Microsoft confirms this year's Xbox Games Showcase airing 11th June

Microsoft has announced it'll be holding this year's Xbox Games Showcase on 11th June.

That isn't, of course, particularly surprising news; Microsoft has long favoured the pre-E3 Sunday slot for its big announcements showcase, and it's one it's clinging onto even after reports it won't be participating in this year's E3.

As to the specifics of its showcase, Microsoft isn't saying much right now, only that it'll run ahead of a special Starfield-focused Direct at some currently unspecified time.

Newscast: Where does Microsoft go next to get its Activision Blizzard deal done?

Understandably, Microsoft has been focussing on its more immediate slate of releases in recent times - namely the next Forza Motorsport instalment, Redfall, and Starfield - and with launches for all those titles now on the horizon, it'll hopefully be turning its attention to some of the long-announced first-party games we haven't heard much from in a while.

These include The Initiative's spin on Perfect Dark, Obsidian's Avowed, Ninja Theory's Hellblade 2, and Playground Games' highly anticipated Fable reboot. Will any of these (or indeed the Sea of Thieves Monkey Island crossover I'm currently attempting to will into existence) surface during this year's pre-E3 Showcase? Only time will tell.

As for E3 itself, the show (which is being organised by Eurogamer parent company Reedpop) runs from 13th-16th June. Nintendo has officially bowed out and the only big name publisher confirmed to be attending so far is Ubisoft, which has promised to bring a "strong line-up".