The Xbox brand has failed to keep up with its competitors at Sony and Nintendo. The Xbox Series X|S lacks must-own games like God of War: Ragnarok or The Legend of Zelda. However, if the 2023 Xbox Games Showcase is any indication, that won’t be long. Nearly 30 games were announced today for the Xbox family of platforms.
For over an hour, gamers saw new trailers, release dates, and confirmed details for highly anticipated games from Xbox Game Studios and more. The showcase revealed countless World Premiere gameplay reveals, including the biggest in AAA-blockbuster games and the most exciting indie titles.
Long Awaited Games Are Revealed
Fable gets an in-game cinematic cutscene, teasing what’s to come in a reboot for the popular Xbox RPG franchise. Gameplay details are scarce, but a narration by British comedian Richard Ayoade teases a game heavily inspired by popular fairy tales. Microsoft confirms that the game will be available on day one on Xbox Game Pass.
The long waited Star Wars game from Ubisoft also gets a cinematic cutscene. First announced in 2021, Star Wars Outlaws promises to be a story-driven open-world game set in the Star Wars galaxy. Alongside Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment, the game results from a collaboration between Disney and Lucasfilm Games. It will release in 2024.
Years after its initial tease, Avowed, the fantasy RPG from developer Obsidian Entertainment, sees a story trailer that showcases what players can expect. Taking place in Eora, the same universe as Pillars of Eternity, the game bears a striking resemblance to the popular Elder Scrolls franchise. It will release in 2024.
Hellblade II, the follow-up to 2017’s revolutionary action-adventure Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, finally gets a gameplay trailer. Fans have been waiting for years to get a chance to play with Senua again finally. The trailer re-introduces players to the psychological horror that awaits. There is also the announcement that in-game capture has been completed. Officially titled Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, the game will release in 2024.
The first game from the new Atlus subsidiary Studio Zero (headed by Katsura Hashino) saw its debut trailer. Hashino is best known for his work on the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei franchises, most recently Persona 5. Metaphor: ReFantazio will be available in 2024.
Surprise Announcements and World Premieres Dominate the 2023 Xbox Games Showcase
As is customary with these events, major announcements are the show’s highlight. The 2023 Xbox Games Showcase is no exception, as Microsoft took the stage with a flurry of reveals.
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth, a game taking place in the Yakuza franchise, will release in early 2024. We were also treated to the newest add-on to Fallout 76, which takes players to Atlantic City.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 gets an announcement, meaning the popular simulation series will continue after its recent revival.
Capcom announced its new game, Path of the Goddess, with a mix of CGI and gameplay in its debut trailer. The game will be available on day one on Xbox Game Pass.
inXile Entertainment, a developer under the Xbox Game Studios umbrella, saw their latest game see a long-awaited reveal. Taking place in a Victorian Steampunk setting, the game combines first-person shooter gameplay and the ability to conjure magical skills. Titled Clockwork Revolution, it will be available “in due time.”
What Xbox Fans Can Expect In 2023
While most of the showcase is about the future of Xbox, there is still plenty to look forward to in 2023. It’s not just about new games, either.
Sea of Thieves, the popular pirate game from developer Rare, announces a collaboration with Lucasfilm and their popular adventure series, Monkey Island. The adventure begins on July 20th.
Microsoft announced a partnership with General Motors for the upcoming Forza Motorsport. The Cadillac V-Series.R and the Corvette E-Ray will be available in the game. We also finally have a release date: October 10th, 2023.
After the Xbox Games Showcase, a Starfield-specific Developer Direct details what players can expect when the highly anticipated RPG releases on September 6th. A trailer teases the game’s premise: answering humanity’s biggest question of “what’s out there.” The deep dive from Bethesda details the story of Starfield, the new tech powering the game, and what awaits fans as they explore the galaxy.
Keanu Reeves confirmed he is returning as Johnny Silverhand in Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, the first DLC for the futuristic RPG from CD PROJEKT RED. Reeves is starring alongside Idris Elba. Phantom Liberty highlights an impressive recovery after Cyberpunk’s disastrous launch in 2020. Fans happily report the game is in a positive state, resulting in high expectations for this expansion. Phantom Liberty releases on September 26th, 2023.
It’s not just about the games; an all-new Xbox Series S model, colored in Carbon Black and featuring one terabyte of solid-state drive storage, is coming September 1st. It will cost $349.99.
