Microsoft pulled out all the stops for its Xbox Games Showcase 2023. The company showcased 27 titles, out of which 21 would be available for Xbox Game Pass or PC Game Pass. This includes game reveals, updates on highly awaited titles, as well as a hardware reveal. This includes Starfield, Forza Motorsport, Fable, Avowed, and more.
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Starfield
Starfield was probably the biggest announcement at the event. Not only did gamers finally get a good look at the gameplay on offer, but there was even a separate Starfield Direct event where games got a detailed look at the game’s mechanics. Bethesda revealed that the game would have thousands of explorable worlds and includes a healthy mix of combat and exploration, which has been a stable of Bethesda titles such as Elder Scrolls and Fallout. The game would also allow players to customise and modify their spacecraft. Starfield is scheduled to release on September 6, 2023.
Fable
Microsoft also announced that it would be hitting the rest button with the legendary Fable series. The game will continue the series’ tongue-in-cheek approach to humour and will feature a medieval-fantasy theme. The company announced a new game in the series that will be developed by Playground Games, perhaps best known for its work on the Forza franchise.
Forza Motorsport
Playground Games will also release the next edition of its sim racing series. Simply titled Forza Motorsport, it will launch six years after the last edition of the game, Forza Motorsport 7. The game will feature over 100 vehicles and should scratch the itch of Xbox fans looking for a new sim racer to try out. The game is scheduled to launch on October 10, 2023
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is a successor to the long running flight simulator franchise. The new game will add jobs and careers in the game. Now players will be able to participate in missions and challenges related to jobs such as search and rescue, crop dusting, and more. The teaser also showcased a range of new vehicles including the A-10 Warthog and hot air balloons. The game will launch sometime in 2024.
Avowed
Avowed is the next big title for Obsidian Entertainment and is a fantasy RPG. The game is set in the world of Eora, which is where the Pillars of Eternity series is set. Players will be tasked with exploring the world and discovering the secrets and getting rid of the darkness and evil. Avowed is scheduled to release sometime in 2024.
Hardware
Microsoft also showcased new hardware, namely a new Xbox Series S console version. The new console is designed for those users who find the 512GB storage capacity of the console very limiting. The new Xbox Series S offers 1TB of storage and is black in colour to distinguish it from its 512GB brethren. Aside from this, Bethesda and Microsoft also showcased Starfield-themed Xbox Series X/S controllers as well as the Xbox Wireless Headset.
And more…
Aside from this, the Xbox Games Showcase also had many other games and expansions to talk about. Other new games include Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Jusant, Clockwork Revolution, 33 Immortals and more. Expansions showcased include Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, Overwatch 2: Invasion, Sea of Thieves: Legend of Monkey Island, etc. You can check out everything announced at the event here.
As if that wasn’t enough. Microsoft announced that it will host another showcase called Xbox Games Extended. The event will be held on June 13th, 10 AM Pacific (11:30 PM IST) and will showcase a deeper dive into Avowed, Towerborne, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom, and Microsoft Flight Simulator – Dune Expansion. It will also showcase some more new games as well as in-depth interviews, behind the scene features, gameplay walkthroughs and more.
PlayStation held its own showcase event a few weeks ago where it showed Spider-Man 2, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Marathon, and more. You can check that out here.
