The Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase at E3 2021 was mostly about one thing: Xbox Game Pass. Microsoft said that 27 of the 30 titles mentioned during the event, including five upcoming games from Xbox Game Studios, will be released on the company’s game subscription service.
Four of those first-party titles were given release dates: Sea of Thieves: A Pirate’s Life is set to debut on June 22, Psychonauts 2 is slated to launch on August 25, Age of Empires IV is expected to arrive on October 28, and Forza Horizon 5 is supposed to be released on November 9. Halo Infinite, meanwhile, was only given a release window of “Holiday 2021.”
Microsoft did say that Halo Infinite will offer free online multiplayer—a series first—at launch. The description for the game’s multiplayer reveal trailer claims that “Halo Infinite’s free-to-play multiplayer experience is dynamic, ever-evolving, and arrives later this year on Xbox and PC.” The trailer itself showcased a variety of the game mode’s weapons, vehicles, and maps.
Xbox Game Pass is set to receive a new game every month until the end of the year, Microsoft said, including the astoundingly popular Among Us and critically acclaimed Hades. All of the games highlighted at the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase were said to be “optimized for Xbox Series X and Series S” to offer “next gen performance, speed, and features” as well.
Microsoft also revealed two new games that will be exclusive to Xbox consoles and Windows devices. The first is a cooperative shooter called Redfall developed by Arkane Austin, a division of Arkane Studios, which previously developed the Dishonored series and the Prey reboot that debuted in 2017. (And which is currently making the PlayStation 5 and PC-exclusive Deathloop.)
The second Xbox exclusive revealed at E3 2021 was Starfield, a new role-playing game from Bethesda Game Studios set to be released on November 11, 2022. Starfield will be the first Bethesda-developed game released since Microsoft acquired its parent company, ZeniMax Media, for $7.5 billion in September 2020. It’s also the first Bethesda game in 25 years to feature a new in-game universe rather than being another entry in the Elder Scrolls or Fallout series.
The full Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase is available now on YouTube.
