Microsoft and Bethesda E3 2021 Showcase
Sunday, June 13, 2021, 10:00 AM PT
Starfield
The first big event of the Microsoft/Bethesda show was another glimpse as Bethesda's long-anticipated sci-fi RPG, Starfield. The video was mostly a pre-rendered scene of a spaceship taking off, but the most interesting parts came in the last few seconds, where they confirmed a Nov. 11, 2022, launch date. As expected since Microsoft's purchase of Bethesda, Starfield is going to be exclusive to the Xbox Series X|S and the PC.
Sea of Thieves
Sea of Thieves was basically considered as close as you could get to a "Pirates of the Caribbean" game without the license, so it's no huge surprise that it took those last few steps. The update brings Jack Sparrow and Davy Jones to the game, complete with all the drunkenness and Sparrow antics you can imagine. The update will be available on June 22, 2021.
Game Pass
The star of the show this year was the Xbox Game Pass, which hit the ground running and kept getting more new games added as the conference went on. Upcoming games like Back 4 Blood, Forza Horizon 5, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 and Starfield will all be available day one on Game Pass. In addition, a whole bunch of other titles were added the same day or will be added shortly, including Yakuza: Like A Dragon and the majority of Bethesda's game lineup. Microsoft has shown that it's dedicated to making Game Pass a must-buy, and it seems like it's following up on that promise. The majority of the conference was taken up by a laundry list of both AAA and indie titles, and of those titles, 27 are coming to the Xbox Game Pass.
Halo Infinite Multiplayer
After a delay last year, Microsoft had an extra year to work on Halo Infinite. We now know the campaign will be split into single-player and a free-to-play multiplayer. The montage of the multiplayer footage gave us some interesting glimpses into new features. There are going to be new weapons, including classics like the energy swords and a heavier machine gun. Grapple hooks appear to be used either for mobility or as a makeshift weapon, and it looks like you can equip an energy shield that has a reflection or parrying mechanic. Unfortunately, this glimpse didn't offer much more.
Forza Horizon 5
The latest entry in the Forza Horizon franchise got perhaps the most detailed rundown in the show. This time, the franchise goes to Mexico and has the largest explorable map to date. You can drive cars, motorcycles, and various other vehicles through a ton of different environments, including into active sandstorms and onto a volcano, which is the tallest location in a Forza title to date. It includes a more in-depth multiplayer system that allows for instant swapping between events and uses a built-in AI feature to recommend modes for people to play together.
Of course, the real star of the show, as often it is in Forza, was the visuals. Forza Horizon 5 looks absolutely stunning, and it's clear the developers have gone out of their way to make it as absolutely beautiful as possible. The aforementioned sandstorm is utterly breathtaking, a tremendous wall on the horizon that shifts the world into ominous yellows should you drive into it. The vehicles also feature tons of details, and the Xbox Series X's ability to provide raytracing and top-of-the-line visuals means they've never looked better. It's absolutely one to keep an eye on when it hits on Nov. 9, 2021.
Redfall
The last surprise reveal of the show was Arkane Studio's Redfall, an upcoming team-based game coming summer 2022. We only saw a pre-rendered video, but the concept looks terribly interesting. You play as a diverse cast of supernaturally gifted modern day heroes who are battling vampires for the fate of the world. The heroes seem to have access to everything from telekinetic powers to UV lights that can turn a vampire into stone, but the vampires are preternaturally strong and magical. Arkane usually does quite a bit of worldbuilding, so hopefully this game will continue its streak of unique and interesting worlds.
Diablo 2: Resurrected
We saw a lengthy list of games with solid release dates at the conference. Diablo 2 Resurrected will be coming Sept. 23, 2021. It's Diablo 2, but you can play it on modern systems. You don't need to say more than that to get people excited, since Diablo 2 remains one of the most beloved and played games that Blizzard has ever produced.
Twleve Minutes
A more obscure but no less interesting title to get its release date was Twelve Minutes. Starring Daisy Ridley, James McAvoy and Willem Dafoe, it tells the story of a couple whose romantic evening is interrupted by a police officer bursting in and killing the husband. However, he wakes up a mere 12 minutes in the past, and the goal of the game is to keep reliving those 12 minutes until you can avoid tragedy. Hopefully the game can live up to its star-studded cast when it hits on Aug. 19, 2021, including Day One with Game Pass.
Psychonauts 2
The long-awaited sequel to the cult hit Psychonauts is finally coming out. Players again take control of Raz as he moves from summer camp to a full-fledged job as a Psychonaut, having to jump into people's minds to save the world. The trailer seems to have the same distinct humor and visual style as the first game, so there's a lot to look forward to when it comes out on Aug. 25, and once again, it's Day One on Game Pass.
Microsoft Flight Simulator
The previously PC-exclusive Microsoft Flight Simulator will be coming to the Xbox Series X consoles on July 27. For those who've never played, Flight Simulator is a tremendously beautiful and realistic flight simulator. That's it. Do you want to fly planes over a shockingly realistic rendition of the world? It does that and more, and it can be a surprisingly addictive title. Also announced is a Top Gun-themed expansion to tie into the upcoming "Top Gun: Maverick" movie, which debuts Nov. 19, 2021.
The latest entry in the long-lived Age of Empire franchise is finally on its way out. Set during the Middle Ages, Age of Empires IV is a combination city builder and war simulator, where your goal is to take over the world. It's been forever since we saw a new game in the franchise rather than expansions. Hopefully it can live up to the obvious inspiration that is the excellent Age of Empires II. We'll have to see when it comes out Oct. 28, 2021. It will be Day One on Game Pass.
