The Xbox Games Showcase is fast approaching, and with the Starfield Direct set to follow, June 11 is going to be a big day in the E3 2023 schedule lineup. Promising to give us a look at new games from Xbox Games Studios, Bethesda, and more, we're set to see what the future holds for Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Xbox Game Pass. As we get closer to the event itself, our thoughts are turning to what games we may see during the presentation.
With so many exciting upcoming Xbox Series X games in the pipeline, there are certainly plenty of big Xbox Series X exclusives we're dying to see more. With Xbox head Phil Spencer confirming we can expect some new projects and updates on games we already know about, and some teases of what may pop up, we've put together a list of all of our Xbox Games Showcase 2023 predictions.
Perfect Dark reboot
We also have our eye on some Xbox exclusives in need of an update, including State of Decay 3.
It's been two years since the Perfect Dark reboot was announced, and with precious little to go on since, I think Xbox Games Showcase 2023 owes us more than a temperature check. The stunning trailer we saw at Game Awards 2020 whet our appetites for more, presenting the first-person spy thriller in a whole new light. It was looking excellent before, but we've seen nothing new since Tomb Raider vets Crystal Dynamics signed on as co-developers. I'm keen to see how Perfect Dark is shaping as Crystal sets its sights on a new action heroine that needs a modern day makeover.
Avowed
Avowed was first announced back in E3 2020, with a trailer showing us a brief glimpse of the new first-person RPG from Fallout: New Vegas and The Outer Worlds developer, Obsidian. Taking place in the same universe as Pillars of Eternity, Avowed immediately piqued our interest thanks to its magic runed-powered combat system and the fantasy setting of Eora. Since it's initial revealed, we've yet to see or learn much more about the project beyond the fact that it's said to feature firearms. But after a report surfaced last year that suggested it's "nearly playable", perhaps the forthcoming Xbox Games Showcase will finally update us on this anticipated upcoming Obsidian game.
Hellblade 2
Hellblade 2: Senua's Saga is another big Xbox exclusive that we expect to see more during the showcase. After it was first revealed back in 2019, we've previously seen concept art, trailers, and even some gameplay of the sequel in action just last year. A tech demo showing off the impressive visual fidelity of Unreal Engine 5 was also released from developer Ninja Theory, but it's been relatively quiet on the news front since. What has yet to be announced is a release date, and we can't help but wonder if this could at long last be confirmed during the showcase in the coming days. While that remains to be seen, it feels like a safe bet that Senua will make an appearance at some point.
Gears 6
Gears 5 released back in 2019, and fans have been waiting for another installment ever since. Interestingly, rumors surrounding Gears 6 have been circulating for some time. Developer The Coalition released a character rendering test to showcase the power of next-gen on Unreal Engine 5 back in 2021, before a leaker suggested we could see a new Gears of War game release in 2024-2025. A year later, the same character popped up in another Unreal Engine 5 reveal, which could seemingly gave us an idea of what Gears of War 6 could look like in terms of visual fidelity. Most recently, reporter Jeff Grubb claimed on a podcast that The Coalition had cancelled multiple smaller projects that weren't Gears of War-related, which has left fans feeling optimistic over the series' future. Perhaps the Xbox Games Showcase will set the stage for an official Gears 6 reveal at long last.
Fable 4
We weren't expecting to hear much from the Fable 4 developer just yet, but our hearts are all aflutter now that Xbox teased Fable's presence at its 2023 showcase. The cryptic tweet that has everyone buzzing depicts an Xbox controller covered in glitter, underscored by a whimsical piece of music reminiscent of the original 2004 game's soundtrack. This is in no way confirmation outright, but given that game producer Vijay Gill hinted back in February that the new Fable game is in a playable state already, the suspicions could be justified. Personally, I can't wait to get back to Albion in all its medieval fantasy glory. Fable has one of my favorite morality systems of any game series ever, so it's safe to say that if Playground Games don't show up with something meaningful on Sunday after such a tantalizing tease, I'm going to eat my sword.
Everwild
Announced four years ago, the developer team at Rare has given us just a few wistful glimpses of Everwild. The magic of its lush setting is already palpable from the two cinematic trailers we've seen so far – just look at those adorable wild boar cuddling up to each other! It's a departure from Rare's flagship IP Sea of Thieves, trading ocean exploration for magical beasts, beings called Eternals, and a truly ethereal new world of its own. Reports surfaced back in 2021 that Everwild had essentially been rebooted, now with a new design director whose past credentials include some of the best horror games. This led to speculation that it could see a release date sometime this year, so we'd love to count Everwild among our list of new games for 2023 should Rare surprise us with new intel, gameplay footage, or maybe even a confirmed launch date at Sunday's Xbox Showcase.
Check out the best Xbox Series X games to dive into as we cross our fingers for these predictions to come true.
