Xbox's Starfield Sparks an Epic Chain Reaction of First-Party Titles

Highlights

Xbox CMO Jerret West announced that the launch of Starfield will kickstart a series of first-party game releases.

Despite criticism for lagging behind the PS5 in terms of game releases, Xbox is confident that its upcoming lineup of games for 2024 and 2025, combined with Game Pass and third-party titles, will help turn the tide. Exciting releases to anticipate in the coming years include Obsidian Entertainment's Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2, Ara: History Untold, Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2, Towerborne, Fable, Perfect Dark, another installment of Gears of War, State of Decay 3, and a mysterious project by Kojima Productions.

Xbox's Chief Marketing Officer, Jerret West, has announced that the highly anticipated release of Bethesda's sci-fi RPG, Starfield, will mark the beginning of a series of first-party game releases for the company. Starfield has already reached the gold status and will finally be available in stores on September 6. Unfortunately, there have already been leaks surfacing online, including 40 minutes of gameplay footage that was recorded during a Gamescom preview.

The excitement surrounding the launch of Starfield can be attributed to several factors. Not only does the game appear to be impressive and ambitious, but it also addresses the perception that Xbox has been trailing behind in terms of first-party releases. In the ongoing console rivalry, many believe that the PS5 has provided gamers with better value. Particularly in 2023, there have been relatively few first-party games from Xbox. Furthermore, the positive reception of Hi-Fi Rush in January was overshadowed by the subsequent negative feedback received for Arkane's Redfall in May.

According to Jerret West, Xbox's CMO, the launch of Starfield marks a significant change. He described the upcoming RPG as a catalyst, igniting a multi-year relay race of first-party titles. West expressed enthusiasm for Xbox's planned lineup in 2024 and 2025, as well as the addition of Game Pass and ongoing development of third-party games. This marks the beginning of something truly special.

In a separate interview at Gamescom, Phil Spencer acknowledged that 2022 was lackluster and stated that Xbox has finally achieved its desired position, which was anticipated a few years ago. At Gamescom 2023, the company will showcase upcoming first-party titles for Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One in a substantial 50,000-square-foot booth. The console version of Age of Empires 4 released on August 22, and Forza Motorsport will follow in October. As for 2024, there are several first-party titles planned, though specific release dates have yet to be confirmed.

Obsidian Entertainment is currently working on two highly-anticipated games, Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2, both set to be released in 2024. While fans initially expected Avowed to be similar to Skyrim, recent footage and information from the developer have revealed that it will have a size more comparable to The Outer Worlds. On the other hand, The Outer Worlds 2 is expected to be even larger than its predecessor.

Ara: History Untold is an exciting turn-based strategy game that will be available on Xbox Game Pass from day one. It is anticipated to provide a similar experience to popular franchises such as Age of Empires and Civilization, but with the unique ability for players to rewrite history and create an alternate version of the past. Another highly anticipated game coming in 2024 is Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 by Ninja Theory, known for their immersive storytelling. Additionally, Towerborne, an action-adventure game developed by the creators of The Banner Saga and published by Xbox Game Studios, will also be released.

Looking further ahead, players can expect a wide range of exciting games such as Fable, Perfect Dark, another installment in the Gears of War series, State of Decay 3, the upcoming project from Kojima Productions, and many more to come.

Source: GamesIndustry.biz