Before E3 starts properly on Tuesday, Microsoft will unveil its plans for the show at a press conference from Los Angeles' Galen Center. Ars will be on hand to liveblog the event at 9:30am PDT (12:30pm EDT, 5:30pm UK time) on Monday, June 13.

The big buzz surrounding Microsoft at this year's E3 concerns persistent rumors of a mid-cycle refresh for the Xbox hardware. Reports suggest that Microsoft could be planning a more powerful, VR-capable Xbox One for release next year as well as a smaller, cheaper version of the current system for later this year.

We also expect more details about Microsoft's effort to bring the Xbox One and Windows platforms closer together, both for gaming and more generalized apps. After an intriguing demo of Minecraft on Microsoft's HoloLens at last year's E3, don't be surprised if we hear more about the company's augmented reality gaming plans this year.

Aside from the hardware and platform, we expect previously announced games like ReCore, Tacoma, and Sea of Thieves will factor heavily into Microsoft's software strategy. Maybe we'll even hear something about Crackdown 3, which has been missing in action since its E3 2014 debut. And hey, it's never too early to talk about the next inevitable Halo sequel...