Will you be going this year?

E3 isn't far away now, and Nintendo has today announced its plans for the expo. The company is running series of special events under the "Play Nintendo" banner, including a Super Smash Bros. tournament and live demos from the Nintendo booth by members of the Nintendo Treehouse team. Arguably the most interesting element of the firm's plans is the Nintendo Digital Event which takes place on June 10th at 9AM PT — this will be similar in scope to the Nintendo Direct the company issued last year, instead of running a traditional E3 press conference.

Reggie Fils-Aime — who also stars in an amusing E3-related trailer which you can view below — had this to say:

We demonstrated last year that we are never afraid to reinvent a proven tactic or to break completely new ground if we believe it will provide the best experience for our fans, followers and partners. So, whether you’re attending E3 in person or joining online, there’s an amazing lineup of games, experiences and events coming your way.

Here's the official word from Nintendo itself on what it has in store for this year's E3:

Super Smash Bros. Invitational

2014 will see the arrival of not one, but two new Super Smash Bros. games: Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. To commemorate this occasion, Nintendo is inviting 16 highly skilled Super Smash Bros. players to the NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles to compete in a Super Smash Bros. for Wii U tournament. Thousands of fans in the audience and countless more watching a live stream online will see new Super Smash Bros. characters clash with existing favorites in action for the first time. More important than declaring a winner, however, this event is a celebration of all things Super Smash Bros., and a great way for new and veteran fans to take part in a tribute to this legendary franchise. More information about the 16 invited participants in the tournament, the identity of the announcers, and how fans of the franchise can view the tournament in person and via webcast, will be communicated shortly.

Nintendo Digital Event

Every year, Nintendo looks for the best way to show its games and share its news with fans, media and other key audiences. In 2013, Nintendo decided to forgo a traditional press conference and use a video – in that case a Nintendo Direct – to share its news from E3. The company is building on that approach at E3 2014 with the “Nintendo Digital Event,” a new kind of video program that will reveal and provide further detail about the gaming experiences on the way for Nintendo platforms in 2014 and beyond. The Nintendo Digital Event will air at 9 a.m. PT on Tuesday, June 10.

Nintendo Treehouse: Live @ E3

This year, Nintendo will offer fans a deeper look at Nintendo’s biggest games of E3, with information directly from the source. The “Treehouse,” the Product Development department at Nintendo of America, will provide in-depth game demos live and unscripted from Nintendo’s booth. This new program will be live streamed during all hours of the E3 show. Fans can get settled in, open their browsers and experience the Nintendo games at E3 like never before.

Super Smash Bros. Smash Fest @ Best Buy

In 2013, Nintendo broke new ground by expanding its E3 activities outside of the walls of the Los Angeles Convention Center and letting fans play some of the games being played on the show floor at participating Best Buy stores. The partnership between Nintendo and Best Buy continues in 2014 and will mark the first time around the world that fans have had the opportunity to get their hands on Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

It's good to see Smash Bros. getting a big push, but what do you make of Nintendo's choice to avoid doing a traditional E3 presentation again this year? Do you think last year's Nintendo Direct broadcast was just as effective? What new games — or products — do you think Nintendo will show off this year? Finally, are you planning on attending E3? Sound off in the comments second below.