Contraband
While not every game had a release date, we saw some of what 2022 (or later) has in store for us. Contraband from Just Cause's Avalanche Games was revealed. A co-op and open-world game where you play as a smuggler, the teaser trailer didn't give a ton of details, but if Avalanche's other titles are any indication, there will be explosions.
The Outer Worlds 2
The Outer Worlds 2 from Obsidian is also making appearance, though PlayStation and Switch owners look to be out of luck since Obsidian is now owned by Microsoft, further cementing the Xbox as the only system for open-world Western RPGs for the foreseeable future. Like the first game, it looks to be a comical mix of outer space nonsense and the terrors of capitalism — with the ability to shoot both in the face.
Grounded
Speaking of Obsidian, its current title, the "Honey I Shrunk the Kids"-themed Grounded, has an upcoming Shroom & Doom update. Mushrooms can be harvested and used to craft new items. The doom comes from the game's first "boss" encounter, the terrifying-looking Brood Mother who is like a spider on steroids. Fortunately, you can activate the game's arachnophobia mode to turn it into … a terrifying undulating blob of textures. Not much better, guys! We'll have to see how terrifying the game is when it comes out on June 30, 2021.
Battlefield 2042
The latest entry in the era-shifting Battlefield franchise is Battlefield 2042. Set in the near future, it appears to have fully embraced the future of technology. Drones, choppers, grappling hooks, and more await players in the latest iteration of Dice's massively multiplayer FPS franchise. The environments also look more dynamic, including a fight inside a massive sandstorm, going up to skyscraper rooftops and ziplining between them, and what appears to be a mission based around protecting (or destroying) a space shuttle that is about to take off. We'll get to see for ourselves when it hits July 21, 2021.
Fallout 76: Steel Reign
Fallout 76 didn't exactly set the world on fire, but it has seen a constant amount of new support that adds new equipment and armor to full-on NPCs and storylines. The latest expansion, Steel Reign, will follow the early days of the Brotherhood of Steel and is due out on July 7, 2021. Announced alongside it is a 2022 expansion that takes players to "The Pitt" (postapocalyptic Pittsburgh), which was last seen in one of Fallout 3's DLCs.
Somerville
Somerville, the latest game from the developers of Limbo and Inside, will be coming to Xbox (and Game Pass) sometime in 2022. Would you guess that it appears to be a moody atmospheric puzzle/platformer where the protagonist exists in a world of shadows? Considering the excellent quality of the developer's first two games, it's easy to be excited about Somerville, which releases in 2022.
A Plague Tale: Requiem
The sleeper hit A Plague Tale: Innocence is getting a sequel, and it sure looks like everything has gotten worse in A Plague Tale: Requiem. There are more swarms of deadly rats, Hugo's in a cage, and Amicia looks like she's gone full Lara Croft, and we pity anyone who gets in her way. The first game was an excellent little adventure, and the sequel seems like it could be much more of the same. Like almost everything else on this list, it will also be hitting Game Pass on Day One when it releases in 2022.
Slime Rancher 2
Do you like cute and relaxing games? If you do, the indie classic Slime Rancher is an excellent one to invest in. If you're looking for more slimes and the ranching thereof, you'll need to have an Xbox, as Slime Rancher 2 is joining the ever-growing list of titles with Xbox exclusivity, a 2022 release date, and Day-One Game Pass.
Shredders
Sadly, Shredders is not a game starring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles villain, but it still looks interesting. Billing itself as a snowboarder game made by actual snowboarders, it looks to take a Tony Hawk-style mix of realism and just a hint of fantasy to fill a long-ignored niche in gaming. It'll be hitting this December, and would you believe it? It'll be on Game Pass Day One.
Atomic Heart
The alt-reality 1950s Russia but with robots game, Atomic Heart is also due out later in 2021. In development for a long time, it's a mix of shooter and RPG, which seems somewhat reminiscent of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. from the trailer. We'll get a chance to try it ourselves sometime later this year. Also? Game Pass. Day One.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl
Not to be left out, S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2: Heart of Chernobyl will also be hitting on April 20, 2022. If Fallout is about postapocalyptic America, then S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is its Russian counterpart. It's somewhat grimmer, far more deadly, and incredibly enticing. The sequel looks to be upping the ante on all fronts and should more than scratch the itch left by Starfield, assuring we won't see a new Fallout anytime soon. It joins the laundry list of titles that are coming on Day One to Game Pass.
Replaced
Replaced is a cyberpunk game with beautiful spritework and brutal-looking combat. It may not have the biggest graphics, but it was one of the most impressive-looking trailers of the entire show. Not due out until 2022, it will be, of course, on Game Pass Day One. Microsoft really wants to make sure you have what is probably the best subscription money can buy if you've managed to get your hands on a Series X|S.
The Ascent
The Ascent is a cyberpunk-themed cooperative multiplayer shooter where you blow up a whole lot of dystopian city. It looks pretty darn fun and is coming out on July 29, 2021, exclusively for the various Xboxes. It's also appearing on Game Pass Day One.
Honestly, if there was one significant theme to the show, it was "Buy A Game Pass," and to be fair, that is one of the biggest advantages of the Xbox Series X|S. It's clear that up through 2022, Microsoft is determined to get as many of its own games and as many titles from other publishers on the Game Pass as possible. Add to that some cool-looking exclusives, and there's a lot of good reasons to pick up one of the Next-Gen Xboxes as soon as they are available.
Just make sure to budget for a Game Pass, too.