The Summer of Games is here, and the Xbox Showcase has already promised a deeper look into upcoming games on June 9.
The highly anticipated Xbox Showcase will be returning on Sunday, June 9 at 10:00 AM PST / 6:00 PM BST and has already teased exciting some new looks at the likes of Avowed, as well as a confirmed glimpse at Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 during the CoD Direct that follows straight after Xbox’s event.
With so many games on the horizon and so many franchises in need of a revival, we’re extremely excited about the event, so while we wait for things to kick off, we’ve put together a list of everything we want to hear during the 2024 Xbox Showcase.
So, from the arrival of Silksong (we know how unlikely that is, but we can still dream) to new compatibility for Fallout 76, we’ve got plenty of dreams for this stream. Dive in to see what could be on its way.
Fallout 76 cross-progression
Now that Fallout 76 has had its own sort of redemption arc, it feels like one of the next steps should be bringing all platforms together in cross-progression. I would love the ability to play as the same character on my Series X and then pick it back up over on my PC.
In a game that is all about grinding out crafting and scavenging, not losing progress when switching to a different machine is huge. A discussion about that system coming would be great; a surprise announcement for its actual implementation would be a huge win.
(Words by Shane Black)
Elder Scrolls 6
An Elder Scrolls 6 release date reveal is probably less likely than a Silksong release date at this point, but that doesn’t mean we can’t hope for some new teasers to grace the Xbox Showcase.
While Bethesda released a small trailer years ago, I just want to know where the game will be set or even a glimpse of gameplay. Even just the knowledge of where ES6 takes place will be enough to keep me dreaming for a few more years… or decades.
(Words by Jessica Filby)
Next Forza Horizon Location
Forza Horizon 6 is likely still a while away, but we imagine Microsoft already has a location in mind after FH5’s grand tour of Mexico. With the UK, the Amalfi Coast, and Australia now all in our rearview mirror, we’re excited to learn where we’ll be racing off to next.
The Xbox brand is in need of some good news, and a Forza Horizon 6 announcement would be exactly that. There’s a variety of potential locations we could visit next, such as China, India, Dubai, and possibly the Autobahns of Germany. However, if we’re being honest, we think it’s time to drift, as we’ve left our hearts in Tokyo.
(Words by Sam Smith)
Fallout 3 Remaster
The Fallout TV show has reignited passion for the Fallout franchise in gamers both new to the apocalyptic franchise and older veterans, so there’s no better time to remaster one of the older games.
After all, we’ve seen the next-gen console upgrade for Fallout 4, so isn’t it time Fallout 3 got a bit of love? A remaster would be a perfect announcement during Summer Games Fest and could perfectly tide fans over until the next game eventually comes out or until the next season of the TV show.
(Words by Jessica Filby)
Silksong
Oh, Silksong. Where are you? It’s been five years since the Hollow Knight sequel was announced, and fans still have no idea when to expect it. Xbox could change that by giving us an update about it, release date or not.
We’ve seen recent Metroidvanias like Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown do well, so now would be a great time to build on that momentum. Like I said, any word will do; there doesn’t have to be much fanfare. Just let the people know whether it’s still happening or not.
(Words by Shane Black)
The Outer Worlds 2
June 2024 will mark three full years since Obsidian announced The Outer Worlds 2, a sequel to its award-winning sci-fi RPG. All we really know about the game so far is that it will feature a new setting and cast, as revealed in its announcement trailer.
The Outer Worlds 2 was clearly in early development at the time — the trailer even jokes that “the only thing they have finished is the title” — and Obsidian does have its hands full with Avowed. Still, it would be nice to finally hear more details about the game, such as its new world, characters, and other innovations.
(Words by Noelle Corbett)
OD
Kojima has been flirting with horror for a long time. Obviously, the ill-fated Silent Hills will forever be one of the biggest ‘what if’ games of all time. Death Stranding definitely can drive the creepiness up when it wants to, but you’d be hard-pressed to call it a horror game.
No, OD seems to be the payoff everyone has been waiting for. A fully-fledged horror game from the most recognizable game developer in the world. Bringing in Jordan Peele to write with him is bound to have a strong effect. Xbox Games Studios really lucked out to be the one to finally land that elusive Kojima horror game – but we still know so little about it.
A new presentation will be important to discern even what kind of game this is and how substantial it is. How Kojima is juggling both this game and Death Stranding 2 is anyone’s guess, but seeing some footage would go a long way to alleviating fears that this is the neglected of the two or that this is a very small experience.
(Words by Patrick Dane)
The Call of Duty back catalog on Xbox Game Pass
Xbox and PlayStation have been playing tug of war with which brand is the “Home of Call of Duty” for years now. However, this arguably ended when Microsoft purchased Activision Blizzard in 2023. But since then, neither company has done much to take advantage of this.
