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Everything announced at Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase 2022

Tomas Franzese
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Summer Gaming Marathon Feature Image
This story is part of the Digital Trends Summer Gaming Marathon series

Following a shockingly good State of Play and an underwhelming Summer Game Fest Kickoff, it was Microsoft’s turn to enter the spotlight and highlight the games coming to Xbox platforms and services. Namely, we saw Starfield in action even though it was delayed until 2023, and we got a better idea of what games are coming to Xbox Game Pass over the next 12 months. 

This was a significant showcase for Microsoft, which needed to confirm what it had in store for this year and what new games are on the horizon. While there were plenty of exciting new gameplay trailers and game announcements, nothing quite blew us away. Still, the presentation painted an extremely clear picture of what Xbox players can expect between now and June 2023. This is everything that was announced at the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase 2022. 

Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase 2022

Redfall gameplay shows what Arkane’s vampire shooter is all about

Redfall - Official Gameplay Reveal - Coming to Game Pass - Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase 2022

The show opened with our first look at gameplay for Redfall, an upcoming cooperative shooter about vampires from Arkane Austin. It initially leans quite hard into the horror aspects of the game before transitioning into showing bombastic shooting action, each character’s abilities, and more. Redfall will be released in 2023.

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Forza Motorsport will actually release in spring 2023

Forza Motorsport - Official Trailer - Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase 2022

We finally got another look at Turn 10’s Forza Motorsport for Xbox Series X, with a focus on its gameplay, lighting, and dynamic time of day system, and more. While many assumed that the beautiful racing game would launch later this year, it’s actually not coming out until spring 2023. 

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Grand strategy game Ara: History Untold announced by Xbox Game Studios

Ara: History Untold - Announce Trailer - Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase 2022

Oxide Games and Xbox Game Studios Publishing revealed a brand-new historical turn-based grand strategy game called Ara: History Untold. It was one of the few trailers without any gameplay, but it teases a game that will encompass centuries of history and lots of cultures. It doesn’t have a release date, but we know it’s coming to PC and Game Pass, and players can sign up for the history program.

Minecraft enters the strategy genre with Minecraft Legends

Minecraft Legends – Announce Trailer - Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase 2022

Minecraft showed up during the Xbox show, but it wasn’t with a simple update. Instead, a bran- new action strategy game called Minecraft Legends was announced. We even saw a bit of gameplay after the cinematic trailer, and it definitely looks very unique when compared to anything done with Minecraft before. Minecraft Legends will be released for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One in 2023.

As Dusk Falls and Pentiment flesh out Microsoft’s 2022 lineup

Pentiment – Official Announce Trailer - Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase 2022

We got another look at As Dusk Falls, a narrative-focused game with a motion comic-like art style. The new trailer gave us a better look at the story and confirmed a July 19 release date. We also learned that a new narrative RPG from Obsidian Entertainment called Pentiment launches later this year. These games help flesh out Microsoft’s paltry 2022 lineup in the wake of Starfield’s delay. 

Hideo Kojima reveals Xbox Game Studios partnership

Kojima Productions Xbox Teaser [HD 1080P]

During a segment focused on Japanese games, Hideo Kojima stopped by the showcase to confirm Kojima Productions’ rumored partnership with Xbox Game Studios. He didn’t actually show his game, which is rumored to be called Overdose, but this is a disruptive announcement for players who associate Kojima with PlayStation because of Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding.

Starfield gameplay reveal shows what Bethesda’s next RPG is really like

Starfield: Official Gameplay Reveal

As expected, we got an extended look at Starfield’s gameplay in action during the showcase. We see a player explore the moon of Kreet in the year 2330 in first-person. They scan and encounter the local fauna, wildlife, and minerals before fighting some pirates, with shooting gameplay much more intense than anything Bethesda Game Studios has done before. They then go to the city of New Atlantis and see some of the game’s conversations in action. Todd Howard then showed us an early look at the game’s immensely detailed character customization, skill system, ship and crew customization, flying, and vast galaxy. Starfield will be released in 2023.

