Every Games Announced From July’s Xbox Games Showcase & Xbox Game Pass Reveal

Sony Playstation 5 took a jab at Xbox when it announced a host of exclusive and third-party games during its PS5 reveal in ‘The Future of Gaming’ online event. Since then, the PS5 has generated a lot of hype for its upcoming console and first-party titles over the Xbox Series X.

Microsoft’s Xbox Series X is now retaliating with its Xbox Games Showcase, an online Livestream, that showcased its upcoming first-party and third-party titles. The showcase reveals five exclusive games from Xbox Studios. And the others from first-party studios. Apart from games, Xbox gave viewers more information about the Xbox Game Pass.

Xbox is taking a different approach than Sony for the XSX. Just look at the game titles and the Xbox Showcase event. While Sony undoubtedly has more exclusive games, Xbox is not backing on the competition. Banking on services like the Game Pass, Smart Delivery, and upcoming Project xCloud, Xbox sure got and appeal to gamers..

The biggest news has to be the Game Pass membership option. With just $15 a month, gamers can get their hands on each and every game announced in the Showcase. It sure sounds better than buying each game for $60 or more. This premium membership will also give you access to Xbox Live and Project xCloud!

Additionally, some of the popular games already on Xbox like Forza Horizon 4, Gears 5, and Sea of Thieves will be optimized for XSX. If you already own or are planning to buy these games, you will get the next-gen upgrade through the Xbox Smart Delivery program. The ‘Optimized for Series X’ badge will be a sign of the game’s compatibility to be playable at 4k 60fps and above.

Xbox also told the viewers to expect a lineup of over 100 titles to be available when XSX launches. While the Xbox Games Showcase did not cover all of the first-party game studios, they’ve assured that more is to come. It will only get better as we make it towards the Holiday season when Xbox Series X releases alongside Sony PS5.

Halo Infinite

Masterchief is back as Halo: Infinite is the title’s long-awaited mainline update since 2015’s Halo 5: Guardians. Halo: Infinite will also be the launch title for XSX, which means it will come bundled with the console at release. While it was already announced by Xbox, fans were given a sneak peek of the gameplay in the Xbox Games Showcase.

State of Decay 3

A sequel to the apocalyptic open world of the State of Decay series, State of Decay 3’s announcement shows a trailer of a lone survivor coming across an undead deer. The graphics shown in the trailer is promising; however, without gameplay reveal, it is hard to determine if it puts the XSX’s internals to the test.

Forza Motorsport

This is the next racing iteration of the popular Forza Motorsport exclusive to Xbox platforms and a direct competitor to PS exclusive Gran Turismo. While the trailer did not reveal any details about how the gameplay will look, Microsoft has said the game will have ray tracing and support for 4k 60fps.

Everwild

Everwild, Rare’s upcoming original title, was finally revealed in a trailer on the Xbox Games Showcase. The announcement shows a fantastical world with humans and colorful creatures. The art style is different, and this could be one of the games to look out for.

Tell Me Why

Developed by Dontnod, Tell Me Why looks like a chapter-based game where two siblings – brother and sister, are set to revisit their dramatic past. The game already appears to have a gripping storyline as can be seen in the trailer. The first chapter has been announced for August 27th.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps

This is an optimized remake or “special version” of some sort that is set to be released for the XSX. Developed by Moon Studios, the game is announced to be playable at 4K HDR and 120Hz refresh rates. Smooth?!

The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon

The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon Is not a new game but a story expansion to the galactic RPG that released last year. Obsidian, the game’s developer, has announced the downloadable content for September 9th.

Grounded

Grounded is another game from Obsidian announced for the XSX. The premise looks similar in context to movies like Antman or The Ant Bully, where you will be playing as miniature humans defending your turf or executing missions in your garden.

Avowed

Arguably the best trailer in the Xbox Games Showcase, Avowed is yet another game from Obsidian. The debut reveal shows the promise of a hit fantasy-style first-person RPG filled with magic, spells, creatures, and more.

