The Xbox Games Showcase and Black Ops 6 Direct 2024 is over! As usual we gained some insight into upcoming Xbox titles through a selection of new reveals and updates for released titles. Much like last year with Starfield, the showcase ended with an extended look at one special game – and this time it was Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
Alongside Black Ops 6, we also got a look at Indiana Jones and The Great Circle, Avowed, Dragon Age: The Veilguard and South of Midnight. And, as you’d expect, many of the games shown are going to be available from Game Pass from day one. Now, let’s stop messing about and get the trailers started!
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
The Xbox Game Showcase began with the campaign trailer for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Set in the 1990s after the end of the Cold War, it promises to bring guns, action, conspiracies and motorbikes (at least in the cutscenes.)
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will be released 25th October on PC and Xbox Series X/S. It will also be on Game Pass from Day One. For more on the game, our Chris Tapsell has had an extended look and chatted with its developers.
We also discovered that, sadly, you can’t play as Maggie Thatcher.
Doom: The Dark Ages
The world premiere of Doom: The Dark Ages arrived next. All of the classic Doom staples were present – aliens, guns, violence, blowing out alien brains and even a cool looking dragon. (At least I think it was dragon… an alien dragon maybe?)
Doom: The Dark Ages will be released on PC and Xbox Series X/S in 2025. It will also be on Game Pass from Day One.
State of Decay 3
Zombies shambled onto the screen next in State of Decay 3. Here you’ll have to fight zombies to survive and deal with how they can appartently cover structures in flesh. Unique.
While the release date for State of Decay 3 is currently unknown, it will be available on Game Pass from Day One.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Dragon Age: The Veilguard is the fourth major game in the series and is a sequel to Dragon Age: Inquisition from 2014. News about this game has been picking up over the last week, including having its name recently changed from Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, and Gary McKay, BioWare boss, talking about its mechanics and characters, including its romance options.
We’ll get our first look at its gameplay on Tuesday 11th June at 4pm UK time, so put this date on your calender if Dragon Age: The Veilguard is on your ‘To Play’ list. In this trailer we got a look at the characters who will make up your travelling party. Including Scout Harding!
Dragon Age: The Veilguard will be released on PC and Xbox Series X/S in autumn 2024.
Starfield: Shattered Space
We then visited the skies with the Shattered Space expanion for Starfield. Here you’ll find yourself visiting a mysterious space station, new planets and even the den of the Great Serpent. (Or at least the home of its worshippers.)
While Shattered Space will be released this year, you’ll be able to enjoy new custom content, locations, gear and bounties in Starfield from tonight onwards.
Fallout 76
Thanks to a Vault-A-Thon, we now know what’s coming next in Fallout 76. The Skyline Valley expansion will land on 12th June and here you may find yourself visiting a vault conducting what they call experinments. Meanwhile, in 2025, the ability to play as Ghoul will arrive in Fallout 76.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Set in a fantastical version of our own world, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 tasks you with travelling out into the unknown to find a being known as the Paintress. She has the ability to reshape the world through her artwork, so not really all that grand for everyone else.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will arrive on Xbox Series X/S and PC in 2025. It will also be on Game Pass from Day One.
South of Midnight
We then got our first look at gameplay for South of Midnight, the next project from We Happy Few’s Compulsion Games, which includes some combat footage. We also learned that there would be a cool-looking talking fish and an island-gator.
South of Midnight will be released in 2025 on PC and Xbox Series X/S, including coming to Game Pass on Day One.
World of Warcraft: The War Within
It was fantasy time again with the trailer for The War Within expansion of World of Warcraft. My World of Warcraft lore knowledge is pretty darn small, so I had no idea what was going on in that trailer but it didn’t look good for our heroes.
The War Within will arrive in World of Warcraft on 26th August.
Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater
A look at Konami’s Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater came next. It is, of course, all about stealth and Snake’s codename is Naked Snake this time round. Thankfully, that’s because he doesn’t have much equipment not because he has no clothes.
Currently, no release date has been announced for Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater.
Sea of Thieves Season 13
Y’arr, ye can become a villain in Sea of Thieves Season 13, when it’s released on 25th July.
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is a Soulslike where you’ll be hunting down and killing gods with the help of a flying, talking, fennec fox. (Who is also a god? Not gonna question it.)
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn will be released on 18th July on PC, Xbox Series X/S and Day One on Game Pass.
Age of Mythology Retold
The god theme continued but in RTS form with Age of Mythology Retold. Here you’ll pick a god from Greek, Norse and Egyptian mythology to build a settlement and fight for. (The original is the ‘Game Which Got Away’ from my childhood, so I’m looking forward to this.)
Age of Mythology Retold will be released on 4th September on PC, Xbox Series Series X/S and Day One on Game Pass.
Perfect Dark
From the ancient world to the future, the proper reveal of Perfect Dark came next. Here you’ll find yourself caught in a war over futuristic technology and, judging from the trailer, events are definately not what they seem.
While Perfect Dark doesn’t currently have a release date, it will arrive on Game Pass on Day One.
Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred
We then got a look at the opening cutscene for the upcoming update for Diablo 4 – Vessel of Hatred. Arriving on 8th October, Vessel of Hatred will bring a new region, character class and continue the story.
