There are plenty of titles in development for the Xbox Series X, with Microsoft promising at least one AAA game to be released per quarter. The only thing more exciting than that promise is that, when looking at the releases lined up for the console, the company might actually be able to do it.
Xbox Game Studios has a lot going for it right now with all of its upcoming releases as well as the popularity and success of Xbox Game Pass, so there’s plenty for Xbox owners to look forward to in the future. The following list is every AAA game reportedly being developed for the console.
RELATED: Fall 2021 Video Game Calendar
Psychonauts 2 – August 25
Fans of the original Psychonauts have been waiting for a sequel to the Double Fine classic for over 15 years, and now, with the backing of Microsoft, the game is nearly here. Picking up with Raz right after the events of the first game, Psychonauts 2 seems to be exactly the follow-up that fans are hoping for.
Age of Empires 4 – October 28
RTS fans have a lot to be excited about when Age of Empires 4 releases later this fall. The game looks to be expanding on the classic Age of Empires formula with four discrete campaigns that take place over the span of 400 years in history.
Forza Horizon 5 – November 5
With its recently revealed Mexico map, Forza Horizon 5 is going to be bigger and more lifelike than any previous entry in the series. The racing sim received plenty of screentime during Microsoft’s E3 2021 presentation, so fans of the franchise should be counting down the days until it launches later this fall.
Halo Infinite – Holiday 2021
Although Halo Infinite still doesn’t have a concrete release date yet, Head of Xbox Phil Spencer recently said that the team at 343 Industries is still devoted to making a Holiday 2021 launch. There’s likely to be more information about Halo Infinite's release window during Microsoft’s Gamescom showcase, so Halo fans should pay attention on August 24.
RELATED: Xbox Game Pass' Fall 2021 Lineup Sets a Precedent That 2022 Should Follow
Starfield – November 11, 2022
The only other AAA game coming to Xbox consoles with a concrete release date is Starfield. The newest franchise for Bethesda Game Studios, Starfield has been teased for several years, however, now that fans know when to expect the game, it’ll likely be getting several in-depth previews over the course of 2022. Not much is known about the actual game itself, but Bethesda has a track record of making quality RPGs, so fans are excited to hear more about it.
The Elder Scrolls 6 – Unknown
Other than a logo and an extremely brief announcement trailer, there’s very little information publicly known about The Elder Scrolls 6. Announced alongside Starfield in 2018, the next Elder Scrolls game won’t begin full production until Bethesda’s space opera is finished so it’s likely not going to release until sometime past 2024.
Grounded – 2022
Grounded has been playable in its prerelease state for quite some time now. Each new major update brings plenty of new content for players to sink their teeth into and incorporate into their bases and the world around them. Grounded update 0.10.3 released earlier this summer, so fans can expect more big things to come, but an official release feels like just a matter of time. There’s no official confirmation that the game will get version 1.0 in 2022, but as it’s been in development and playable for a while already, it seems likely that 1.0 is coming soon.
Redfall – Summer 2022
Microsoft’s final announcement at the company’s 2021 E3 presentation came as quite a shock for all viewers as it showed a first look at the next Arkane Studios title Redfall. Despite the game’s total secrecy, it’s slotted to be released during Summer of 2022 which means there’s less than a year until it arrives. There hasn’t been any gameplay footage of the game shown off, but it’s a four-player co-op vampire shooter and since it’s made by Arkane, the studio behind titles like Dishonored and Prey, fans can expect it to likely have immersive sim elements as well.
Deathloop – Fall 2022
Arkane’s current project, Deathloop, is still in its prerelease cycle but will be launching exclusively on the PS5 in September. Based on the fine print text at the end of every trailer, however, it seems like Deathloop will only be a PlayStation exclusive until a year following its release. This means that fans can likely expect the game to be available on Xbox consoles the second it’s legally allowed to be, which would place an Xbox version of Deathloop’s release around September/October 2022 right after Redfall.
