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Xbox and Bethesda’s Developer_Direct: how to watch and what to expect

Tomas Franzese
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Microsoft has confirmed rumors that it will be holding a game showcase later this month. Called a Developer_Direct, this livestream will take place later today and feature updates on Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda games launching over the next few months, like Redfall.  Xbox doesn’t typically do that many games showcases outside of events like E3, so this Developer_Direct seems like Microsoft’s own take on the Nintendo Direct or State of Play formula.

That said, it’s being a bit more transparent that it will be a bit slower-paced than Nintendo or PlayStation’s shows typically are. For those planning to watch the show live today, this is how to watch Xbox’s Developer_Direct Showcase as well as what you can expect from games like Redfall, Forza Motorsport, Minecraft Legends, and The Elder Scrolls Online at the event. 

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When is Xbox and Bethesda’s Developer_Direct? 

Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda’s first-ever Developer_Direct will air live and for free later today, January 25, at 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT. 

Key art for Xbox and Bethesda's first Developer Direct event.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

How to watch Xbox and Bethesda’s Developer_Direct

The Developer_Direct showcase will be officially livestreamed by Bethesda and Microsoft in the following four places: 

Of course, other places like IGN and Gamespot are bound to also broadcast it, and some individual game developers that are featured might do so as well. Xbox will also offer American Sign Language and Audio Description versions of the Developer_Direct on YouTube, so tune into one of those if you’d find those additions helpful. 

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What to expect

In the Xbox Wire post announcing the event, Microsoft is transparent that today’s showcase will primarily be made up of “extended gameplay showcases” rather than a flurry of brand-new game reveals. The post even detailed what players can expect from four particular games: Redfall, Forza Motorsport, Minecraft Legends, and The Elder Scrolls Online.

For Redfall, Bethesda teases that players will see “several minutes of gameplay,” from both the game’s singleplayer and multiplayer modes and will “learn more about combat, customization, bosses, the open world, and more” in the process. For Forza Motorsport, the announcement post simply says that Turn 10 Studios will “share more gameplay and exciting new details.” Mojang Studios and Blackbird Interactive’s Minecraft Legends will also get “exclusive gameplay footage.”

ZeniMax Online Studios’ The Elder Scrolls Online will really show up big at the event, as the Xbox Wire post teases that we’ll learn more about “2023’s major Chapter update, including the latest regions of Tamriel to become playable in ESO, as well as a major new feature coming in the game’s biggest update this year.” For The Elder Scrolls Online fans, an ESO Chapter Reveal Event will also air after the Developer_Direct today to detail these announcements even further. 

No mentions of release dates were made for any of those games, but it’d make sense for Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda to finally reveal them here as this announcement reaffirms that Redfall, Forza Motorsport, and Minecraft Legends are all launching “in the next few months.” Personally, we are also hoping for more Xbox Game Pass announcements for this otherwise meager month for the subscription service. 

Will Starfield be at Xbox’s January 25 Developer_Direct?

No, Starfield won’t be featured in this showcase. Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda Game Studios confirmed that the highly anticipated sci-fi RPG won’t be at the January 25 Developer-Direct but teased that a standalone show dedicated solely to Starfield. is in the works. 

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Tomas Franzese
Tomas Franzese
Gaming Staff Writer
Tomas Franzese is a Staff Writer at Digital Trends, where he reports on and reviews the latest releases and exciting…
Xbox and Bethesda’s Developer_Direct is their most important showcase ever
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Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda just announced that their first-ever Developer_Direct showcase will be held January 25, giving Microsoft footing in the game showcase space outside of events like E3 and Gamescom. After a rough year for Xbox first-party studios, this Developer_Direct will finally give us another very deep look at games like Redfall, Forza Motorsport, and Minecraft Legends, whichwill start to form its game lineup for this year, whetting our appetites for what's to come to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Game Pass in 2023. Although the seeming lack of any brand new first-party announcement might make this Developer_Direct not feel that exciting to the average player, this is a critical showcase for Microsoft if it wants to win jaded fans back.
So far this console generation, Microsoft has been inconsistent in terms of both content and transparency about the state of its games. We've gotten a couple of exhilarating bursts of info on new upcoming exclusives at the past couple of Xbox summer showcases, and fall 2021 had a solid lineup of releases in Deathloop, Forza Horizon 5, and Halo Infinite. But these flurries of excitement are overshadowed by large droughts in terms of releases and reports that cast doubt over the state of some first-party games' development. That's why Developer_Direct will be so crucial for Microsoft. This show will allow it to refocus players on a (hopefully) more consistent release lineup and start to give fans a consistent showcase cadence to be excited for. 

The content factor
Digital Trends has done plenty of writing highlighting how 2022 was a very weak year for Microsoft. The delay of Redfall and Starfield in 2022 really ruined that year, even though Pentiment and As Dusk Falls were good games. For more mainstream gaming fans, though, Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda's 2023 looks way more exciting. Games like Redfall, Forza Motorsport, Minecraft Legends, and Starfield have 2023 release windows, while long-announced games like Senua's Sacrifice: Hellblade II, Contraband, and Avowed seem like they've been in development long enough to not be too far off. However, Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda haven't shown us how this year will be paced out in terms of releases, and players were not pleased with Microsoft's lackluster presence at The Game Awards 2022
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Minecraft Dungeons was an enjoyable Diablo-like spinoff of the Minecraft formula, and now Mojang and Blackbird Interactive are taking a page out of Pikmin's book with Minecraft Legends. Set to release in spring 2023, Minecraft Legends is a real-time action strategy game where players defend the Minecraft Overworld from Piglins by commanding hordes of recognizable Minecraft creatures. Minecraft Legends looks like it will scratch that real-time action strategy itch as we wait for Pikmin 4, and will likely introduce a lot of new players to the genre. It is a multiplatform release, like all Minecraft titles, but its inclusion on Xbox Game Pass will make it a must-play Xbox Series X and S title in 2023. 
Forza Motorsport -- spring 2023
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Hollow Knight is one of the best Metroidvania games ever made, so it's understandable why we're quite excited for a sequel that follows the character of Hornet in a whole new kingdom. While this game will also be available on Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PS5, its day one availability on Xbox Game Pass will make Xbox the premier console on which to play Hollow Knight: Sillksong. It appeared during the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase this year, suggesting it will release sometime in the first half of 2023 despite developer Team Cherry's relative secrecy surrounding it. Regardless, anyone who loves of a good Metroidvania will want to check out Hollow Knight: Silksong whenever it launches in 2023. 
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