Highlights
- Microsoft is aiming to release the most diverse lineup of games in Xbox history with their 23 first-party studios, but don't expect to see the payoffs, especially next-gen-only titles, anytime soon.
- Many highly anticipated games, such as Avowed, Fable, and Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2, have no confirmed release windows or dates yet, but fans are eagerly waiting for updates and announcements.
- Exciting new titles like Ark 2, Dungeons of Hinterberg, and 33 Immortals are set to release in the future, but specific release dates or windows have not been announced yet. Fans are eager to see what these games have to offer.
Microsoft was met with backlash this past generation from fans and critics alike for their exclusive portfolio and ultimately put things in motion to help alleviate that tension. Microsoft has been slowly building a rock-solid foundation to help bolster its first-party lineup and their subscription service, Game Pass.
With 23 first-party studios, Microsoft aims to release the most diverse lineup of games in Xbox's history. However, these acquisitions' payoffs may not be seen for a quite sometime, especially if you're looking for next-gen-only titles. Even with many confirmed titles in development, we do not expect to see them anytime in the near future.
Updated August 1, 2023, by Seth Parmer: Since we last updated this list, Microsoft has held a substantial Showcase, revealing some new titles that will be exclusively coming to the Xbox Series X. As a result, we have updated this list to include all new titles announced and update any outdated information where needed. We also removed any game that has been released since we last visited this list!
All games listed below will be released on Xbox Game Pass on day one!
17 Avowed
Ever since its reveal in 2021, Obsidian has been hard at work on Avowed, so much so that they have not said much about the project since revealing it, making everyone wonder when we will next see it and if it will be released anytime soon.
Aside from a supposed leaked screenshot that circulated on Twitter, there has been no tangible update on Avowed. While it's likely to appear at Geoff Keighley's end of the year The Game Awards show, nothing is confirmed or set in stone, so we will all have to wait patiently and see what Obsidian's next move is.
16 Starfield
Initially set to release at the tail end of this year, then later delayed to release in the first half of this year, before eventually landing on a - hopefully - secure release date of September 6, 2023, is Bethesda's crack at a new IP with the world of Starfield.
Starfield's world is grand, ambitious, and incredibly daunting, but that's what makes it so exciting. Whether they stick the landing or crash horrendously, having such a daring project from a AAA studio is relieving to see, and we hope it sparks other devs to reach out of their comfort zone from time to time.
15 Fable
Fable is another title that hasn't been shown or talked about much since its reveal in 2020, and that's for a good reason. The team over at Playground Games refuses to show the game off "until it's ready," and we respect that tremendously.
While the wait is long, having the team confidently work away on it without any interruptions to make trailers that may not represent the final product is an excellent move and one we love to see.
There's currently no release window, year, or anything for the next generation of Fable, but Playground Games seems to be primed and ready for the series, and we cannot wait to see what they bring to the series.
14 Clockwork Revolution
Clockwork Revolution is the next RPG from inXile Entertainment and was revealed during the Xbox Showcase earlier this year. The game is from the first-person perspective and is set in the steampunk metropolis of Avalon.
As of the time of writing, there is no release date or window announced, so its release may be sometime next year or even after. Nonetheless, we're sure that whatever it is inXile cooked up this time will be well worth the wait.
13 Forza Motorsport (2023)
Turn 10 Studios' last game was Forza Motorsport 7 five years ago in 2017. Their next game, simply called Forza Motorsport, will be released in the Spring of next year, marking six years total between projects, the longest in the studio's history.
During that time, the team has been working hard on making a current-gen-only title for the Xbox Series consoles and PC. Forza Motorsport will feature real-time ray tracing and stunning visuals, making it easily one of the most anticipated simulation racing titles on the horizon.
There's nothing quite like a Forza game, especially the Motorsport series, and we cannot wait to see what Turn 10 has been cooking up for us to feast on next year.
12 Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2
Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 is yet another Xbox Series X/S exclusive with no release window or date. But if the gameplay trailer from last year's The Game Awards is anything to go off of, it shouldn't be much longer.
While it can easily skip next year, we say give Team Ninja all the time they need to craft yet another knockout title as they did with the original Hellblade.
Additionally, Team Ninja's comments on how "Hellblade 2 will make Hellblade look like an indie game" is promising and a bit worrying, considering how horrifying both reveal trailers have been for the game so far.
11 The Elder Scrolls 6
In 2018, Todd Howard confirmed that The Elder Scrolls 6 was in pre-production, and... it still is and will continue to be until after Starfield is released.
The setting for the game has yet to be confirmed, but we know this will likely be a Series X/S and PC exclusive based on how Starfield and other Bethesda IPs have been treated. Don't expect to see this game until 2027 at the earliest, and that's being generous.
