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The Xbox & Bethesda showcase kicks off on Sunday, June 12th and it will be the biggest Xbox show of 2022. The showcase will focus on up-and-coming videogames for the Xbox platform and should feature some brand new reveals and announcements.
With E3 not happening this year, it will be up to events like the Xbox & Bethesda Showcase and Sony’s State of Play to fill the void and bring the summer gaming excitement. In this article, we will break down every first-party Xbox studio we expect to see and the odds of them showing off the games they are working on.
To accomplish this we will categorize the chance of a title appearing as Most definitely, Probably, Possibly, Not likely, and No chance. This is all a guessing game and just some speculative fun so sit kick back, take a look, and post what you think we will see at the show.
343 Studios
343 Studios has had a rough go since they have taken over the Halo franchise. Halo 4 and 5 were released to largely positive reviews but mixed reactions from hardcore fans. Master Chief Collection was a flat-out disaster in its early months but the game has managed to become a fan favorite after many updates and fixes.
Halo Infinite launched near the end of 2021 to a very positive critical and fan reception but since then the game has been marred by infrequent updates and lack of content, putting 343 in the unfortunately familiar position of drawing the ire of Halo fans.
Being a live-service game, Halo Infinite is likely going to be a part of the Xbox ecosystem for the foreseeable future and 343 will likely continue to be working on it for years to come. With that knowledge, do we think we will be seeing some kind of update on Halo Infinite at the showcase?
Halo Infinite: Most Definitely
Yes, there is a good chance we will get some kind of update about Halo Infinite. Season 2 just launched and again the consensus has been fairly underwhelming. Initially, I had guessed that Halo wouldn’t be shown in favor of newer games but with 2022 being light on first-party content from Xbox Studios, I could see them trying to lean into some more Halo Infinite news.
Halo Infinite has a great foundation, most gamers seemed very happy with the game upon initial release but the lack of updates and content has soured the fanbase, a bevy of appealing content could help revive the game. Hopefully, 343 has something to show off or announce that will keep Halo fans interested, maybe the often rumored battle royale mode?
The Coalition
I’m a huge believer in the Coalition. I think they are maybe Xbox’s most underappreciated major studio. Similar to 343, they took over shepherding a major franchise and to some degree, have struggled to return that franchise to its former glory. Even though the Gears of War franchise is not what it was when Epic Games was developing it, The Coalition has managed to put together some amazingly high-quality AAA single-player campaigns for Gears 4 and 5.
The Coalition are also proving to be experts at squeezing every bit of juice out of the Xbox console hardware as they have been at the forefront of some of the most impressive-looking titles on the Xbox One. With their technical expertise and now years of experience as a high-end development team, they are in a prime position to become a breakout studio. Will we see something from them at the Xbox & Bethesda Showcase?
Gears 6: Possibly
The Coalition has been working on Gears 6 for some time but it’s probably not going to release in the near future. Gears 6 is using the all-new unreal engine 5 and the developers themselves have said that moving to a new engine is a process that takes a lot of time. It’s probably a safe bet that Gears 6 will not launch until 2023 at the earliest.
Being 1-2 years away, I wouldn’t bet on much Gers 6 news. I could see a teaser trailer or some kind of announcement but I don’t believe we will get a release date or significant gameplay footage.
The Rumored New Coalition IP: No Chance
There are rumors of an unannounced game from The Coalition being developed and that is exciting news as this will perhaps be the developer’s chance to make something new outside of the Gears of War franchise. I think it’s pretty unlikely we get any type of appearance from this rumored game project, however. Even an announcement feels far-fetched to me at this time.
Rumored of a Gears of War/Marcus Phoenix Collection: Probably Not
Lately, there has been a lot of talk about a Marcus Phoenix Collection in the same vein as the Halo Master Chief Collection, will we get an announcement? Will this game be made? It’s possible but I don’t think so. Gears of War is still big but it’s not the franchise it once was. I do think a collection would be well received but I don’t know if the demand is there to make this happen at this time. I’m going to say this does not happen.
Obsidian Entertainment
Experts in the action role-playing game genre, Obsidian Entertainment is one of the Xbox brand’s most exciting acquisitions. Makers of Fallout New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity, and Knights of the Old Republic 2, Obsidian has a litany of highly respected games under their belt.
