- Kyle Chua
Xbox & Bethesda Showcase 2022 Roundup: Starfield, Forza Motorsport, Overwatch 2
Despite E3 being cancelled this year. there was no shortage of gaming-related announcements over the past week, with different publishers hosting their own virtual events to drop new trailers and tidbits about upcoming games.
Microsoft hosted its Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase last weekend to reveal some new games from its first-party studios and third-party partners. The 90-minute online event focused on three key pieces of news about games: what’s launching in the coming months, what’s coming to Game Pass and what’s on the horizon in 2023.
Here’s a roundup of some of the top announcements from the event:
Redfall
The stream kicked off with a gameplay trailer for Redfall, an open-world, cooperative, first-person shooter from Arkane Austin, the team behind 2017’s Prey. Set in Massachusetts, this new action-packed shooter will have you hunt bloodsucking vampires as one of four unique characters. Each of which has their own special abilities, which include telekinesis and invisibility, to name a couple.
Redfall is expected to launch sometime in 2023.
Overwatch 2
Sticking to first-person shooters, the long-announced Overwatch 2 finally has a release date. The team-based game is set to launch later this October, with early access beginning on 4 October. Perhaps even more exciting, it’ll be free-to-play upon launch.
Developer Blizzard Entertainment also dropped a new trailer, revealing Junker Queen, the newest playable hero to join the game’s ever-expanding roster.
Diablo IV
Blizzard Entertainment additionally shared some news on another game they’re currently working on, Diablo IV. The company, which is now part of Microsoft’s stable of developer-publishers, dropped a new trailer at the event, unveiling the Necromancer as a playable character class in the game.
This new instalment of the iconic Diablo franchise will also feature cross-play and cross-progression between the different systems it's releasing on. The feature will reportedly be available when the game launches in 2023.
Forza Motorsport
For race fans, Forza Motorsport returns next year to bring some high-octane thrills back on the Xbox and PC. Developer Turn 10 Studios tout it as being “the most technically advanced racing game ever", with overhauled driving mechanics, real-time raytracing and dynamic weather simulation. The debut trailer showcases some of the game’s gorgeous visuals, highlighted by realistic reflections and vehicle weathering.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
The long-awaited Hollow Knight: Silksong also made an appearance at the event via a new gameplay trailer. This sequel to developer Team Cherry’s highly-rated indie hit looks to expand the fast-paced metroidvania gameplay of the original with new enemy types and combat mechanics. The game is set to come out sometime in June 2023 and will be available on Game Pass at launch.
A Plague Tale: Requiem
Another much-anticipated sequel, A Plague Tale: Requiem, the follow-up to 2019’s A Plague Tale: Innocence is set to release this year, where you’ll once again be controlling protagonists Amicia and Hugo as they embark on a new journey. And like the first game, there are still plenty of flesh-devouring rats rendered in breathtaking detail. The game will be available on Game Pass at launch.
Riot Games on Game Pass
Speaking of games coming to Game Pass, Riot Games has seemingly struck a partnership with Microsoft to bring their entire catalogue to the subscription service. This includes League of Legends, League of Legends: Wild Rift, Legends of Runeterra, Teamfight Tactics and Valorant.
Persona
What's more, Persona 3 Portable, Persona 4 Golden and Persona 5 Royal are all hitting Xbox and PC via Game Pass. Persona 5 Royal was previously exclusive to PlayStation consoles. Royal will be the first to launch, with it scheduled to be added on 21 October. The other two games will follow.
Hideo Kojima Announcement
Legendary video game creator and developer Hideo Kojima, the brains behind the Metal Gear franchise, also dropped a major bombshell at the show: he's working with Xbox Game Studios on his next project. No other details about it were announced, however, except that it'll be an entirely new property. This announcement is particularly noteworthy as Kojima's last project, Death Stranding, was in collaboration with PlayStation.
Minecraft Legends
The ever-popular Minecraft is getting another spin-off in the form of Minecraft Legends, an action-strategy game that'll have you spawning mobs to fight The Nether. While not much is known about the game yet, it looks retain the signature charm that made the original so beloved among so many gamers. The game is expected to launch sometime in 2023.
Starfield
Finally, Bethesda Game Studios shared the very first gameplay footage of Starfield, a first-person, science-fiction RPG in the same vein as Fallout and The Elder Scrolls. The ambitious project will have you playing as a space explorer that can shoot pirates, build bases, interact with different characters in the world and travel over a thousand planets. Many have called it "Skyrim in space", and from the trailer, the statement still rings true.
Starfield was originally supposed to come out this November, but it has since been delayed to the first half of 2023. It'll be releasing exclusively on Xbox and PC and will be available on Game Pass at launch.
Microsoft hosted its Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase last weekend to reveal some new games from its first-party studios and third-party partners.
The 90-minute online event focused on three key pieces of news about games: what’s launching in the coming months, what’s coming to Game Pass and what’s on the horizon in 2023.
Some of the most notable reveals include Starfield, Forza Motorsport, Minecraft Legends and Overwatch 2.