Fable
We left the world of grimdark behind for high fantasy when the new trailer for Fable arrived. Here we got a look at the world, the people and monsters who live within it, combat and even a little hint about what the story might be about. (A heroine gone wrong from the sounds of it… and also, Super Hans from Peep Show!)
Fable will be arriving in 2025 on PC, Xbox Series X/S and will be available from Day One on Game Pass.
FragPunk
The world premiere for FragPunk came next. Here we got a look at the 5v5 shooter combat, including some of the mechanics such as World Flip, Chain Reaction and even one which gives your foe’s massive bobble heads.
FragPunk will be released in 2025 on PC and Xbox Series X/S.
Winter Burrow
Another world premiere (really packing them in aren’t we Microsoft), but this time it’s about a cute little mouse! In Winter Burrow you’ll have to survive in the wilderness in winter and disover why your aunt left your home to rot. (And avoid owls…)
Winter Burrow will be released in early 2025 on PC, Xbox and will be a Day One release on Game Pass.
Mixtape
Mixtape is about a teenager who can make mix tapes which can control people. (I also spotted what looked like a Ferris Bueller reference.) It’s a game about growing up and music.
Mixtape will be released in 2025 on PC, Xbox and will be a Day One Game Pass release.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
Those of you lucky enough not to experience motion sickness from these games will be able to enjoy Microft Flight Simulator 2024 when it launches on 19th November 2024. It will be released on Xbox Series X/S and PC, with it also be able a Day One Game Pass release. There will be new planes, commerical flight and VIP charter service and more.
Elder Scrolls Online
Elder Scrolls Online is celebrating it’s 10th anniversary and to celebrate, all of the DLC will be free for a limited period of time. The Gold Road update will arrive on 18th June.
[Insert the joke Lottie would have written about RuneScape being better if her laptop hadn’t have crashed causing her to rewrite half of the roundup here.]
Life is Strange: Double Exposure
Next it was time to look at the next Life is Strange installment – Double Exposure – which is a supernatural murder mystery. Here you’ll find yourself travelling to alternative timeline to discover why your best friend was murdered in one and saved in another. Yes, Max Caulfield is back and she’s messing with time once again.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure will be released on 29th October on both Xbox Series X/S and PC.
Indiana Jones and The Great Circle
Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is a first-person single-player action adventure where you’ll step into the shoes of the famous archaeologist. Set between Raiders and Last Crusade, this game will see you uncovering the secrets of The Great Circle and an ancient power connected to it. (Based upon my half-forgotten geography GSCE, I’m assuming ‘The Great Circle’ has something to do with the circumference of the world.)
The question this game truly leaves us with though is who looks better – video game Indy or young CGI Indy from last year’s film?
Indiana Jones and The Great Circle will be released later this year on PC, Xbox Series X/S and will be on Game Pass from Day One.
MechaBreak
If you watched the Summer Game Fest Showcase, then you’ll have already seen MechaBreak. For those who haven’t, it’s a gudam game offering both on-ground and aerial combat.
MechaBreak will be released in 2025 on both Xbox Series X/S and PC.
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers
It’s monster-slaying time in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers. This trailer gave us a look at both the combat and a snippet of world exploration.
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers will be released in 2025 on PC, Xbox Series X/S and will be a Day One Game Pass release.
Avowed
Avowed is a first-person fantasy RPG from Obsidian Entertainment. Here you’ll travel across the Living Lands as an envoy of Aedyr trying to uncover the truth behind a plague. It will not be an easy journey though, you’ll have to wield both steel and magic to uncover the truth.
Avowed will be released on PC and Xbox Series X/S, including being Day One on Game Pass, later this year.
Atomfall
Oh look, another world premiere. This time we’re going to true hell – the English countryside. (I can say that, I grew up there.) Rather than sheep, summer fetes and neighbours wanting to know too much of your business, there’s mecha suits, guns and people being used as ritual scarifices. Actually that last one is pretty normal…
Atomfall will be released in 2025 on Xbox, PC and will be available on Game Pass from Day One.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
After this, we journey to feudal Japan for Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Here you’ll once again find yourself conducting assassin-business through the art of stealth and in-your-face combat. We also got a look at what looks like the game’s main characters.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be released on 15th November for both PC and Xbox Series X/S.
Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl came next. This first-person shooter tasks you with tackling both humans, non-humans and very unexpected weather. It will be released on 5th September for both PC and Xbox Series X/S, as well as being a Day One release on Game Pass.
New Consoles
The trailer for Stalker 2 was followed by a look at the new Series X and Series S consoles arriving later this year.
Gears of War E-Day
The Xbox Games Showcase ended with the world premiere of Gear of War prequel E-Day. Here you’ll once again have to confront horrors with the biggest gun you can find. While the trailer doesn’t include any gameplay or release date, we do know Gears of War E-Day will be available on Game Pass from Day One.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Direct
With the Xbox Games Showcase over, it was time for the Black Ops 6 Direct. This 25-minute look offers insight into the mechanics, combat, storyline and multiplayer, including Zombies. If you’re eagerly awaiting Black Ops 6, then take a look!
We hope you enjoyed both the Xbox Game Showcase and Black Ops 6 Direct 2024! What was your favourite game shown?