Xbox Games Showcase 2023: A Recap

The Xbox Games Showcase 2023 was a big event for Microsoft and Bethesda, as they revealed a lineup of ambitious and exciting games coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Game Pass, and PC in the near future and beyond. Here are some of the highlights of the show:

Fable

One of the games that was shown during the Xbox Games Showcase 2023 was Fable, the long-awaited reboot of the fantasy RPG series by Playground Games. The game is a whimsical and humorous adventure in a beautiful open world, where players can shape their own story with choices and consequences.

Fable is expected to launch sometime in 2024 for Xbox Series X|S, Windows 10 and 11 PCs via the Microsoft Store and Steam, and with Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and support for Cloud Gaming.

Also read: Starfield Direct: Everything you need to know about the upcoming sci-fi RPG

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

Another game that was shown during the Xbox Games Showcase 2023 was Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, the sequel to the critically acclaimed Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice by Ninja Theory. The game is an action-adventure game that follows the journey of Senua, a Celtic warrior who suffers from psychosis, as she ventures into the myth and torment of Viking Iceland.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is expected to be released sometime in 2024 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Game Pass, and Steam.

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

Another game that was shown during the Xbox Games Showcase 2023 was Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, the first major story expansion for Cyberpunk 2077 by CD Projekt Red. The expansion will take players to a new area of Night City, where they will face new enemies and challenges, as well as reunite with Keanu Reeves as Johnny Silverhand and meet Idris Elba as a new character.

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty will launch on September 26, 2023, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via GOG, Steam, and Epic Games Store. The expansion will be a paid DLC that will require the base game to play.

Avowed

Avowed is a first-person sword and sorcery adventure set in the world of Eora, the same setting as the Pillars of Eternity series. The game promises to deliver a rich and immersive experience with a deep narrative, branching choices and consequences, dynamic combat and exploration, and stunning visuals.

Avowed is one of the most anticipated RPGs of 2024, as it marks Obsidian’s return to the genre after the success of The Outer Worlds. Fans are also eager to see how Obsidian will leverage the power of the Xbox Series X/S and the Unreal Engine 5 to create a stunning and immersive fantasy world.

South of Midnight

South of Midnight is a new game from Compulsion Games, the developer behind We Happy Few and Contrast. The game was announced at the Xbox Games Showcase 2023, with a stunning trailer that introduced the main characters, the setting and the premise of the game.

South of Midnight is a third-person action-adventure game set in a magic realist version of the American South. The game follows Hazel, a young woman who has the ability to see and interact with supernatural creatures that have spilled into the world. Hazel is on a mission to subdue these creatures and restore the balance between the natural and the unnatural.

Clockwork Revolution

Clockwork Revolution is a new game announced by Microsoft at its Xbox Games Showcase 2023 on Sunday. The game is a first-person action RPG set in a steampunk world where time travel is possible and history can be changed. The game is being developed by inXile Entertainment, the studio behind Wasteland 3 and The Bard’s Tale IV.

The game takes place in the Victorian-era metropolis of Avalon, where steam trains fly overhead, wealthy industrialists replace their limbs with ornate clockwork prosthetics, and mechanical servants fulfill their masters’ every whim. But this new age of wonders holds a dark secret—it’s been carefully constructed by the ruthless Lady Ironwood, who has used a time travel device to alter key moments in Avalon’s history, keeping the working class struggling in the slums and factories, while bringing herself immense wealth and power.

Star Wars Outlaws

Another game that was shown during the Xbox Games Showcase 2023 was Star Wars Outlaws, a new open-world game set in the Star Wars universe, developed by Lucasfilm Games and Massive Studios. The game will let players create their own characters and explore different planets, while engaging in various activities such as bounty hunting, smuggling, racing, and more.

Star Wars Outlaws is shaping up to be an impressive game that will appeal to fans of open-world and action games. The game promises to deliver a vast and diverse world to explore, a fun and engaging gameplay system, and a captivating and interactive story. Star Wars Outlaws is one of the most anticipated games coming to Xbox Series X|S and PC in 2024.

Persona 3 Reload

Another game that was shown during the Xbox Games Showcase 2023 was Persona 3 Reload, a remake of the classic JRPG Persona 3 by Atlus and P-Studio. The game is a captivating reimagining of the genre-defining RPG, reborn for the modern era with cutting-edge graphics, modernized quality-of-life features, and signature stylish UI.

