As we enter the 5th Anniversary of Xbox FanFest, I’ve had to take several moments to pause and remember how far we really have come. Six years ago, this was just idea in a PowerPoint deck; words that matched a passion to give back to our fans. But it was only when we saw the fans lining up overnight in front of the Microsoft Store in Century City, to the tune of 500 by morning arrival, that we knew we had something special. Since then, from Sydney to Cologne, from Madrid to Milan, from Shanghai to Sao Paulo, Xbox FanFest has fulfilled not only my wildest dreams, but has given gaming fans everywhere a place to come together and celebrate Xbox like never before. And for that, I’m not only supremely grateful for the opportunities provide to me by Microsoft but, most importantly, to the fans who have loved this crazy idea from the get-go.
That’s why today, on April’s episode of Inside Xbox, I was so excited to reveal brand-new details on Xbox FanFest at E3 2019. This will be our biggest E3 presence ever, so I’m thrilled that 700 lucky fans will win a chance to experience the Xbox Briefing, a FanFest Showcase, and much more. This year, Xbox FanFest: E3 2019 begins on Sunday, June 9 at 9:00 a.m. PDT and ends Monday night, June 10, with fans then able to attend the E3 Expo Tuesday through Thursday.
Due to the tremendous demand for tickets, and in an effort to keep it as fair as possible for all Xbox fans, the ticketing process will once again be an online random drawing – fans who have an Xbox Live gamertag and are over the age of 18 will be able to submit their names on our submission website. The FanFest ticketing site will go live on Friday, April 19, at 9:00 a.m. PT. Fans should submit their name for a chance to win a FanFest ticket. The name submission window will remain open until Wednesday, April 24, at 12:00 p.m. PDT. At that time, the ticketing site will close, gamertags will be verified for authenticity, and the 300 winners will be chosen via a random drawing starting on April 25.
As was the case last year, this year each FanFest ticket will cost $45, with FanFest ticket winners being able to purchase up to two tickets each. Where FanFest has always been about paying it forward to passionate Xbox fans around the world, once again the fans will be able to pay it forward to others. All money raised from the sale of FanFest tickets will benefit a charity that we will announce in the near future. Further, we’ll have a special moment at E3 where FanFest attendees will get to see first-hand how their money will turn into something amazing for others.
So how will the ticketing work? You’ll need to submit your name during the open submission dates that we’ll be announcing soon. FanFest ticket random drawing winners are eligible for two tickets: one ticket to be purchased by the winner and one to be purchased by their Guest. During their registration process, winners will have 24 hours to purchase their ticket. The moment they are registered, they will be prompted to provide an email of their Guest. Important note: Inviting a Guest is optional! If chosen, a Guest will have 24 hours the moment the email is sent from the ticketing system to purchase their FanFest ticket. Guests will be responsible for their own ticket purchase. Last but not least, keep an eye on the random drawing dates, then watch your email inbox once the winners have been chosen.
A FanFest Ticket will include:
- Priority Access: Early check-in prior to the Xbox E3 2019 Briefing on Sunday, June 9.
- Insider Access: Prime seating at the Xbox Briefing
- Fan Showcase: Hands-on with Xbox’s hottest exclusives and biggest blockbuster games at an epic fan event on Monday evening, June 10, in downtown Los Angeles
- E3 Expo: A 3-Day Pass to E3
- Meet Xbox: Meet some of Xbox Game Studios’ new developers, top teams from other studios, gaming leaders and Xbox influencers
- Secret Gear Backpack: Back again this year, chock full of surprises
These are just a few of the activities Xbox has planned for the week, so stay tuned to Xbox Wire for all the latest on E3 2019. For Xbox Fans!