Obsidians Entertainment’s last game release was The Outer Worlds back in 2019. Since then we know they are working on two new titles, will either one of them show up at the Xbox showcase, and in what capacity?
Avowed: Possibly
This one is tough. Avowed was announced two years ago during the Xbox summer showcase of 2020. At the time there was a brief cinematic and the game was said to be in the very early stages of development. When you factor in that Avowed had already been in development for a little while before the teaser was shown, it is not crazy to think we could get some gameplay at this show with a 2023 or 2024 release date being targeted.
My gut tells me this game is still a ways off but if anything they showed in that announcement trailer was actual footage, they very well could have something to show off at this showcase which is nearly two years later. We will put this in the “possibly” category even though my initial reaction is to bet against seeing this game at the show.
Grounded: Probably
Grounded has been available to play on Xbox Game Pass for a very long time now but the game is still in early access. There is a strong chance that we will get an update on Obsidians multiplayer crafting game and maybe even an official 1.0 release date. Don’t even rule out a Grounded full release shadow drop.
The Outer Worlds 2: Possibly
The Outer Worlds 2 has been in development for a couple of years now and I think there is a possibility we could see something about this game because it is a direct sequel to a game released in 2019. My line of thinking is that, unlike Avowed, the Outer Worlds 2 already has a foundation to build from so perhaps development has been faster.
It would be a pretty massive power play for Obsidian to show off two big games at this showcase so I don’t know if both of these predictions will happen but I will also put the Outer Worlds 2 into the “possibly” category.
Pentiment: Possibly
Ok, this one is a stretch and a shocker. Pentiment is a rumored game that Obsidian is working on that is headed up by designer, Josh Sawyer. This game was first rumored to exist around late 2021 when Sawyer mentioned it in an interview. Pentiment is said to be a story-focused RPG that is dialogue-heavy, very similar to Disco Elysium.
Normally I would out this one in the no chance or not likely category but we just got some more fuel added to the fire thanks to a cryptic tweet from Mr. Sawyer himself.
He could be hyping up one of the other Obsidian games that will likely be at the show but it’s also very fair to speculate that he is excited about revealing the project that he is personally heading up. If Pentiment is indeed in development, Obsidian is currently one of the most actively prolific studios at Microsoft with four active titles in the works and likely launching over the next 2-4 years.
The Initiative
The Initiative was announced as Xbox’s first-ever AAAA development studio (That’s right FOUR A’s!). It has already been nearly 4 years since the studio’s formation was announced and in that time, we now know that the game the Initiative is working on is a new Perfect Dark.
Though this was all very exciting news when it debuted at the 2020 game Awards, making a new studio is very difficult. Making a new studio and having that studio produce a AAA (or perhaps an AAAA) videogame that hits the mark, is even harder. Will we get some more significant information about what The Initiative is cooking up with Perfect Dark?
Perfect Dark: No Chance
I know, I know! People, myself included, really want to see what Perfect Dark is all about! I was a big-time fan of GoldenEye 64 and Perfect back in ye olden times of the Nintendo 64, and I most certainly believe a new Perfect Dark game could be incredible. The problem is, it is a massive task for a fresh studio to get this game made and it’s probably not close to being ready to show. If rumors are anything to go by, it sounds as if the game is still struggling to find its identity.
Perfect Dark could still be a great game, it may be the first amazing AAAA game we see from a first-party Microsoft studio, but I do not believe we will be playing or seeing any gameplay from it for a very long time. I wish it wasn’t the case but I don’t think there is a chance we see this game at this show or any show this year.
Ninja Theory
Though Heavenly Sword was their first mainstream product, I think Enslaved: Odyssey to the West was the game that really captured the attention of gamers and made Ninja Theory a known quantity. With Hellblade, Ninja Theory’s status as an up-and-coming developer skyrocketed and today they aren’t too far away from being a gamer household name. Will Ninja Theory show off more of Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II at the Xbox showcase?
