Xbox Games Showcase 2024: All The Biggest Announcements
With the conclusion of the annual Xbox Showcase, Microsoft had one of its best displays in a number of years. Even though the showcase featured well-known titles like Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, Avowed, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, it also featured some delightful surprises, such as the first glimpses at Doom: The Dark Ages, Perfect Dark, Gears of War: E-Day, and the enchanted gameplay for South of Midnight. In between Microsoft’s lineup of titles, there were a few updates for titles that were still in development, such as Diablo 4 and World of Warcraft, and brief gameplay teases like Assassin’s Creed Shadows were provided by other companies like Ubisoft.
If you were not present, all of the announcements are available below. June will see the continuation of the summer showcase, as the PC Gaming Show, Ubisoft Forward, and a new Nintendo Direct will all be broadcast this month.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Unsurprisingly, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6’s release date has leaked ahead of its exclusive livestream. The game is scheduled to arrive on October 25. Described as a “spy action thriller” set in the 1990s, the leaks have shown 16 new multiplayer maps, most of which are intended for 6v6 play, as well as a campaign mode. The multiplayer Zombie mode in Call of Duty is also returning, and an open beta will take place prior to the release of Black Ops 6.
Doom: The Dark Ages
Doom is returned, and in this sequel adventure, players will delve into the past of the Doom Slayer. The gameplay for Doom: The Dark Ages included a never-before-seen battle against Hell in a brief but charming clip. The Doom Slayer possesses the same speed, power, and shotgun as in the previous games, but now he can close the distance, stun opponents, and toss it like a deadly frisbee at them.
State of Decay 3
Though it hasn’t been seen in a while, State of Decay 3 made a reappearance at the Xbox Games Showcase. The most of this new game video was cinematic, but it did allude to the threat posed by zombies, how to repel the horde, and how to start a new life for your expanding group of survivalist homesteaders.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
A deeper look at the allies you can enlist to help you on your fantastical journey was revealed in the latest Dragon Age: The Veilguard teaser. There will be seven companions to choose from, each with a deep backstory to unearth and explore. According to BioWare, the Dragon Age tales, settings, and characters from earlier games will be expanded upon in this game. The newest members of the group are the scout Harding, the investigator Neve, the necromancer Emmrich, the dragon hunter Taash, the warden Davrin, the veil-jumper Bellar, and the mage-killer Lucanis.
Starfield: The Shattered Space
The Shattered Space is a brand-new expansion for the return of Starfield. The focus of this new content is the strange force that House Va’Ruun’s hidden homeworld, Dazra, has unleashed. Players will investigate this cosmic menace, acquire special weapons to add to their armory, and find more expensive items to outfit their character while exploring the galaxy.
Fallout 76
Fallout 76, a live-service game built in Bethesda’s post-apocalyptic gaming universe, is growing, with a new area soon available for players to explore. The area is called the Appalachians. Players can explore a bizarre electric storm, travel south to Skyline Valley, and learn the mysteries of Vault 63 in this game, which will be available starting on June 12.
South of Midnight
The first gameplay trailer for South of Midnight debuted, showcasing the game’s third-person action mechanics and folktale backdrop. The story of the game, which takes place in the town of Prospero after a hurricane destroys it, was also given further specifics. It is up to Hazel, the main character, to explore this realm of Southern Gothic imagination and reality. The game’s release year was also disclosed; South of Midnight will be available in 2025 for PC and Xbox Series X|S.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, one of the new games showcased at the event, is the first game by Sandfall Interactive and is scheduled for release on the Xbox Series X|S and PC in 2025. In an RPG, players take charge of an expedition on a perilous quest to kill the Paintress, who is determined to wipe off the last remaining human beings on Earth.
Perfect Dark
Easily one of the biggest surprises of the Xbox Games Showcases, Perfect Dark made its grand return with a slick and action-packed gameplay trailer. A combination of espionage and blazing gun battles, Joanna Dark has to hunt down the world’s most wanted criminal, Daniel Carrington, to uncover a mystery that threatens the entire world.
World of Warcraft: The War Within
World of Warcraft’s next expansion, The War Within, has a date, and players can explore the dawn of a new saga starting August 26.
Age of Mythology: Retold
Age of Mythology: Retold’s new teaser, which debuted on September 4, showcased more of the game’s mythological setting. This new installment in the series, which is set in a world where gods, monsters, and humans coexist, aims to combine the classic appeal of the genre with contemporary real-time strategic design and graphics.
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is an independent Souls-like game with an explosive attitude, from the makers of Ashen. Players will travel on a voyage of magic, gunpowder, and vengeance as humanity’s final line of defense against vengeful gods and their zombie army. This game is scheduled to arrive on July 18, so you won’t have to wait too long to enjoy it.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater resurfaced in a new gameplay trailer, showing off all-new graphics and 3D audio for the Big Boss prequel. While the PS2 classic’s story remains the same, the gameplay has been overhauled to drive home the themes of survival and stealth in a harsh wilderness. If you are craving an old-school experience, fret not, because there’ll be an option to switch to the original play style and control scheme as well.
