Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase 2022: All The Biggest Game Announcements

The Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase on June 12 was packed full of a ton of different games across Xbox, PC, and cloud. A ton of them are coming at launch to Game Pass, and in a different approach this year, almost every single game discussed will be released in the next 12 months--or at least is planned to. These were the biggest games and announcements at the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase.

Starfield

The Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase was capped off with an extended gameplay demo for Starfield. One segment was set early in the game on the moon Kreet, showing the player first landing in a small craft. Alongside them is a robotic companion, which provides information on their objective--an abandoned research facility. As they make their way toward it, resources are highlighted on a nearby mountainside, and they're removed using a laser-cutting tool.

Upon arrival at the facility, a number of space pirates have already taken it over, and the player equips a rifle and moves in to attack. The gunplay looks a little rough right now--there's not much recoil or weight to the weapons--and the frame rate is sluggish, but that's what delays are for. You can fly a spaceship and land anywhere on over 1,000 planets across many different systems. Originally scheduled for a November launch, Starfield is now coming in 2023 for Xbox consoles, cloud, and PC.

Redfall

Arkane Studios' upcoming cooperative vampire shooter Redfall was featured first at the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase, despite its delay to 2023. During the presentation, we saw in-engine gameplay, with a survivor exploring a blood-soaked building, climbing into a very spooky attic and encountering a very angry vampire. One vampire quickly turns into several, but a friend shows up and helps her take them down before they're overwhelmed. The once-quaint and quiet town of Redfall is now a nightmare, and only the very best are still alive. Redfall is coming next year to Xbox Series X|S and PC.

Hollow Knight Silksong

What? Are we dreaming? No, Hollow Knight Silksong finally made another appearance, and a very unexpected one at that. The game's fast-paced combat was featured during the presentation, and it was confirmed the game will be coming to Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass on launch day. The game will be available across Xbox, PC, and cloud, but no release date was announced yet.

Riot Games and Xbox Partnership

Riot Games has partnered with Microsoft to offer benefits across a wide variety of its games, including unlocking all Valorant and League of Legends by default for Game Pass subscribers. This also applies to the mobile League of Legends: Wild Rift, and the Foundations Set is unlocked in Legends of Runeterra. A selection of Little Legends are also unlocked for Teamfight Tactics, and Riot says this is just a partial list of benefits coming to Game Pass subscribers.

Forza Motorsport

The next Forza Motorsport game has been in the works for quite a while, and it got its time in the spotlight during the showcase. We got a look at the variety of racing settings, including snowy mountains and desert environments, with sparks shooting off the road as metal scrapes against the surface. The game is coming in Spring 2023 to Xbox consoles, PC, and cloud. Microsoft said it features real-time ray tracing on Xbox Series X, calling it the most-advanced racing game ever.

Overwatch 2

The long-awaited Overwatch 2 is finally nearing release--at least in an early access state. The game's PvP is releasing on October 4 for not only Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, but also PS4, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch. During the presentation, we got a look at the game in action, with Bastion moving forward and blasting at enemies while hiding behind a shield, and lots of other classic characters looking just a little bit different. There's a new hero coming, as well--Junker Queen--who seems to be a big fan of classic punk rock. Oh, and PvP is going to be free-to-play.

Ark 2

Vin Diesel vehicle (but not a diesel vehicle) Ark 2 was featured during the showcase, with the in-engine Unreal Engine 5 footage being very, very impressive. We see a group of dinosaurs battling each other, including a T-Rex wearing head armor--he's controlled by Diesel's character, and that seems like the ultimate way to survive in a world of dinosaurs. It's out on Xbox, PC, and cloud in 2023. An animated series is on the way, as well.

Minecraft Legends

Mojang Studios brought a brand-new Minecraft spin-off to the showcase, and it might not be what you were expecting. Minecraft Legends is a real-time strategy game that sees scary invaders making their way through portals and attacking those living on the once-peaceful and blocky plains. But being a hero isn't easy. In Minecraft Legends, you control a character directly and engage in combat, but you're also able to direct your followers as you work to "unite the Overworld." It's coming to Xbox consoles, PC, and cloud in 2023.

Pentiment

Obsidian director Josh Sawyer is back with Pentiment, a mystery game set in a world that resembles European artwork from hundreds of years in the past. Still a role-playing game but ditching combat for other forms of conflict resolution, Pentiment's presentation is pretty remarkable, and we'll be able to see how it exactly translates to a game very soon. It launches this November for Xbox consoles, PC, and cloud. It's one of several games in the works at Obsidian, which is also making Avowed and the early access game Grounded.

Diablo IV

One of the most anticipated games of the entire show, Diablo IV was featured during the showcase with an announcement of its fifth class: the Necromancer. The demon Lillith has returned, and we got to see Xbox Series X gameplay for the very first time. Environments look remarkably detailed, with grass flowing in the wind and light glistening off the ice. There looks to be a real weight behind attacks, and because the game uses an open world, you're not limited to a linear path.

There will be nearly 150 dungeons, and the way you make it through the game is up to you. In Far Cry fashion, you can also clear out enemy areas and turn them into friendly towns, and you will see impact on the world based on what you do. With friends, you can also take part in "Local Events," which pop up in the world while you're exploring and resemble the raid bosses in World of Warcraft. With cross-play, PvP zones, and couch co-op support, there is a lot you can enjoy with a group, and as expected from Diablo, there will also be an extensive endgame to keep you invested after you've seen the credits. Diablo IV is coming to Xbox, PlayStation, and PC in 2023.

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty

A game that looks a whole lot like Nioh and is made by Nioh developer Team Ninja, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a Japanese-focused action game and will be coming to Game Pass on launch day. We don't know much about the game's specifics from the teaser trailer, but it appears you'll be able to use special orbs to power yourself up, and giant, terrifying monsters will stand in your way alongside human enemies. Yes, it does sound like Nioh. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said the game was part of the continued push for more Japanese games on Xbox, especially considering the legacy Ninja Gaiden had on the original Xbox console.

Persona on Xbox

The Persona series has long ignored Xbox, but it's coming to the platform in a major way. Persona 3 Portable, Persona 4 Golden, and Persona 5 Royal are all coming to Xbox, starting with Royal on October 21. The latter two will arrive in 2023, and all three will be available on Game Pass.

Hideo Kojima

Hideo Kojima is one of the biggest names in video game development, and he has partnered with Microsoft to create something entirely new. Kojima called it a game he "always wanted to make," and said it's unlike anything anyone has ever played before. Powered by Microsoft's cloud technology, it's unclear exactly when the game will be ready, but it appears to be completely separate from the Death Stranding sequel that Norman Reedus accidentally spilled the beans on.

For more from the showcase, check out these games:

• Scorn
• Fallout 76
• Forza Horizon 5
• High on Life
• A Plague Tale: Requiem
• Microsoft Flight Simulator
• Ara: History Untold
• Naraka: Bladepoint
• Grounded
• As Dusk Falls
• Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn
• Lightyear Frontier
• Sea of Thieves
• Cocoon
• Ravenlok