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II: Most Definitely
Hellblade II was revealed back in 2019 and since then Ninja Theory has been hard at work developing the highly anticipated sequel. At the end of 2021, we got a new gameplay reveal trailer and indications are that the development of the game is quite far along.
Though there is no release date for this game, I think it’s pretty safely coming out sometime in 2023 and there is even a chance that the game could get a surprise release date for this year. I don’t think there are many first-party Xbox games that will be ready to launch this year but this could be one of them and with that hunch, I think we will at least see some kind of significant appearance from this game at the Xbox & Bethesda showcase.
Project Mara: Not Likely
Another game that Ninja Theory is said to be working on is Project Mara it has been a while since we heard any news on this one and there could be a chance we learn more about it at the showcase, perhaps it gets an official name or some type of gameplay video. I’m going to guess that Ninja Theory will stay mum on the project while they focus on Hellblade II but this game has also been in development for a couple of years so there is still a slight chance we may see something.
Undead Labs
State of Decay is one of my favorite Xbox franchises. The first game took a big segment of Xbox 360 players by storm when it launched quietly and exploded quickly due to word of mouth. State of Decay II launched with some high expectations and due to the game’s buggy nature and some direction choices, some thought of it as a disappointment.
State of Decay 3 is a chance for the series to take a leap with the highest budget and best technology available yet, will we see more of this game at the Xbox showcase? Could we even get a release date or actual gameplay?
State of Decay 3: Not Likely
Like many of the games we are looking at today, State of Decay 3 has been in development for some time but also like a few other games on this list, it seems to be suffering from some developmental issues. With Xbox acquiring all of these new studios and fitting them all under one umbrella, some growing pains could be expected. On top of all that, the global pandemic has made development harder on everyone, it seems that Undead Labs is another studio taking some big hits, and this likely means that State of Decay 3 is not ready for prime time.
I wouldn’t totally rule out seeing a teaser of some kind or getting some news but it is looking like this is another game that is still a ways away from being finished. We may not see anything significant about State of Decay 3 until sometime in 2023. Personally, I really hope they finally nail what they are going for as this is one of my most anticipated games.
The State of Decay franchise is a shining example of what I love about the AA game space. It’s a fantastic breeding ground for creative ideas that can be accomplished on a decent-sized scale without the need for a major production budget. State of Decay 3 seems like it is trying to cross the threshold into being a bigger title, something more akin to a AAA game, take the time to get it right.
Turn 10
The creators of Forza Motorsport haven’t released a Forza game since 2017. They are absolutely due to release one soon and we already know that they are dropping the numbered name scheme and are going back to calling what would be Forza Motorsport 8, Forza Motorsport. Can we expect to see this game come June 12th?
Forza Motorsport: Most Definitely
It’s been nearly 5 years since we have seen a new Forza Motorsport game. Even with some possible pandemic setbacks, all information seems to point to Forza Motorsport being well into its development cycle and I think this is another game that could possibly release this year.
I would be pretty surprised if we don’t see anything on Forza Motorsport, being one of Xbox’s biggest franchises and likely being one of the games closest to being done, I fully expect we will get some big Forza news and all of the simulation gear heads can jump for joy. Don’t be surprised to get a release date and some extended gameplay for this one.
Bethesda Game Studios
Perhaps the biggest name among all the studios that Microsoft has purchased, Bethesda Game Studios is poised to drop some massive projects in the coming years. The brilliant minds behind legendary franchises such as Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, and the current vessel of the collective western RPG hypesphere, Starfield, fans are waiting with bated breath to see what Bethesda delivers next.
With Starfield being pushed back to 2023 a lot of the steam Bethesda had going this year has dissipated. Can they get some of that going again by having a strong showing at the showcase? What can we expect to see?
Starfield: Most Definitely
Starfield has been pushed back to 2023 but it was initially supposed to release in November of 2022. Though the game has been delayed it still is probably very close to being finished and with it being in such a complete state, I am sure we will see some kind of major gameplay reveal. I think it’s a fair bet that we will get real gameplay footage for the first time and it will be enough information to get us excited all over again.