Diablo 4
The latest installment of Blizzard’s action-RPG, Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred, was teased in an eye-catching and graphically stunning teaser. On October 8, the first Diablo 4 expansion will transport gamers to Nahantu’s lush jungles.
Fable
Finally, a gameplay teaser for Fable revealed a few of the fantastical wonders, scary beasts, and retired heroes you may encounter traveling around the game. The film, which is slated to release in 2025, also hinted that decisions will have long-term effects, but overall, you should anticipate a playful and jovial journey across Albion.
Sea of Thieves
Players’ greatest desire is now being fulfilled by Sea of Thieves: ships equipped with flamethrowers. Launching on July 25, Season 13 will allow you to take a voyage on Flameheart’s Burning Blade, one of the most notorious ships in the game’s legend.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
The latest teaser for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, which is still scheduled for release in 2024, featured a ton of punchable Nazis, hidden mysteries, and ancient ruins. In search of the truth behind one of history’s biggest mysteries, Indiana Jones must battle evil forces set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade.
Fragpunk
FragPunk, a 5v5 hero shooter developed by Bad Guitar and set in a bright futuristic setting, was revealed by NetEase Games. What distinguishes this game from every other one in the genre? The standard firefight concept is given an intriguing twist by a gameplay modifier card system that allows you to manipulate the rules of combat to your benefit. Beta testing will be conducted for both the Xbox Series X|S and PC versions of the game, which is scheduled to launch in 2025.
Winter Burrow
You are a rodent! In Winter Burrow, however, it’s not just any old mouse—this quaint little game tells the tale of a small animal wearing a cap who arrives at their dilapidated childhood home during a severe winter. After your aunt is kidnapped by an owl, it is up to you to rescue her from the cold by renovating that dilapidated tree stump.
Mixtape
In Mixtape, three friends set out for one more adventure together on their final night in high school. This story is driven by a combination of dreamlike recreations of their early memories and narrative vignettes centered around significant life events; however, the game’s soundtrack, which features songs by Devo, The Smashing Pumpkins, Iggy Pop, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division, and other artists, is what really makes it sound good. Mixtape, created by Beethoven & Dinosaur, the creative team behind The Artful Escape, is scheduled for release in 2025.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
On November 19, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 will formally launch, so mark that date on your calendar for your next vacation. The game, as seen in earlier teasers, aims to surpass its predecessor in scope. According to Asobo Studio, it has produced its most varied and intricate fleet of aircraft to date, allowing you to pilot them throughout an amazing replica of the entire world.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
The first gameplay teaser for Assassin’s Creed Shadows showcased the deadly skills of the game’s two protagonists, ninja Naoe and samurai Yasuke, together with the splendor of feudal Japan.
Atomfall
The next game from Rebellion, the developers of Sniper Elite and Zombie Army, will transport you to the picturesque pubs and little English towns, but you might want to think twice before you make the trip due to evil cults and rogue government organizations. Atomfall is a fictitious quarantine zone story that is set five years after a real-life nuclear disaster that happened in northern England in 1957. It is influenced by classic British sci-fi, folk horror, and Cold War anxiety.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure
Max Caulfield, the original star of Life is Strange, will make a reappearance in the upcoming chapter. Max is desperate to learn the truth about her best friend’s murder, and she will utilize her new abilities to travel through time to solve this mystery. The story takes place a few years after Max’s first journey in Arcadia Bay. Life is Strange: Double Exposure’s first two chapters will be accessible on October 15.
Mecha Break
There should be more mecha games, and in August 2024, you can have some fun with a multiplayer mech-based shooter. Mecha Break offers a vast armament, player-made mech pilots, customisable mechs, and multiple game types for you to test out your creations. Before it launches, there will be a closed beta in August.
Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl
The most recent trailer for Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl did not let us down. The video, which included narrative snippets and in-game footage, showed off Exclusion Zone locales to explore as well as mutant and anomaly encounters and discoveries to be made.
Feathers
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is an action game akin to Souls that is set in the late Ming Dynasty, in the province of Shu. As Wuchang, a pirate fighter suffering from amnesia and plagued with Ornithropy—a sickness that wreaks havoc on the body but bestows enormous power in exchange—you must explore Shu and become proficient with your ailment if you are to survive the land’s many enemies and rival factions.
Avowed
Avowed’s latest story trailer, which will be released later this year, focused on your role in the plot and Giatta, one of the game’s four friends. Your duties as an ambassador of the Aedyran Empire will include investigating the frontier and putting an end to the Dreamscourge.
Gears of War: E-Day
The next core game in the Gears of War universe takes place in a crazy world with a lot of well-known characters and dilapidated locations, but at least you can count on Marcus Fenix to know where to hide the Locust. Gears of War: E-Day, which takes place 14 years prior to the events of the previous game, will center on the rise of the Locust Horde and humanity’s valiant fight for survival.
Xbox Series Next
Although Microsoft did not unveil a standalone handheld device or a mid-gen refresh, they did unveil a new digital Xbox Series X with new color options. Remarkably, Xbox president Sarah Bond also mentioned that Microsoft is “hard at work on the next generation” of Xbox consoles in her brief remarks about the console brand’s future.