Persona 3 Reload will launch in early 2024 for Xbox Series X|S, Windows 10 and 11 PCs via the Microsoft Store and Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. The game will be available on Xbox Game Pass on day one, and will support Cloud Gaming.

Persona 5 Tactica

Persona 5 Tactica is a spin-off of the popular JRPG Persona 5 by Atlus and P-Studio. The game is a tactical role-playing game that features the cast of Persona 5 in a new story and gameplay style.

Persona 5 Tactica will launch on November 17, 2023, for Xbox Series X|S, Windows 10 and 11 PCs via the Microsoft Store and Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. The game will be available on Xbox Game Pass on day one, and will support Cloud Gaming.

Flight Simulator 2024 Update and Dune Crossover

The update will add new types of missions and activities to the game, while the crossover will let players fly an ornithopter on the desert planet of Arrakis.

The Flight Simulator 2024 update will launch in 2024 for Xbox Series X|S, Windows 10 and 11 PCs via the Microsoft Store and Steam, and with Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and support for Cloud Gaming (Beta). The Dune crossover will launch on November 3, 2023, for the same platforms, coinciding with the theatrical release of Dune: Part Two.

Forza Motorsport

One of the games that was shown during the Xbox Games Showcase 2023 was Forza Motorsport, the latest entry in the acclaimed racing simulation series by Turn 10 Studios. The game is a reboot of the franchise that aims to deliver a realistic and immersive racing experience, with stunning graphics, advanced physics, and dynamic weather.

Forza Motorsport will launch on October 10, 2023, for Xbox Series X|S, Windows 10 and 11 PCs via the Microsoft Store and Steam, and with Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and support for Cloud Gaming.

1TB Xbox Series S

Phil Spencer announced a new model of the Xbox Series S console, which comes in black and has 1TB of storage, addressing the complaints about the lack of space in the original 512GB model. The new Xbox Series S will launch on September 1 for $349.

Starfield Direct

The first thing we saw during the Xbox Games Showcase 2023 was a new trailer for Starfield, which gave us a glimpse of the game’s setting, story, and gameplay. The trailer opened with a voice-over from an astronaut named Novak, who explained that he was part of a group called Constellation, “the last group of space explorers”. He said that they were looking for answers to humanity’s origins and destiny among the stars, and that they had found something that could change everything.

After the Xbox Games Showcase 2023 ended, Bethesda Game Studios hosted a special Starfield Direct event, where they shared more information about the game and answered some questions from fans. The event was hosted by Todd Howard, the director of Starfield and other Bethesda games such as Fallout and The Elder Scrolls. He was joined by other members of the development team, who explained various aspects of the game in more depth.

Starfield offers players a lot of freedom and agency in how they play the game. Players can follow the main story, which revolves around the mystery of the portal device and the origin of life in the galaxy, or they can ignore it and do their own thing. Players can also choose how they approach each situation, whether it’s through stealth, combat, diplomacy, or hacking. Howard said that Starfield is “a game where you can do anything you want to do”.

These were just some of the games that were announced or shown during the Xbox Games Showcase 2023. There were also updates on existing or previously announced games such as Sea of Thieves: The Legend of Monkey Island (a crossover with the classic adventure game series), Metaphor: ReFantazio (a new JRPG from Atlus), Dungeons of Hinterberg (a roguelike dungeon crawler), 33 Immortals (a hack-and-slash action game), Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess (a samurai action game), and more.

The Xbox Games Showcase 2023 was a showcase of Microsoft’s commitment to delivering diverse and quality games to its platforms, with many of them being available on Xbox Game Pass on day one. It also demonstrated the strength of its partnership with Bethesda, which is now part of Xbox Game Studios. With so many games to look forward to, Xbox fans have plenty of reasons to be excited for the future.

What were some of the highlights of the Xbox Games Showcase 2023?

The release date and new trailer for Forza Motorsport, which will launch on October 10, 2023, for Xbox Series X|S and PC.
The first gameplay trailer and new details for Avowed, a first-person fantasy RPG by Obsidian Entertainment set in the world of Eora.
The announcement of two new games by Xbox Game Studios: South of Midnight, a dark adventure game by Compulsion Games, and Clockwork Revolution, a steampunk action game by inXile Entertainment.