RELATED: Xbox Series X Getting Huge UI Upgrade
Forza Motorsport – Fall 2022
The Forza franchise has pretty consistently been releasing one title a year since 2011, so it’s a pretty safe bet that Forza Motorsport will receive an eighth installment in 2022. A teaser trailer for the game was released last summer, but there hasn’t been much information surrounding the project since. Many assumed that the game would be titled "Forza Motorsport 8", however, the trailer didn’t feature a number, so fans have speculated that the game will be something of a reboot for the series. There’s been no official confirmation that the game will be releasing in Fall 2022.
Ghostwire: Tokyo – Unknown
Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo are in similar situations as both games’ publishers have been acquired by Microsoft following exclusivity deals with Sony. Earlier this summer, Ghostwire: Tokyo was delayed into “early 2022” which means that its Xbox debut has been pushed back as well. Just like Deathloop, Ghostwire will likely be arriving to Xbox Series X/S as soon as possible after its exclusivity deal comes to an end.
Avowed – Unknown
Obsidian Entertainment has been on a hot streak for a while now with the successful release of The Outer Worlds grabbing the attention of many new fans. As the studio continues to work on Grounded, it’s also been working on a mysterious fantasy game titled Avowed. Almost nothing is known publicly about the game, but it was announced last summer without any gameplay shown in its trailers, so there’s likely still work to be done on the game putting it potentially into 2023 or even 2024. Though there's still the possibility it could be completed much sooner.
The Outer Worlds 2 – Unknown
In addition to Avowed and Grounded, Obsidian is also working on The Outer Worlds 2, as announced during Microsoft’s E3 2021 showcase. The trailer poked fun at games that were announced far before they’re ready, but it seems like Avowed will be coming out much before The Outer Worlds 2. Other than the comedic, prerendered announcement trailer, virtually nothing is known about the sequel.
Perfect Dark – Unknown
Like many games announced to be in progress by Xbox Game Studios, very little is known about the Perfect Dark reboot that Microsoft is working on. Other than the fact that it’s another game in the Perfect Dark series, there hasn’t been much information about it following its announcement. That makes fans think that the game is still several years away from any sort of official release.
RELATED: Phil Spencer Explains Why Xbox Game Pass Hasn't Made It to PS4 or Nintendo Switch Yet
Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 – Unknown
When it was announced during the 2019 Game Awards, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 turned plenty of heads. The original Hellblade impressed fans, but it wasn’t immediately clear if the game would be getting a sequel. The game explored interesting themes surrounding mental health issues not often explored in gaming, so fans are eager to hear more information about Hellblade 2. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been much announced publicly, but since it was announced almost two years ago, it’s safe to assume that it might be getting a release date soon.
Contraband – Unknown
Another teaser announcement during Microsoft’s E3 2021 presentation, Contraband is a multiplayer heist game coming from Avalanche Studios. Almost nothing is known about the game as its announcement trailer was brief and didn’t feature any gameplay, but it’s safe to assume that the title is still a few years away from release.
Everwild – Unknown
Rare is one of Microsoft’s top-tier studios and its next new IP, Everwild seems to be intriguing many fans. There isn’t a lot known about the project, but recently Everwild's development was rebooted, so it might take longer to come out than exprected. It’s unclear if the game will have the same live-service elements as Rare’s other recent hit title, Sea of Thieves, but it’s certainly possible.
State of Decay 3 – Unknown
After hearing about it during last year’s Xbox summer showcase, many fans thought that State of Decay 3 would be coming sometime soon, however, the project has gone pretty much dark in terms of new information. Because of its silence, it seems like there’s still going to be a while until the title ships.
Fable – Unknown
The newest entry in the Fable series was also revealed during Xbox’s 2020 summer showcase and is currently being worked on by Playground Games, the studio behind the Forza Horizon series. The original Fable trilogy had a lot of big ideas that were somewhat limited by the technology of the time, so hopefully Playground can deliver something to live up to the high expectations. Ever since its announcement in 2020, there’s been no update regarding anything about the upcoming Fable title.
MORE: Fable Will Release Before The Elder Scrolls 6, But What About Avowed?