Xbox Game Pass is beloved by many but is prone to dry spells. One way Microsoft could fix this is to release the whole back catalog of COD games in the service, making Xbox the definitive home of Call of Duty once and for all.
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(Words by Sam Smith)
Everwild
At this point, just seeing Everwild again would go a long way. Rare’s next franchise has been dormant for a long time. We first caught a glimpse of it five years ago, and news we’ve heard about the ethereal action adventure game ever since hasn’t been encouraging.
Reports came out in 2021 that the game had completely rebooted its development and that it was now aiming for a 2024 release. Well, it’s 2024, and we still have not heard a peep about the successor to Sea of Thieves. The game doesn’t even need to come out this year, but at the very least, a showing would go a long way to alleviating fears that the game has been quietly canceled.
(Words by Patrick Dane)
WoW console
For as long as World of Warcraft’s been ruining social lives, there have been whispers and wails from the Twisting Nether that a console version was in development. These rumors turned out to be as substantial as a particularly untrustworthy air elemental, yet with Microsoft’s recent acquisition of Blizzard, there’s once again hope that Xbox players might soon step foot in Azeroth.
Don’t take our word for it, though. Holly Longdale, the executive producer and vice president of World of Warcraft, has been teasing a console version of the game for months. We’d love to hear some news about it at the upcoming showcase, even if it inevitably means we’re getting hooked on questing again.
(Words by Tom Percival)
Gears trilogy remasters
There isn’t a group of games quite like the original three Gears of War games. They were some of the best times I ever had on the Xbox 360, and remastering the trilogy would be a slam dunk.
With Gears 5 being five years old and no idea if there will be a Gears 6, now would be the perfect time to reintroduce us to the world of Marcus Fenix. They already have a remaster of the first game out, so just follow suit with the other two, and Xbox has a money machine on its hands.
There haven’t been any leaks about this being possible, but boy, would it make the Xbox Games Showcase really feel big.
(Words by Shane Black)
State of Decay 3
I’ll be honest: I totally forgot State of Decay 3 had been announced in 2020. Microsoft Studios acquired developer Undead Labs a while ago now, which makes sense as the first two games are real sleeper hits for the green brand.
I think both games in the franchise are underappreciated, and I think two, while a little janky and mechanical, is the proving ground for something great. If State of Decay realizes the promise set out by its predecessors and really begins to blend emergent narrative, this could be really special.
The zombie apocalypse simulator is an awesome blend of base building, team management, and a story that unfolds uniquely for you. If Undead Labs can mask the mechanical gears a little bit and make an experience that feels more human, this really could be one of the all-time greats. However, I’d just settle for seeing the game again at this point.
(Words by Patrick Dane)
Starfield DLC
Bethesda revealed a Starfield expansion called Shattered Space ahead of the base game’s launch, including it as part of the Premium Edition. Since then, though, the devs have said next to nothing about it outside of promising a massive scope and 2024 release window.
That makes the upcoming Xbox Showcase the perfect place to finally show off Shattered Space. Starfield has come a long way since launch, with the most recent update being praised for its technical and gameplay improvements. Shattered Space has the potential to revitalize the game, getting players to return to Bethesda’s expansive universe with new story content and other features.
(Words by Noelle Corbett)
Gears 6
It’s been nearly five years since Gears 5 came out, and we haven’t heard anything about a potential sequel. The fifth game also ended with a lot at stake story-wise that I want to see resolved.
Gears has been a flagship franchise for Xbox, and I want to see it return to the spotlight. With the ongoing narrative of Xbox having an exclusivity problem, bringing back one of its juggernauts would be a great counter. I’m hoping for at least a teaser trailer just to know that it’s coming, but some sort of gameplay would be amazing.
(Words by Shane Black)
Avowed
After the success of Pentiment and Grounded, it’s time for Obsidian Studios to give us more about its upcoming ARPG, Avowed. It’s not like we’ll be getting The Outer Worlds 2 anytime soon, so it’s time for Avowed to crawl out of the woodwork and give us a release date.
The Xbox Showcase is the perfect setting for Obsidian to show off some more gameplay after its breakdown. We want to see more battles, details on the companions, and, of course, a little more lore – and the release date.
(Words by Jessica Filby)
Fable 4
It’s been too long since we saved Albion from the Crawler, and we’re desperate to play hero once again and hear the jubilant cries of “Chicken Chaser” as we walk through Bowerstone… wait, what? In all seriousness, we know that Playground Games is working on a reboot of the popular fantasy series, and we got a taste at the 2023 Xbox Games Showcase, but it wasn’t enough.
We’re desperate to see more, and I’m really curious to see if they can capture the spirit and humor that Lionhead Studios gave the original trilogy of games. I doubt we’ll see much, considering Fable (yes, they did the annoying reboot thing of removing numbers) only entered development in March last year, but a pre-rendered cutscene probably wouldn’t be out of the question.
(Words by Tom Percival)