Everything else: 

  • Hollow Knight: Silksong got a new trailer and is coming to Xbox Game Pass on day one. 
  • Squanch Games’ Justin Roiland revealed his new game, High On Life, which releases in October 2022 and will be on Xbox Game Pass on day one. 
  • Riot Games is bringing League of Legends, Wild Rift, Valorant, Legends of Runetrra, and Teamfight Tactics bonuses to Xbox Game Pass members on PC. 
  • A Plague Tale: Requiem got a gameplay trailer and will launch on day one with Xbox Game Pass.
  • Microsoft Flight Simulator is getting helicopters and other new aircraft in November 2022 to celebrate its 40th anniversary. Halo Infinite’s Pelican was added to the game today. 
  • Overwatch 2’s multiplayer early access launches on October 4, 2022, and will be free-to-play. A new hero was also teased. 
  • The Elder Scrolls Online: High Isle got a new trailer. 
  • Fallout 76: The Pitt got a new trailer and September 2022 release window. 
  • Forza Horizon 5 will get Hot Wheels-themed DLC on July 19.
  • Ark 2 got a new trailer starring Vin Diesel and a 2023 release window. 
  • Scorn got a new trailer confirming an October 21 release date. It will be on Xbox Game Pass on day one.
  • Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn got a gameplay trailer and early 2023 release window. It will launch day one on Xbox Game Pass. 
  • Lightyear: Frontier got a new trailer and spring 2023 release window. It launches day one with Xbox Game Pass.
  • Cat-themed roguelike action game Gunfire Reborn got an October 2022 release window. It launches day one with Xbox Game Pass.
  • The Last Case of Benedict Fox was revealed as a day one Xbox Game Pass title that will release in spring 2023.
  • Naraka Bladepoint comes to Xbox consoles and Game Pass on June 23.
  • Grounded gets its 1.0 launch in September 2022. 
  • Ereban: Shadow Legacy was announced and will come to Xbox Game Pass in 2023. 
  • Diablo IV got a new trailer revealing the Necromancer class. Also, PC and Xbox crossplay was confirmed, PvP and endgame content was teased, and a 2023 release was confirmed. 
  • Sea of Thieves is getting a new update that lets players customize their cabin, name their ships, and more on July 21.
  • The developers of Echo Generation revealed a new fantasy game called Ravenlok, which launches on Xbox Game Pass in 2023. 
  • One of the creators of Limbo announced Cocoon, which comes to Xbox Game Pass in 2023.
  • Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo teased a new IP, Wo Long: Fallen Destiny, which will release in early 2023 on Xbox Game Pass.
  • Persona 3, 4, and 5 are coming to Game Pass. Persona 5 will be added on October 21, while Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden are coming after that.

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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…
Play Xbox Game Pass’ weirdest game before it leaves on September 30
weird west leaving game pass september 2023 art

Earlier this year, Arkane Studios disappointed on Xbox Game Pass with Redfall, a game that dropped much of the studio’s immersive sim expertise for an underbaked multiplayer adventure. But what if I told you that the person who founded Arkane and helped create series like Dishonored had left the studio prior to Redfall and made an excellent immersive sim that is also available on Xbox Game Pass?
Well, that actually happened, and the game in question is Weird West.
In March 2022, former Arkane Studios founder Raphaël Colantonio released Weird West under the newly formed WolfEye Studios. While it swaps out a third-person perspective for an isometric one, Weird West is a joyfully odd supernatural Western game that manages to tap into the immersive sim design philosophy that made many of the games Colantonio worked on excellent.
Unfortunately, Weird West is leaving Xbox Game Pass on September 30, so we recommend you give it a shot before it’s gone.
Embracing the weird
Surprisingly, there aren’t a lot of games set in the Wild West, and even fewer that lean into creepy, supernatural elements like Weird West does. The game’s world is full of supernatural cults, magic, and creatures like pigmen, zombies, and werewolves. Its story is told across five distinct campaigns, starting with one about a retired bounty hunter whose child is killed and husband kidnapped, setting her off on an adventure to get them back.
The individual stories of all five of Weird West’s playable characters are emotionally captivating and quite distinct from each other. That’s very noticeable as soon as you jump over to the second story, which follows a human turned into a Pigman. Still, it’s a living and reactive world, so decisions made and characters killed in an earlier character’s journey do have an impact on subsequent characters’ adventures; you can even find and recruit characters that you previously played as.

