Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase Had Something For Everyone
When Christina Verdurmen, the North American Gaming Lead at Microsoft, told me on Sunday at Xbox Canada’s Xbox Fan Fest Watch Party in Toronto that the goal was to give something for everyone, she wasn’t kidding. Sunday’s Xbox & Bethesda Showcase did exactly that. During the show, fans were treated to a smorgasbord of games. Everything from racing games to shooters to gory horror games, Xbox didn’t leave anyone behind during the 95-minute show.
Sure, it goes without saying, Starfield and Redfall slipping into 2023 is a disappointment. When it comes to Starfield, the delay isn’t surprising at all given how ambitious it appears to be. In fact, before Sunday, Xbox’s cupboard for the remainder of the year looked pretty bare. But Xbox fans can breathe a sigh of relief as Xbox overloaded us with games at the showcase specifically coming out in the next 12-months. Needless to say, the future looks extremely bright for the team. And we have yet to even see what the Activision Blizzard acquisition will bring.
Without further delay, here is what I believed were the 10 best announcements from the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase on Sunday:
Redfall is The Vampire Slayer We’ve Been Waiting For
The Showcase started with a bang, as Redfall kicked things off in style. It’s an Xbox console exclusive shaping into a fast-paced action-oriented vampire shooter that looks great. Arkane has a decent track record of rolling out slick-looking games where the combat mechanics and deep and feel great. The characters look interesting and they all appear to have some unique abilities. There are many ways to kill vampires in Redfall and I am here for it.
Hollow Knight Fans Rejoice
Finally! It seems like we have been waiting for Hollow Knight: Silksong for an eternity. Granted, we didn’t get a firm release date. However, we can confirm it will be on Game Pass day one and out in the next 12-months. Hollow Knight: Silksong is a direct sequel to the original smash hit Hollow Knight. It was revealed back in 2019, so we’re happy a release window is here. The trailer looked fantastic and there is no question it’s firmly planted on our radar.
A Throbbing Dose of Scorn
If you like gory games, Scorn should be right up your alley. The creepy horror experience has been given a release date and it’s coming on October 21, 2022. I am a big horror fan, so I have high hopes for it. It certainly looks grim and hellish. And I am pretty sure, I’ll spend most of my time hiding, and playing with the lights on…
Let’s Just Forget About Diablo Immortal, Shall We?
This announcement could not have come at a better time. With all the awful press the Diablo mobile experience has absorbed over the past two weeks, Blizzard could certainly use some good news for its best-selling franchise. And we got exactly that. Diablo IV looks compelling, featuring crossplay across PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. It’ll have a new necromancer class for Diablo IV and will feature more than 150 dungeons. Not to mention it’s on track to be released in the next 12 months.
Forza Being Forza
If there is one thing I can count on over the years, it’s that new Forza games will look great. So it’s no surprise that the next Forza Motorsport entry looks absolutely jaw-dropping. The franchise has consistently blown away the competition over the years and the next installment will be no different. Turn 10 Studios are calling it “the most technically advanced racing game ever made.” Based on the visuals we saw from the Maple Valley track, it’s quite clear it’ll likely be the best-looking game we have seen on the Series X to date. Sure, the Forza Horizon 5 Hot Wheel expansion available next month looks slick and is a nice appetizer, but the next installment in the Forza franchise coming next year is the main dish I have been waiting for.
Starfield Almost Too Ambitious?
Don’t get me wrong, Starfield looks absolutely massive and fantastic. During the showcase, we finally got an extended look at some early in-game gameplay. We got a glimpse of some of the planets, aliens, and combat. It has deep character customizations, ship customizations, and over 100 star systems. It seems super ambitious. Maybe too ambitious as I am not sure how they’ll pull it off and release it within the next 12-months. Who knows, maybe this will be the game many hoped No Man’s Sky will be. Fallout in space!
Kojima Mania
Y’all love your Kojima, don’t you? Nothing got the crowd in Toronto hyped like when Hideo Kojima appeared as part of the showcase. The iconic developer confirmed he is developing a game for Xbox. It is apparently going to take advantage of Xbox’s cloud technology. Granted, we didn’t get any details whatsoever about the game despite some of the rumours floating around last week. Regardless, it’s pretty damn exciting Kojima is working on something for Xbox players.
Do The Limbo Dance to Cocoon
From the makers of Limbo, ‘Cocoon’ caught my attention during the showcase. Developed by Geometric Interactive and published by Annapurna Interactive, it is touted to be a sci-fi puzzle adventure. While not much is known about the game just yet, the short gameplay nuggets we did see have us heavily anticipating the title. I’m looking forward to learning more about it leading up to its launch in 2023.
The Last Case of Benedict Fox is Not Just Another Platformer
I know, we’ve been inundated with side-scrolling platformers for ages now. The Last Case of Benedict Fox is yet another one. Talk about a genre that has been beaten to death; however, Benedict Fox looks unique. Visuals are sharp and it seems to have a faster pace than other games in the genre. It’s out next year and has got my attention.
Story Time With As Dusk Falls
Games like The Quarry and Telltales The Walking Dead have a way of just sucking me right in. Narrative based game ‘As Dusk Falls’ is coming to Game Pass next month and looks like another compelling game that is like watching a movie. I’m not sure how well it will be received but the premise of a family running from the police looks interesting. It looks like it’ll play out similar to a graphic novel. I love the way the art style stands out and I am looking forward to it next month.
What games are you excited about? What did you think of the showcase? Tell us in the comments below.