Crackdown, we again have Spencer’s tweets:

(If you’re not following Spencer’s Twitter replies, you’re clearly missing out.)

Something, something, something Halo

Halo has long been the keystone in Microsoft’s gaming strategy, and Halo 5: Guardians, the next flagship release, is coming out this October. We’d be surprised if there weren’t any Halo announcements to go along with its presence at the event.