Microsoft's Xbox + Bethesda showcase aired today, giving more airtime to a slew of platform-exclusive titles that will be debuting in the next twelve months. While high-profile Bethesda games like Redfall and Starfield got extensive gameplay previews, Xbox was forced to sheepishly confirm that it doesn't have any high-profile first-party exclusive titles set for the 2022 holiday season.
That's not necessarily a bad thing for Xbox. Microsoft spent the show hammering home how many games it was showing off from third-party partners would be available day one on Xbox Game Pass. Combined with an expanded rollout of Xbox Cloud Gaming, the company still has a strong marketing message to help sell Xbox devices at the end of the year, and hopefully pick up more revenue-driving subscribers.
Like Geoff Keighley, Phil Spencer appeared to do some pre-show moderation about expectations, saying that today's showcase would be more "gameplay-focused." This is apparently because the company is responding to fan requests for footage of games in action.
There were still some neat first-party surprises to be had. The Forza Motorsport series is getting its first new entry since 2017 from Turn 10 Studios, and Obsidian Entertainment debuted Pentiment, a stylized 2D role-playing game that resembles images from illuminated manuscripts and woodcut prints.
Mojang also revealed its next Minecraft game: Minecraft Legends, an "action strategy" game that lets players unite various Minecraft creatures in a battle to save the Minecraft Overworld.
One interesting Game Pass reveal was the library of Riot Games. League of Legends, League of Legends: Wild Rift, Legends of Runeterra, Teamfight Tactics, and Valorant are all coming to Xbox Game Pass, with free characters and upgrades to help subscribers jump into these online games.
A slow holiday season for first-party platforms does mean that third-party developers and publishers have a chance to shine. Games like A Plague Tale: Requiem, Scorn, and The Callisto Protocol will are some of the titles Xbox put front-and-center in a showcase of what's coming out in the next 12 months.
A bounty of Xbox games
Here are all of the games Xbox announced or showed off in today's Xbox + Bethesda showcase.
Arkane Studios' vampire-hunting co-op RPG Redfall.
Hollow Knight Silksong, which still does not have a release date.
High On Life, a new first-person shooter from Squanch Games, featuring the voice of Rick & Morty co-creator Justin Roiland.
Riot Games' Game Pass launch
A Plague Tale: Requiem
Forza Motorsport
Microsoft Flight Simulator, which is getting a "40th anniversary edition" update with new vehicles, including Halo's Pelican spaceship.
Blizzard Entertainment's Overwatch 2, which will be playable in Early Access starting October 4, 2022.
Ara: History Untold, a new turn-based strategy game from Oxide Studios. Its last game was Ashes of the Singularity.
The Elder Scrolls Online is getting a new expansion this year called High Isle.
Fallout 76 (which was recently scrutinized for poor production practices that direly impacted QA) is getting a new expansion called Expeditions: The Pitt.
Forza Horizon 5 is getting a Hot Wheels crossover, bringing speed boosters and plastic orange tracks to the game's vivid landscape.
Ark II, the sequel to Ark: Survival Evolved promised a 2023 launch date.
Scorn, a new shooter with strong H.R. Giger vibes from Ebb Software.
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, a third-person action game from Kepler Interactive.
Mojang's new game Minecraft Legends developed in partnership with Homeworld and Hardspace: Shipbreaker developer Blackbird Interactive.
No tags.
