2024 has just begun, but the video game hype train’s engines may already be heating up. It seems like Microsoft may be looking to strike first, with rumors emerging that a new Xbox Developer Direct may be coming our way in just a couple of weeks.
This information comes courtesy of Reddit user Zantorn, who claims an Xbox Developer Direct event is slated for the week of January 14 (so, somewhere between January 14 and January 20). This would line up with what Microsoft did last year, when they held an Xbox Developer Direct on January 25.
Of course, as with all rumors, take this with a grain of salt for now. You’re always playing with fire when it comes to anonymous Reddit users, but if you check out Zantorn’s post history, they successfully revealed Sony’s last State of Play and the last two Nintendo Directs with an impressive level of accuracy. There have been other murmurs about a January Xbox showcase from other sources as well, including Xbox insider Twitter/X account eXtas1s, who claims we might get another “shadow drop” similar to the one that saw the surprise release of Hi-Fi Rush last year. Again, just like the general Xbox showcase rumors, temper your excitement for any shadow drops, but given Hi-Fi Rush was arguably Microsoft’s most unequivocable win last year, they might try to repeat the same stunt.
As for what else we might get from a hypothetical January Xbox Developer Direct, well, the possibilities are wide open as Microsoft doesn’t have that much nailed down for 2024. That said, the Developer Direct format tends to focus more deeply on a smaller selection of games, so don’t expect a total blowout like we get from Xbox’s E3-season showcases. Most likely, we get a deeper look at already-announced things like Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II and Avowed, but maybe we get some surprises. A first real look at Hideo Kojima’s Xbox-exclusive horror game OD? Maybe they finally confirm that Wu-Tang Clan RPG? As for what the potential shadow drop could be, maybe Double Fine has something that fits the bill?
What are your thoughts? What do you hope to see from Xbox’s first big showing of the year?