10 South Of Midnight
We Happy Few was Compulsion Games' last release, and that was five years ago at this point, making fans curious to see what their next game would entail. And, at this year's Xbox Showcase, South of Midnight was finally revealed to the world.
South of Midnight takes place in the American Deep South and is a third-person action game with a strong focus on the story, atmosphere, and thematic gameplay elements. While this announcement is exciting, to say the least, there is no release date or window.
9 Ark 2
Two years ago at The Game Awards, the sequel to the wildly popular Ark: Survival Evolved was announced by Studio Wildcard. Except this time, it features Vin Diesel, which is weird, cool, and tremendously dumb in all the best ways.
Ark 2, being a current-gen-only title, aims to bring much-needed improvements to the game and a nice graphical overhaul along with it.
Ark 2 is set to release next year, but the precise window or timeframe is unknown. Though much is still left unknown for the project, we expect to hear more about it soon and will likely get a gameplay trailer if it's set to release in 2023.
8 Dungeons Of Hinterberg
Dungeons of Hinterberg is an RPG hack 'n' slash from independent developers Microbird Games and is coming exclusively to the Xbox Series X and S platforms sometime next year.
The game takes place deep in the Austrian Alps, having you control the sword-wielding protagonist as you tour the region.
7 Stalker 2: Heart Of Chornobyl
Ukraine-based developers GSC Game World are working hard on Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, the first game in the series after 13 years.
However, due to the invasion of Russia, they had to temporarily put the game on pause for some time, delaying it from 2022 into next year. While there were rumors the game was also further delayed into 2024, the team has confirmed it will release in 2023.
GSC Game World also confirmed Stalker 2 is made on Unreal Engine 5 and will feature 4K and ray tracing support, making it easily one of the most anticipated Xbox Series X/S titles for next year.
While there still isn't a specific window, we're just happy to see the team safe, sound, and committed to their product after all the commotion surrounding them.
6 State Of Decay 3
State of Decay 3 was announced in 2020 at Microsoft's E3 presentation and has been oddly silent since then. Aside from being confirmed to run on Unreal Engine 5 and The Coalition helping them make it, there hasn't been much else revealed or shown by Undead Labs.
There's not even a release year, let alone a window, and with awful allegations surrounding the studio, we don't know if we will see anything anytime soon.
5 33 Immortals
Spiritfarer was the last title released by Thunder Lotus Games back in 2020, making the 2024 release date for their next game, 33 Immortals, that much more excruciating.
33 Immortals is a 33-Player, online cooperative Roguelike that will pit all players against hordes of enemies and formidable bosses with a vast array of weapons and abilities, all within a beautifully hand-drawn world with hand-drawn animations to boot.
There are also an immense amount of upgrades and mechanics that will ensure no two runs are the same, making this one of the most highly anticipated Roguelike titles announced at the moment. Thunder Lotus Games in on pace to knock another project out of the park.
4 The Outer Worlds 2
According to Obsidian, development on The Outer Worlds 2 began after the first game was released in 2019, putting it in its third year of development currently. This is particularly interesting since the game was only just revealed last year at the Microsoft and Bethesda Showcase event.
While there is no exact release date or window, or even an estimated year, we wouldn't be surprised if The Outer Worlds 2 releases much sooner than anticipated.
3 Perfect Dark
Perfect Dark was revealed two years ago as Microsoft's new "AAAA" studio's (The Initiative) first project and has since gone dark aside from a few interesting tidbits. Tomb Raider devs, Crystal Dynamics, are now heading the project, starting heavy speculation that The Initiative was struggling to get the game up to snuff.
Interesting tidbits aside, there is no planned release window for Perfect Dark, but we hope to see something sooner rather than later.
2 Everwild
Speaking of anticipated releases that may be struggling behind the scenes, Rare's breathtaking co-op adventure game, Everwild, might be a bit of a mess, according to reports.
Which, if true, will be a bit disappointing considering a next-gen-only title from Rare seems magical, and it certainly looked it from the gameplay demonstrations.
Everwild currently has no release window, and we hope it doesn't get one anytime soon. We just want Rare to take their time and create the best game possible.
1 Microsoft Flight Simulator 2014
Asobo Studios is at it again after four years since they brought Microsoft Flight Simulator back, aiming to release the next step for the series sometime next year. Designed from the ground up to take advantage of modern hardware, cloud and simulation technologies, and more, it's sure to be a breathtaking and otherworldly experience.
This brand-new simulator aims to be the pinnacle of visuals, pushing the envelope of current-gen gaming, and we're here for it. Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) already looks unbelievable, and we cannot wait to see what something like this can look like, given the leap in technology since then!