The Elder Scrolls 6: No Chance
It is not hyperbole to say The Elder Scrolls 6 will be one of the most anticipated games releases in the history of gaming. This game will be seismic, and earth-shattering, it will break records, move consoles, and take over the internet. The Elder Scrolls 6 will not be at this showcase for those reasons. That game will likely get its own spotlight. The Elder Scrolls 6 is also most likely, several years away. I’m more sure about any prediction than any other on this list that we will not see anything significant about this game at the Xbox & Bethesda Showcase.
Arkane Studio
One of the older studios now under the Microsoft umbrella, Arkane is a veteran team that has been honing their craft in the first-person genre for over two decades. They are probably best known for the Dishonored series but they had a major critical hit and the Gamespot.com game of the year winner in 2021 with Deathloop.
Their latest game, Redfall was supposed to come out this year but like Starfield, it was pushed back to 2023, does that mean it will be a no show at the showcase as the game undergoes more polish?
Redfall: Most Definitely
Redfall will be there and it will be shown off. The game was going to release sometime this year and though it has been delayed, it has to be close to being ready to go. At the very least it is probably quite playable and Arkane has likely had a demo ready to show off.
We have yet to get a significant look at any Redfall gameplay and I think we will get that here. We will find out how exactly the multiplayer plays and what kind of game this is. Is it like Left 4 Dead or more like Borderlands? Is the gameplay more straightforward action-oriented or creative and open-ended like some past Arkane games? I think we will get those answers at the showcase.
Machine Games
Machine games are the mad lads behind the revival of the Wolfenstein series. A big-time surprise hit in 2014, Wolfenstein: The New Order took what was pretty much a dead franchise and brought it to higher heights than it may have ever reached before.
Now that they have rehabilitated B.J. Blazkowicz, Machine Games looks to bring another faded legend back to life in Indiana Jones. Could we get some revelatory information on this new game or will we be left waiting longer for news of Dr. Jones’ return? What about Wolfenstein? Will a third game be announced?
Indiana Jones: Probably Not
We know Indiana Jones is coming but we don’t know anything else about it. Will it be a first-person game like the other Machine Games titles? Will it feature the likeness of Harrison Ford or his voice? That information isn’t clear at the time of this posting. Maybe we will get some details on this at the Xbox & Bethesda Showcase but I am going to chalk this one up as another no-show. I think they will wait to reveal more on this game until they have something substantial to show with it and we probably aren’t there at this point.
Wolfenstein III: No Chance
Machine Games is probably focusing on Indiana Jones and doesn’t want to muddy the waters by announcing another game in the early stages while they have barely shown off anything for the last game they announced.
There has been talk for a long time about a Wolfenstein III so a third game is probably in development in some form, maybe it is in pre-production, maybe it is halfway through development, or more, who knows? Machine Games is a fairly small development team in comparison to the type of games they have been making, however, so I don’t see them making two major titles simultaneously. Wolfenstein will come but now isn’t the time.
Playground Games
Though Turn 10 created and put the Forza Motorsport series on the map, Playground Games has brought the niche simulation racing brand to the mainstream with the festive arcade racing atmosphere of Forza Horizon. The Forza Horizon series has consistently been one of the top-selling Xbox games for years now and Playground games are right up there with the Coalition as far as being a development studio that has mastered the art of squeezing every bit of juice out of Xbox consoles.
In a drastic change of pace, Playground Games has been tasked with taking on the revitalization of the Fable franchise. This is the first time they are stepping out of the racing genre into a new genre of game. On top of that, they are taking over one of the most beloved and ambitious action RPGs associated with the Xbox brand. Is Fable going to be at the Xbox & Bethesda Showcase?
Fable: No Chance
We know that Fable has been in the works for a few years now and there are probably some of you expecting to see something because of this. Much like a few of the other games under the Microsoft umbrella, there are reports that Fable is struggling. As talented as Playground games are, they are a racing game studio and many thought it was an odd choice to hand them a major Role Playing Game like Fable.
Getting Fable is a spectacular opportunity for Playground, it gives them a chance to grow and create something outside of the Forza series and I appreciate the boldness of Microsoft making this gamble but that may be part of the reason why this game is having developmental problems. Fable is another game we probably won’t hear from until the developers have a very complete grasp on what the finished product will be. Don’t plan on seeing this one.
