Microsoft’s long-awaited Xbox Games Showcase has finally arrived, and with it a ton of first-party announcements for Xbox Series X. There were over 20 new titles shown during the conference, ranging from powerhouses like Halo Infinite to surprises like Avowed. Several of these games from Xbox Game Studios are coming this Fall, as well as titles like Forza Motorsport and Fable are coming in the near future. But perhaps the most important tidbit that connects all these games: Every game shown is coming to Xbox Game Pass.
Xbox Game Pass has made quite a splash in the gaming space already, with many fans and pundits toting it as the best value in gaming for casual fans and enthusiasts alike. With Xbox Series X coming later this fall, and all of the announced games coming to the service with their standard releases, it’s a huge move from Xbox. Game Pass has already seen huge success, and now Microsoft is clearly toting it as Xbox’s premium service. Game Pass was the real winner of this showcase, and presumably will continue to be in Xbox Series X’s future.
The Reveals from Xbox’s Games Showcase
Microsoft is toting even more great games to come at launch for Xbox Series X. There were a ton of great games showcased during Xbox’s Games Showcase from a variety of Microsoft’s Xbox Game Studios. Obviously some of the big ticket franchises like Halo and Forza were present, but there was a solid variety of genres in this presentation as well. There were 22 total new and updated reveals shown during the Xbox Games Showcase:
- Halo Infinite - Holiday 2020 (343 Industries) Forza Motorsport - Release date TBD (Turn 10 Studios) Fable - Release date TBD (Playground Games) Senua’s Sage: Hellblade 2 - Release date TBD (Ninja Theory) State of Decay 3 - Release date TBD (Undead Labs) Avowed - Release date TBD (Obsidian) S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 - Release date TBD (GSC Game World) Psychonauts 2 - 2021 (Double Fine) Tell Me Why - August 27 (Dontnod Entertainment) The Medium - Holiday 2020 (Bloober Team) Everwild - Release date TBD (Rare) Warhammer 40,000: Darktide - 2021 (Fatshark) Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis - 2021 (Sega) Tetris Effect: Connected - Holiday 2020 (Enhance) The Gunk - Release date TBD (Thunderful Publishing) Grounded - July 28, 2020 (Obsidian) As Dusk Falls - Release date TBD (Interior/Night) CrossfireX - 2020 (Smilegate Entertainment) Destiny 2: Beyond Light - November 10, 2020 (Bungie) The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon - September 9, 2020 (Private Division, Obsidian) Ori and the Will of the Wisps: Optimized for Xbox Series X - Holiday 2020 (Moon Studios) Sea of Thieves: Optimized for Xbox Series X - Holiday 2020 (Rare)
Obviously many fans tuned in for the Halo Infinite gameplay reveal, which Xbox teased during its earlier showcase in May. Many of the mainstay Xbox franchises like Forza and State of Decay are receiving sequels/new entries as well. There were several surprise hits sprinkled in during the conference like Avowed and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. A new Fable reboot, though expected, was a welcome “one last thing” for the ending of the show. Plus everything sprinkled in the middle, though each admittedly niche in their own genre, are a welcome sight for fans of those particular experiences. Which frankly is brilliant from Xbox’s perspective, because it helps build up the already amazing offering that Game Pass can provide to fans.
Game Pass is Truly Becoming Gaming’s Best Deal
Regardless of whether folks were impressed or underwhelmed by today’s Xbox showcase, there’s one particular aspect that’s far more important than any of the games themselves. Every game from Xbox’s showcase, not just a select few, are coming to Game Pass day-and-date with the standard release. Sure fans have known for a while that first-party Xbox games are all coming to Game Pass, but this showcase proves the value of that plan for games like Destiny 2. Game Pass has gotten a lot of love from both Microsoft and gaming fans for its value proposition, and now it’s about to improve even more.
If before people were saying that Xbox Game Pass was the best value for gaming fans, this fall is going to start emphasizing that notion wholeheartedly. Kicking off with Halo Infinite, a rebirth of one of the most iconic video game franchises of all time, is launching on Xbox Game Pass as well as standard release on Xbox Series X. Subsequent games like The Medium, Tell Me Why, Tetris Effect: Connected, all are coming to Game Pass as well. Several of the games in the aforementioned list will be day-and-date on Game Pass in the near future. Game Pass is showing up as the best option for every type of genre, and every type of gaming fan.
Xbox’s New Position in the Gaming Market
At this point, it’s hard to make an exact comparison to PlayStation because Xbox is simply crafting a completely different gaming ecosystem with Game Pass. Whereas PS5 will sell consoles by promoting premium titles and a premium exclusive experience, Xbox is appealing to the everyman gaming fans. It doesn’t matter whether someone’s a huge gaming enthusiast who plays games every day, or if they’re a casual gaming fan who only plays occasionally. Game Pass appeals to several demographics because its library is composing itself to be the Swiss Army Knife of gaming. Today’s Xbox showcase and game reveals only serves to prove this.
More diverse titles are coming to Game Pass, and more consumers are going to be willing to opt-in as a result. It’s the same reason why folks see the appeal in Netflix or Hulu, as there’s tons of options for what players want to play at all times. All of which is molded into the same “one low monthly price” framework that’s made streaming services so successful. Even if Game Pass isn’t a system seller for enthusiasts, there’s the option of playing many of these games on PC or xCloud, as well Xbox’s continued support of the Xbox One for the next few years. It’s clear Microsoft intends to push Game Pass as far as it possibly can for Xbox Series X and beyond.
Microsoft has taken on a different position in the market with Xbox, rather than directly competing with Sony’s PS5 for exclusive glory. If variety gaming on a budget or lower price is something fans want, the value proposition for Game Pass has become even stronger now.
Xbox Series X launches Holiday 2020.
