Microsoft just showed its cards for the upcoming year with today’s Xbox & Bethesda Showcase. As the Xbox brand turns 20 this year, the company is leaning heavily into Xbox Game Pass with day one titles galore.
Here are the games that the company showed us and some key details regarding each of them!
Starfield
Starfield is one of about two dozen games that they highlighted coming to Xbox Game Pass. This one is from Bethesda. It’s a sci-fi game exclusive to PC / Xbox Series X / Xbox Cloud Gaming. The confirmed launch date is November 11, 2022. So we still have over a year to wait.
STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl
STALKER 2 is coming first to PC and Xbox platforms. The game launches in 2022 as a Day One Xbox Game Pass title.
Back 4 Blood
First shown during Summer Game Fest, Back 4 Blood is a four-player co-op action game from the creators of Left 4 Dead. In addition to PvE, you can also expect PvP human versus zombie. It launches on October 12 as a Day One Game Pass title.
Contraband
Contraband is a new co-op, open-world game coming to PC and Xbox Series X. It’s a Day One Game Pass title.
Sea of Thieves: A Pirate’s Life
Sea of Thieves: A Pirate’s Life is new free content coming to Sea of Thieves on June 22. It features Captain Jack Sparrow with Johnny Depp’s likeness from Pirates of the Caribbean. Davy Jones serves as the antagonist.
Twelve Minutes
One of the more interesting-looking games is Twelve Minutes, a console exclusive and Day One Game Pass title coming on August 19. Described as an “interactive thriller,” it features actor Willem Dafoe.
Psychonauts 2
Double Fine showed off some gameplay from Psychonauts 2, which comes out later this summer. The game launches on August 25 as a Day One Game Pass title.
Bethesda
It wouldn’t be the Xbox & Bethesda Showcase without some major news from Bethesda. While their headliner was Starfield, their back-catalog titles are also making plenty of headlines. Ten more Bethesda games are coming to Xbox Game Pass. These are older games, but it still expands the Game Pass library.
In addition, Doom Eternal is getting Xbox Series X optimizations. The new Fallout 76: Steel Reign is free for all players. Plus, The Elder Scrolls Online now has over 18 million players. The just-launched Blackwood Chapter adds a ton of new content. Expect Xbox Series X and S optimizations soon.
Party Animals
Party Animals is an Xbox console launch exclusive and Day One Game Pass title. It looks something like Smash Bros meets Fall Guys
Hades
Supergiant’s roguelike action dungeon crawler Hades is finally coming to Xbox. The Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S version launches on August 13, 2021. It won Game of the Year at the SXSW Gaming Awards earlier this year.
Somerville
Somerville is a neat-looking adventure game. It looks like players will try to survive a post-apocalyptic alien invasion. It’s launching on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X in 2022 as a Day One Game Pass title.
Halo Infinite
It’s safe to say that close to everyone watching the Xbox & Bethesda Showcase was interested in learning more about the upcoming Halo Infinite – specifically when it’s finally going to come out. So let’s start with that news: Halo Infinite launches this holiday season on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
The game’s campaign and multiplayer launches concurrently. As they’ve previously said, the multiplayer is free-to-play. One of the multiplayer modes that they showed off during the presentation was Capture the Flag. The company says that it supports up to 120 frames per second online.
As for the campaign, Microsoft says to expect the “largest and most wide-open environment we’ve ever built.”
Diablo II: Resurrected
Diablo II Resurrected launches on September 23, 2021 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. Expect remastered visuals at up to 4K on Xbox Series X. The game also features 8-player co-op
A Plague Tale: Requiem
One of my favorite games of 2019 is getting a sequel. Focus Home Interactive showed off A Plague Tale: Requiem. It’s coming to PC and Xbox Series X in 2022 as a Day One Game Pass title.
Far Cry 6
While it’s not an Xbox exclusive, Ubisoft’s Far Cry 6 launches on October 7 with support for 4K at 60 frames per second on Series X.
Slime Rancher 2
Slime Rancher 2 is an Xbox console launch exclusive. Launching in 2022, it’s coming to PC and Xbox Series X as a Day One Game Pass title
Shredders
A new snowboarding game called Shredders is making its way to Xbox Series X in December as a Day One Game Pass title.
Atomic Heart
Atomic Heart is an upcoming action role-playing from Russian studio Mundfish. It’s coming to PC and Xbox Series X as a Day One Game Pass title.
Replaced
The 2D action-platformer Replaced is one of the coolest-looking indie games coming to Xbox as a console exclusive. In addition to PC, it’s getting released on Xbox One and Xbox Series X as a Day One Game Pass title.
Grounded
Obsidian Entertainment’s survival game Grounded is a year old now. The company had a few announcements regarding the upcoming Shroom & Doom Update. Expect pets, the ability to sit, and mushrooms.
Oh, and of course there’s a giant spider that you may make me turn on Arachnophobia Mode. Thanks a lot for that, guys! On top of that, the developers are adding new Achievements to the game.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising
Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising is one of the show’s surprises. The action role-playing game has a unique 2D art style. You’ll be able to play this as a Day One Game Pass game starting in 2022. Meanwhile, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes will be coming to Xbox Game Pass in 2023.
The Ascent
The Ascent is one of the games shown that we will get to play soon. This upcoming cyberpunk-themed action RPG is coming on July 29 to PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X as a Day One Game Pass title.
Age of Empires IV
It’s about time! Microsoft is releasing a new entry in their long-running real-time strategy series. Age of Empires IV launches on October 28 for PC as a Day One Game Pass title.
The Outer Worlds 2
They didn’t have much to show, but The Outer Worlds 2 was officially announced. It’s coming to PC and Xbox Series X as a Day One Game Pass title.
Microsoft Flight Simulator
Although it launched almost a year ago on PC, Microsoft Flight Simulator has yet to come to consoles. That changes on July 27 as the game launches on Xbox Series X with support for 4K gameplay. Microsoft also teased a free Top Gun expansion for Game Pass subscribers.
Forza Horizon 5
My personal favorite of the show was Forza Horizon 5. As visually stunning as ever, players will trek across Mexico’s tropical rainforest, desert, coastal environments, and Mayan ruins. Expect ray-tracing, photo-realistic skies, a piñata-based mini-game, and a new level editor.
Microsoft is calling this the “largest and most diverse world ever” in the Forza Horizon series. The game launches on November 9 on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. It’s a Day One Game Pass title.
Redfall
The Xbox & Bethesda Showcase closed with a new game from Arkane Studios, the creators of Dishonored. It’s called Redfall. Phil Spencer describes it as an “open-world, immersive shooter” that you can play alone or with friends. It looks like it features a diverse cast of characters and vampires as the villains.
Expect Redfall to come out in summer 2022. It’s coming to PC and Xbox Series X as a console exclusive. It’s also a Day One Game Pass title. (Seeing a theme here?)