It’s here where Weird West’s immersive sim roots start to shine, as a lot of emergent narrative moments with impact feel crafted by the player. This carries over into gameplay, which is done from an isometric perspective. Like Arkane’s best games, there are always multiple solutions to any objective, and going in with guns blazing isn’t always the best option. Instead, players are encouraged to stealth around, sweet-talk characters, and even use some magical abilities if the playable character can learn them as they progress through a character’s journey.
With these more dynamic elements, the isometric perspective, and the narrative focus, Weird West can feel like as much of a CRPG as an immersive sim at times. As such, it might be an enjoyable follow-up to Baldur’s Gate 3 for players finally coming off that lengthy RPG. At the very least, if you enjoy games that emphasize player freedom and also find novel ways to make it influence the game’s broader narrative, then you’ll enjoy Weird West.
The game had some technical issues and rough edges when it was first released, so it has flown under the radar. Most of those have all been smoothed over by now, though. Post-launch updates have fixed most of the major bugs and improved the character progression, aiming, and companion and stealth systems by adding more depth and UI clarity to them. Weird West is in the best state it has ever been in, but still feels as distinct and strange as ever.

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Every blockbuster reveal from the Xbox leak: new consoles, Bethesda games, and more
Xbox's logo used during the Extended Games Showcase

Unredacted documents submitted and made publicly available to view as part of the ongoing Microsoft vs. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) trial just led to what may be the biggest leak in video game history.
A flood of files have revealed deep secrets about Xbox's upcoming plans for the bulk of the decade, giving us unprecedented insight into what's on the horizon for the gaming giant. That includes information on upcoming hardware refreshes, next-gen consoles, and unannounced Bethesda titles, as well as a further peek into Microsoft's acquisition ambitions. It's a lot to trudge through, so we've rounded up five key revelations that you'll want to know.
A new Xbox Series X model is coming next year
https://twitter.com/stephentotilo/status/1704121068519133313
The most shocking thing to leak as part of the trial is a new Xbox Series X model. Referred to as "Brooklin -- Xbox Series X Refresh" in the leaked documents, this is a diskless, cylindrical version of the Xbox Series X with 2TB of internal storage, a USB-C port, and smaller technical improvements to the system's Wi-Fi, PSU, standby mode, and more. An upgraded Xbox Series S code-named Ellewood may also be in the works and released before Brooklin.
If Microsoft still follows the plan laid out in this "Roadmap to 2030" document created in May 2022, it would release Brooklin in late October 2024 for $500. If Microsoft still plans to release Brooklin next year, it does contradict recent statements from Xbox chief Phil Spencer, who acted bearish on the idea of a mid-gen refresh in Gamescom interviews. It's possible Microsoft's plans have changed since these leaked documents were made, but if not, we now know what to expect in terms of Microsoft's console refreshes.
A new Xbox controller is in the works
https://twitter.com/charlieINTEL/status/1704088621475598345
Throughout that Brooklin leak, a new version of the Xbox Series X controller is also teased. The Xbox Series X controller is great, but lacks the unique features of controllers like the DualSense or Joy-Cons, so it makes sense Microsoft would want to change that. Referred to as "Sebile -- The New Xbox Controller," this controller can seamlessly pair and connect to the cloud.
It also will feature haptic feedback, an accelerometer gyro, quieter buttons, modular thumbsticks, a rechargeable and swappable battery, and the ability to wake just by being picked up. The same road map that lists Brooklin and Ellewood's release windows says the Sebile controller will launch sometime in late May 2024 for $70.
First details on Microsoft's next-gen console leak
https://twitter.com/AR12Gaming/status/1704102055206322389
It's hard to believe we're almost already three years into this console generation and that Microsoft is planning for its next major console release, but that is the case. Unfortunately for Microsoft, its current technical ambitions for the platform were included in this leak. A leaked document states that Microsoft's ultimate goal is to "develop a next-generation hybrid game platform capable of leveraging the combined power of the client and cloud to deliver deeper immersion and entirely new classes of game experiences." 
In practice, a list of technical improvements lays out that we can expect an ARM64 CPU that balances big and little cores, a GPU co-designed with AMD, and an NPU that balances "the desire for flexible, programmable ML silicon versus high-performance silicon for targeted workloads," as well as support for better ray tracing, global illumination, micropolygon rendering, and an ML-based Super Resolution. Microsoft also mentions a "thin OS" meant for cheaper consumer and handled devices, likely to play games via the cloud.
This next-gen console is currently slated for a 2028 launch.
Several upcoming Bethesda games leak

