Sunday afternoon, 1pm (Eastern Time) was the Xbox Games Showcase, which ran for a little more than an hour, headlined by Bethesda's new IP Starfield. We have talked about it here on Game Fix in the recent past, with a lot of the game delays and the pending acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which is currently held up by the UK CMA and a lawsuit by Federal Trade Commission, much of 2023 saw a dearth of premium exclusive content for the Xbox Series X. This presentation provides answers to a lot of that drought, with 20+ trailers.

So what were some notable things to point out?

Lots of New Games from Microsoft's In-house Development Teams

With the aforementioned Activision Blizzard deal dominating the XBox news cycles since 2022, it's overlooked that Microsoft has acquired talented developers in recent years to bolster their pool of unique video games to look forward to. A lot of in-house studios, such as Obsidian and Ninja Theory have rolled out trailers for Avowed and Senua's Song: Hellblade II, respectively.   

Senua's Saga: Hellblade II (Ninja Theory) - Coming 2024

Sink deep into the next chapter of Senua’s story with this showcase of cinematic immersion, beautifully realized visuals and encapsulating sound from the team at Ninja Theory. 

Avowed (Obsidian) 2024

Explore the Living Lands, a mysterious island filled with adventure and danger. As an envoy of Aedyr, you are sent to investigate rumors of a spreading plague with a secret that threatens to destroy everything. Can you save the island and your soul from the forces threatening to tear them apart? Will be playable day one one Game Pass.

Fable (Playground Studios) 

What does it mean to be a Hero? Well, in the fairytale land of Albion, that is entirely up to you. With a dark threat looming, and in a world where your reputation precedes you, your choices will change Albion forever. Currently no release date projected for the newest Fable, many fans hope the series returns to form. 

South of Midnight (Complusion Games) 

From Compulsion Games (We Happy Few), a fantastical and macabre third-person action-adventure set in the American Deep South. 

Sea of Thieves: Legend of Monkey Island (Rare)

Split across three hilarious Tall Tales packed with secrets and side-quests, Sea of Thieves: The Legend of Monkey Island invites pirates to meet classic characters, in a new narrative that brings the iconic locations of Monkey Island to the Sea of Thieves.

The adventure begins on Mêlée Island, where pirates can take in the sights, smells and roguish splendor of the island as they seek to uncover why everyone suddenly seems to think quite highly of self-proclaimed mighty pirate, and known poodle pacifier, Guybrush Threepwood. Something's quite clearly wrong. Coming July 20th.

Clocktower Revolution (Inxile Studios)

Clockwork Revolution is a time-bending steampunk first-person RPG. After stumbling across an incredible invention that allows you to travel into the past, you discover the city you call home—the vibrant steam-powered metropolis of Avalon—has been carefully crafted through the alteration of historical events.

By traveling back to key moments, your interactions and choices will have a butterfly effect on the deep, narrative-driven world and characters of Avalon, causing them to change and react in unprecedented ways

Forza Motorsport (Turn10 Studios)

Out-build the competition in the all-new career. Race your friends in multiplayer. Compete in 500+ cars on world-famous tracks with cutting edge AI and advanced physics.

Atlus Brings Persona to the Xbox

This one has been a long time coming. The Persona series has become one of the most popular Japanese role-playing game series in the last 14 years, exploding its cult following into a phenomenon. After being home on the PlayStation platform since the late 90's, it's finally making its way to Xbox, headlined by Persona 3 Reload. Also joining the Xbox library, the Persona team's newest original game, Metaphor: ReFantazio. Japanese role-playing games are finding a suitable home on the Xbox console, as Microsoft continues efforts to broaden its player base.

Persona 3 Reload

A remake of the 2006 PlayStation 2 title, awaken the depths of your heart in Persona 3 Reload, the genre-defining RPG now reborn for modern consoles.

Persona 5 Tactica

Ignite a fire in your heart in Persona 5 Tactica, an all-new strategy RPG adventure with the Phantom Thieves of Hearts!

Metaphor: ReFantazio

Enter the mirror of reality… into the pinnacle of fantasy. Fight for the future in Metaphor: ReFantazio, releasing on Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC in 2024!

Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Speaking of Atlus' parent company, Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio return to the Yakuza spin-off. Continue the misadventures of Ichiban in Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth, coming in 2024.

Third Party and Multiplatform Titles a-plenty

Like with the PlayStation showcase, some of these games will be available on multiple platforms. Capcom, CD Projeckt Red, and Blizzard welcome new additions and updates to established franchises. 

Overwatch 2: Invasion (Blizzard)

Recently, Blizzard scrapped their PvE mode that was promised, likely due to the limited staff and resources available. Suffice to say, this feature will likely not be accepted by the public. Oh well, at least story missions will have an opportunity to flesh out the Overwatch heroes a little more.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess (Capcom)

A new, beautiful game from Capcom that bears some mild resemblance to its Onimusha series. A new tale of the Kami awaits. Witness an epic clash between the sprit realm and mortal man, featuring traditional Japanese aesthetics.

Star Wars: Outlaws (Lucasfilm Games)

Experience the first-ever open world Star Wars™ game, set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Explore distinct planets across the galaxy, both iconic and new. Risk it all as Kay Vess, an emerging scoundrel seeking freedom and the means to start a new life, along with her companion Nix. Fight, steal, and outwit your way through the galaxy’s crime syndicates as you join the galaxy’s most wanted.

Starfield

Of course, there's the show's marquee title, Starfield, the last big release for the Xbox in 2023, coming closer to the holiday season. 

The next-generation immersive RPG from Bethesda Game Studios, Starfield, arrives on September 6! Get ready to start your epic journey with a look at some brand new Starfield gameplay revealed during the Xbox Games Showcase. From space flight and combat to weapons, creatures and cities, there’s a lot to see. Starfield launches exclusively on Xbox Series X|S and PC on September 6, 2023. Play it day one with Xbox Game Pass.