Forza Horizon 5: Most Definitely
Forza Horizon 5 is hardly more than half a year old and it was one of the biggest Forza releases ever. This is a pillar series of the Xbox brand and Playground Games has a track record of releasing a major piece of exciting DLC for each Forza Horizon game. There is a strong likelihood we get a look at some Forza Horizon 5 updates and DLC at the event.
Rare Games
Before Obsidian, before the shocking Bethesda bomb, before, the unfathomable announcement of the Activision-Blizzard, the first Microsoft acquisition that shook the gaming industry was Rare Limited. When Rare was purchased in 2003, gamers everywhere thought Microsoft got a massive asset. Rare was responsible for several hit Nintendo games and it looked like they would continue to go on and make new hits for Xbox, that didn’t happen.
Two decades later, Rare is a very different company. No longer seen as the hit generating top-flight AAA development team they once were, they have had to reinvent themselves and are currently in the process of forming a new identity. Will we see any Rare games at the Xbox & Bethesda Showcase and will they impress?
Sea of Thieves: Probably
Sea of Thieves could be poised for some kind of major update or DLC and the showcase would be the perfect time to show it. This is a game that continues to maintain a steady player base and I think we can expect to see Sea of Thieves at most major Xbox events for the foreseeable future.
Everwild: No Chance
Rare has been developing Everwild for a long time now but the latest word around the internet is that this game still hasn’t taken shape. Industry insider Jeff Grub has gone on to indicate that the development team hasn’t figured out what kind of game they want it to be yet and that doesn’t sound like a recipe for a product we will be seeing front and center at the Xbox showcase. Let’s chalk Everwild up to another title that will be relegated to the distant future and not heard from any time soon.
What about the rest of Xbox Game Studios?
There are still several other studios not listed above that could have something to show at the Xbox & Bethesda Showcase but there isn’t a lot of information or hype to surround them right now. Mojang Studios the creators of Minecraft may finally show off a graphically updated version of Minecraft for next-gen consoles or perhaps announce a Minecraft Dungeons 2.
InXile is another one of my favorites and they are responsible for Wasteland 3 which is one of the greatest co-op RPGs I have ever played. They are said to be working on a game that is codenamed Cobalt, a first-person RPG in a similar vein to Bioshock or perhaps Fallout. This is a massive departure to InXile and maybe we get some kind of information on this one at the show but details on this game are so sparse we don’t even know if it exists.
We may get a look at what We Happy Few developers, Compulsion Games, is up to with their new project. Though Double Fine and Tango Gameworks just had releases in the last year, perhaps we will see something new on the horizon from them as well. The possibilities are out there, I just don’t have enough information to make any predictions I feel comfortable with.
The Xbox & Bethesda Showcase needs to get Xbox players excited for the near future
With a couple of massive delays in Starfield and Redfall, 2022 is look like it will be a thin year for Xbox first-party game releases. Microsoft’s job with this showcase should be to get Xbox players excited about what is to come if not this year then for sure in 2023.
Show off some upcoming games that look great. Hit fans with a couple of surprises. Bring some big titles to Xbox Game Pass that the people won’t expect in the following weeks and months. This is a time to dazzle and delight and I really hope they pull it off.
In the spirit of dazzling and delighting, I am going to make a couple of bold predictions. Do I really think these are going to happen? Not likely but it is fun to dream, right?
- Avowed Releases this year (Obsidian drops a bomb late in the show by revealing gameplay of Avowed which looks similar to an Elder Scrolls game and announces it will be ready in 2022).
- Killer Instinct Returns (A sequel to Killer Instinct is in the works).
- Game Pass gets a MAJOR boon (some type of deal happens to add significant value to gamepass. Think along the lines of the EA Play or all the Bethesda games. Something bigger than one big game).
That’s it. Those are all of my predictions for the Xbox & Bethesda Showcase. Maybe I hit some on the head maybe I look like a total fool and misfired on all of them, we will know very soon! I hope the show is one to remember and it helps to jump-start an excellent summer of gaming reveals and news across the industry.
What do you think will be at the showcase? What would you like to see Xbox do on June 12? Do you have any bold predictions? Share your thoughts in the comments below and let’s have a discussion!
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