As Dusk Falls

The trailer for As Dusk Falls showed off some gorgeous art styles. It looks to be an interactive drama focusing on two main characters from different families. The storyline dwells on the character’s past and an unfortunate incident between two visually different families.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2

The game was announced way back in the 2019’s Game Awards, and the Xbox Games Showcase did not add anything new. Instead, the game developer, Ninja Theory, talks about how they have used Iceland as the location for the next chapter of Senua.

Psychonauts 2

Developed by Double Fine, a gameplay trailer of Psychonauts 2 was revealed in the Xbox Games Showcase. The long-awaited game looks promising as the protagonist Raz returns to travel through minds. Also, Jack Black lends his vocals chords to the game’s soundtrack, debuting in the gameplay music trailer.

Destiny 2: Beyond Light

The new trailer showcases more of Destiny 2: Beyond Light’s gameplay. Bungie also announced that the new story expansion would be available through Xbox Game Pass. Pre-ordering the Beyond Light on Xbox One will make it available on XSX through Xbox’s Smart Delivery.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2

The sequel to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. makes it to the XSX after quite a long wait. The survival horror FPS is also exclusive to Xbox and PC, which means you won’t find it on the PS5.

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide

Darktide Is an XSX and PC exclusive co-op shooting thriller set to take place in hive Tertium. The trailer reveals futuristic gadgets and a horde of zombie-like creatures that you have to fight off in coordination with three other friends.

Tetris Effect: Connected

It is a multiplayer and co-op addition to the popular Tetris Effect. The game is set to launch first on Xbox this holiday season as opposed to when it first launched as a timed exclusive on PS4.

The Gunk

The Gunk looks like an action-adventure game, developed by the makers of Steamworld. The gameplay looks to be centered around cleaning a gunk-filled planet and fighting monsters that were teased in the end of the trailer.

The Medium

XSX is set to have a host of horror games and The Medium is another example of that. This XSX exclusive is from the developer of Blair Witch, Bloober. The game takes full advantage of the XSX graphics, with two worlds being rendered simultaneously at instances, as seen in the trailer. The game’s protagonist will a spiritual medium named Marianne, which explains the dual-reality and the name of the game.

Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis

Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis adds a new planet to the online-multiplayer universe already introduced on the Xbox One and PC. Set to be released in 2021, you may have heard of the developer too. Does Sega ring any bells?

Crossfire X

Crossfire X sees developer Remedy Entertainment and Smilegate collaborate in a bid to add a compelling storyline to hugely popular FPS, Crossfire. The campaign reveal trailer builds anticipation of the game which was announced back in 2019 and is set for release this year.

Fable

As the showstopper of the Xbox Games Showcase, the trailer of Fable revealed it as a continuation to the famed series exclusive to Xbox and PC. While we cannot say much we do know the game will include fairies and frogs. Fable 4 is taken charge by Playground Games, the makers of Forza Horizon.

While the Xbox Games Showcase Livestream did not reveal the much anticipated all-digital edition Xbox Series ‘Lockhart’, it did give us a look into the games in the pipeline. Xbox also used the Livestream to emphasize services like Game Pass, Smart Delivery, and ‘Optimized for Series X’ badge. Reminder: All games listed above will also make it to Xbox Game Pass as they release! We just cannot get enough of that confirmation.
While games and all seems great, let’s take a look at Xbox Series X, which nearly drowned out by the noise Sony was making with PS5.

The design is reminiscent of a gaming tower with a boxy black design with green accents on grills at the top (or side depending on how to place it). The PS5, revealed after XSX, is a major contrast with its sleek white casing and blue lighting.

The next-gen XSX is a powerful machine with internals capable of delivering 4K gameplay at 60fps, it also supports ray tracing. Along with the PS5, XSX also adopts SSD storage to make decrease game load times from minutes to seconds. Say bye-bye to booting your games, slow menus and loading save files. You should note that XSX storage expansion is through a proprietary expansion 1GB module that will be developed by Seagate. This means you may have to pay a premium for the proprietary storage expansion.

However, the XSX has better specifications than the PS5 on paper, especially in the graphics department. Find the specs listed below and know why the next-gen consoles can support 4K at 60fps!

Xbox Series X specifications