It’s been a while since the Xbox Showcase was held, and once we’ve recovered from the hangover, I think it’s time to more carefully assess what happened on June 11. . The hype was at its height, it was undoubtedly the most anticipated event (surely) of the year, but… was it the colossal event that many were waiting for? I don’t know if it’s the best possible event, what I do know is that it was magnificent. And much of the blame was due to Microsoft betting on a short-to-medium term future.
Practically, everything advertised in the window had a date located in 2024 at the latest, with the exception of some third-party or other titles that we already knew about Xbox itself, which would arrive this year. Below we will review the most important games, but above all, the success of Microsoft’s strategy. There have been fewer revelations, but many more confirmations of what’s to come soon. to the brand ecosystem. Let’s see this in depth.
The “smoke” is already a reality
You’ll all remember what those previous Xbox events were like, where much of their “world premiere” centered around such powerful names as Fable, perfect dark, IndianaJones, Smuggling, Declared oh always wild. These announcements generated a lot of interest from the community, and given the studies behind them, it was not surprising. The problem came after each trailer ended; “another undated”.
We already know that when we only see a cutscene, it’s more of a preview to understand the direction the game will take, or at least have an approximation of what the final product will be. In the case of Smuggling oh always wildWe can’t even imagine their worlds, their gameplay… there is no reference of any kind. We knew there were big projects going on, but none of that gets the player excited if we can’t locate them in time., with a release that stretches from tomorrow to infinity and beyond. But luckily things have changed in 2023.
Microsoft’s decision in this showcase couldn’t have been more specific, and that is that some of these games have returned to feature “in-game” images with a 2024 launch window. A good example of this was Fable, Hellblade II, oh Declared, the latter with extensive gameplay. other games like Forza Motorsport he is colossal star field (which I will talk about later) they made an appearance to reaffirm their arrival in 2023. This time there were fewer revelations, yes, but in return we saw everything that comes our way in the short term, and c is wonderful. Other third-party titles also helped complete the show, among them the great Cities Skylines II or the Character by SEGAwhich will arrive on the first day of Game Pass.
Eventually, much of this wonderful smoke will come to life. And how he looks…
The winning program of 2024
This year has become one of the best in the history of the video game industry. And among other things, this is due to such large releases as star field, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Resident Evil 4 Remake oh Diablo IV. And if that sounds crazy to you, I’m afraid 2024 is pretty close, at least for the Xbox community.
We’ve covered numerous times, via podcast included, Microsoft’s moves in relation to acquisitions of studios and other companies. Bethesda’s was undoubtedly one of the biggest, perhaps the longest before Activision’s Blizzard King happened. However, with so many studies and new projects, many began to get impatient to know when the machine would start. Well, that time has come.
The main confirmations for 2024 leave us with a dream cast; Infernal Blade II It’s one of the big ones coming. Senua looks better than ever, and on a technical level, Ninja Theory promises to take our breath away frame by frame. Declared was another of the protagonists of the event. Obsidian has already promised that the end result of its next game will be far better than what’s been seen, but the truth is, what we already know begs us to dream.
¡Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024! This one we didn’t see coming. The best flight simulator returns with an even more spectacular visual section, with much more content in the form of planes and helicopters, as well as new game modes. In the air (pun intended), there is games like mechanical revolutionInxile’s big “Bioshock”, the mysterious South of midnight from Compulsion Games, and Fablealthough I wouldn’t be surprised if the latter arrives in 2024. If there’s one effective study, it’s Playground Games.
The confirmations of 2023
2024 promises yes, but let’s not forget that there is still a lot of this year left, and look out for what’s to come. For the remaining months, the Xbox Showcase once again confirmed the arrival of major titles on Xbox. Next to star fieldhighlighted the sensational Forza Motorsport, whose technical section is driving us all crazy in the newsroom. What there is is what has been shown, nothing more.
A few days after the showcase, we got to see more of the driving title at its own event, Forza Monthly. It will arrive on Game Pass on October 10, with its Standard, Deluxe and Premium Editions. The physics promise to be the best we’ve ever seen in a racing game, bringing us even closer to outright simulation. Weather will also play a big role during races, affecting track imperfections in the same way. Lots of cars, lots of tracks, lots more and better than anything, so we can’t wait to get our hands on this wonder.
It might not come from Xbox itself, but it shouldn’t be forgotten that it has a large fan base, more than you would expect in its genre. We are talking about Cities Skylines II, the first part of which is in Game Pass in its remastered version. Like the first opus, the sequel to the famous city builder arrives on the subscription service as soon as it is launched. It looks better than ever, and as well as looking very neat at this point, remember that Colossal Order will be sharing dev logs to keep us informed. New mechanics, a renewed visual section… Ready to build your city on October 24?
Starfield, the coup de grace
Without a doubt, the icing on the cake was clear before we started. star field has become Showcase’s most important video game in its own right. And I want to put special emphasis on how to deal with it during this one, because again, Microsoft has been able to transfer the most accurate and quality content to players.
Aside from the trailer shown during the first hour of the event, the 45 minutes that the Starfield Direct lasted were loaded with information. Counting on the developers themselves, there was an immense amount of images (all gameplay) where we got to see how far the new Bethesda universe will take us. The customization of ships, for example, gives us the freedom to create whatever we can think of by joining its various modules.
Of course, much of the lead has been taken by the vast world that Bethesda puts at our disposal, with an endless number of planets to explore and an endless number of characters and beings to discover. The shooter is another section that had enough presence, as well as the variety of weapons and the skill tree of our character.. The possibilities are virtually endless. Everything is immense and overwhelming in star field; the ships, the fights, its soundtrack, the planets… And it couldn’t have been better.
I had my doubts, now I know it’s the only game that can handle The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom in the beautiful fight for the GOTY. Enjoy, what year we have left.
I’ve traveled to worlds you’d never believe, only to end up with enemies that defy mysticism. I felt my pulse quicken with each battle, and the sigh of someone who knows they will have to get back up. There’s always a villain waiting and an adventure around the corner.
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