Enough about hardware -- several upcoming Bethesda games also leaked. A document from 2020 outlining Bethesda's game road map through fiscal year 2024 includes some games we don't know about. Alongside games we know of like MachineGames' Indiana Jones project, the list also includes several code-named projects, remasters of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Fallout 3, a GhostWire: Tokyo sequel, Doom Year Zero, and Dishonored 3.
Another document also confirmed that The Elder Scrolls VI won't launch until at least 2026. Some of these games have missed the release windows listed in the documents, so it's very possible that these dates are no longer accurate and that some may not be released at all. Still, it lays out a clear picture of what was in development at Bethesda just a few years ago and provides insight into the lineup that enticed Microsoft to purchase Bethesda in the first place. 
Microsoft considered acquiring Nintendo and Warner Bros. Interactive
https://twitter.com/tomwarren/status/1704021807341203802
A leaked email from 2020 gives some insight into Spencer's acquisition ambitions at that point. Namely, it sounds like he'd love to acquire Nintendo as it would be a "career moment" for him.
"I totally agree that Nintendo is THE prime asset for us in gaming, and today gaming is a most likely path to consumer relevance," he wrote. "I've had numerous conversations with the LT of Nintendo about tighter collaboration and feel like if any U.S. company would have a chance with Nintendo, we are probably in the best position ... At some point, getting Nintendo would be a career moment and I honestly believe a good move for both companies."
Ultimately, Spencer didn't want to do a hostile takeover of Nintendo, so he settled for playing the "long game" when it came to acquiring it. This same email also reveals that Microsoft was interested in acquiring Warner Bros. Interactive around the same time as Bethesda, although the lack of any WB IP ownership was its undoing, Spencer is also as intrigued about acquiring Valve as it was Nintendo.
It's worth noting that this email is from over three years ago, and these acquisition ambitions might have been quelled following changing economic conditions and the rocky and expensive process of acquiring Activision Blizzard. 

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You don’t need an Xbox Series X to play Starfield. Here’s how
Key art for Starfield

Starfield is the highest-profile Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S game since Halo Infinite, but the game isn't locked to those two consoles. Thanks to cloud gaming and Microsoft's more open-ended mentality of making its games available on a wide variety of platforms, you don't have to own one of Microsoft's current-gen systems or have the Xbox app installed on your PC.
No, it's not on PS5 or Nintendo Switch, but if you want to play Starfield while it's at the center of the video game industry zeitgeist, here are some places where it's playable other than the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series X, and Xbox PC app.
Steam

The most obvious choice if you want to play Starfield elsewhere is to pick it up on Steam. While Microsoft does have a proprietary PC launcher of its own, Microsoft now consistently releases its own games through Valve's launcher. Bethesda joined Xbox Game Studios in 2021 and has a long history of making its games available on Steam as well, so it's not too surprising that Starfield is available on the platform.
Starfield already proving quite popular on the platform too, having peaked at 266,000 concurrent players, according to SteamDB at the time I'm writing this. If you're looking for a way to play Starfield natively on the hardware you own without using a Microsoft platform or service, this is your best option. It'll run on Steam Deck too, although that's not the only way to experience Starfield on the go.
Xbox Game Pass app on Android

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