During today’s Inside Xbox stream, Microsoft announced the specifics for the upcoming Xbox FanFest in Los Angeles during E3 2019 week. The ability to purchase tickets will be decided through a random draw starting April 19 at 9 AM PT and running until April 24. The winners of the draw will be emailed between April 24 and April 30, at which point they will have an opportunity to both purchase a ticket and invite a friend to purchase one as well. Tickets will cost $45, and will include a three-day pass to E3.
In addition to the three-day E3 pass, tickets will also include an invitation to an early check-in line and priority seating at the Xbox press conference on the Sunday before E3. This also come with access to an event in “Downtown Los Angeles” the following Monday evening where attendees will be able to get hands-on time with some of the Xbox E3 showcase, opportunities to meet “new developers, top teams from other studios, gaming leaders and Xbox influencers,” and a Sea of Thieves-themed backpack filled with as yet unrevealed goodies.
FanFest tickets will only be available to Xbox Live users with an existing gamertag, although you aren’t required to be an Xbox Live Gold member. You must be 18 years old to purchase tickets, but fans under the age of 18 will be allowed to attend FanFest for the first time.
This year’s FanFest is the fifth anniversary of the event, and comes alongside major changes to the way E3 is perceived by the general public and the gaming industry. E3 can now be attended by non-industry personnel, and companies like Electronic Arts have taken the initiative by creating off-site events designed to attract and entertain gamers in the same vein as a PAX or similar gaming convention. The addition of public E3 passes has raised some concerns about safety and convention layout, as the influx of bodies is directly incompatible with the business that is often conducted in and around the show floor.
