On July 23 at 5 pm BST, Microsoft's Xbox Games Showcase began. In the hour that proceeded, the audience was treated to teasers, updates, trailers and reveals on no less than 20 games, many of which are Xbox Series X games from first-party development teams. Xbox console mainstays like Halo and Forza were featured, along with some incredibly exciting reveals around cult-classics S.T.A.L.K.E.R and Fable.
Impressively, it was also confirmed that every game in the event would be available through the Xbox Game Pass – not eventually, but on day one of the title's launch.
Here’s a rundown of all the games shown at the Xbox Showcase event:
Halo Infinite
Kicking things off was the hotly anticipated Halo Infinite. After a teaser that saw Master Chief’s armour was being assembled, it jumped straight into some gameplay. In addition to some slick gunplay, grappling hook action, and weapon demonstrations, we learned from developer 343 that this instalment of Halo is open-world, and will serve as a platform for future developments.
Watch the eight-minute gameplay premier here:
State Of Decay 3
Undead Labs’ State Of Decay 3 transported us to a dark and foreboding forest, showcasing some impressive visuals, before scaring the life out of us with a zombie-deer.
Forza Motorsport
A stunning in-engine trailer for Forza Motorsport followed that announcement that the game is in early development with Turn 10 Studios. Series spin-off Forza Horizon 4 is one of the best racing games around, so anticipation is high for the upcoming release.
Everwild
Developers Rare treated us to a substantial trailer for the mystical and other-worldly Everwild. The world appears to be full of lore and bizarre creatures, seeming to promise that the game will be more than just a visual treat.
Tell Me Why Chapter One
Tell Me Why is an episodic story-driven title that follows the turbulent relationship of a brother and sister. Dontnod Entertainment’s game is more than just a family, however, as the sibling’s heightened emotions trigger cryptic visions relating to their past.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
This quaint and deceptively tough Metroidvania title is already one of the Xbox One’s best games. Later this year, Ori and the Will of the Wisps will be getting revamped for the Xbox Series X.
The Outer Worlds - Peril On Gorgon DLC
Obsidian’s wry and witty RPG, The Outer Worlds, will be receiving some DLC in the form of Peril On Gorgon. The developer has confirmed that this will raise the game’s level-cap and that the new story will be open to all players, not only those who have completed the main story. Contingencies are also in place for those who may have killed key NPCs relating to the DLC.
Grounded
Obsidian’s second announcement of the event was an update on Grounded, the tongue-in-cheek survival game. Players will take on the role of a shrunken teen as they battle against all sorts of garden-based foes with friends (or against them).
Avowed
The final segment of Obsidian’s announcement trilogy was Avowed, an ‘expansive’ RPG in a borderline-grimdark world. The short trailer shows a first-person perspective and dual-wielding melee and magic – not unlike Bethesda’s best-selling Skyrim (those who know about the relationship between these two developers will note this significance).
As Dusk Falls
Interactive drama As Dusk Falls was next up, coming from indie studio Interior/Night. Billed as an ‘interactive drama’, the game features a distinct and unusual art style, and tracks 30 years of an American Southwest family.
Psychonauts 2
Arguably one of the most unexpected moments of the showcase, actor and musician Jack Black made an appearance in the announcement of platformer Psychonauts 2. Featuring gameplay footage interspersed with behind-the-scenes clips of Black in the studio, the preview introduced new characters and a brain in a jar.
Destiny 2: Beyond Light
Online sci-fi shooter Destiny 2 will be making its way onto the Xbox Series X, running at 60fps with 4K resolution. Bungie’s 2017 title will also be coming to Microsoft’s new xCloud platform, allowing users to stream the game on their mobile devices.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2
Way back in 2007, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl was released. In the many years since, the horror game has amassed a significant cult following. It has now been confirmed that S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 will be coming exclusively to Xbox.
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide
Drenched in techno-gothic gloom, tension, and gnarly armour, Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is a four-player co-op FPS that expects players to master both ranged and melee combat to survive the onslaught of the Chaos legions.
Tetris Effect: Connected
The psychedelic and frantic Tetris Effect is coming to the Xbox. In this particular iteration, players will be able to jump on to a multiplayer mode (hence, Connected) that promises to add to the joyful blurry-eyed mayhem that Tetris has become in recent years.
The Gunk
The Gunk is a characterful title from Image & Form Games, the development brains behind the SteamWorld series. The game takes place in a vibrant sci-fi world where the player's goal seems to be resource gathering. What else is going on here, we’ll have to wait and see.
The Medium
We were updated on the progress of The Medium, being shown footage of the ‘dual reality’ gameplay style. The footage also seemed to show events taking place in an old abandoned facility, with an aesthetic not too dissimilar from Silent Hill. It appears the player will, at times, have to keep an eye on what’s happening in the ‘real’ world and the spectral simultaneously to avoid environmental danger and hideous ghouls alike.
New Genesis: Phantasy Star Online 2
Sega is bringing Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis to Xbox. The online action-RPG is a long-running game, though the New Genesis version announced seems to overhaul and polish up some aspects of the game’s visuals. The game is extremely popular in Japan, and Sega likely intends the push on Xbox to see the game spread worldwide with console and Western audiences.
CrossfireX
Smilegate and Remedy Entertainment have co-developed CrossfireX, a console variation of Smilegate’s Crossfire on PC. The gameplay shown on the events stream seems to promise plenty of over-the-top gunplay, macho-FPS clichés, and abundant explosions.
Fable
The event began with a quintessential Xbox game: Halo. And it ended with one: Fable. After years of hope from fans and silence from developers, recent rumours were proven true with a brief, yet titillating, cinematic teaser for an upcoming Fable game. Other than that, there were no details – but it’s coming, and that’s the main thing.
Watch the event in 4K/60fps here:
We are all excited about what's to come, but why not take a trip down memory lane and look at the Xbox One's best games