All we know about The Xbox Games Showcase and Starfield Direct

Xbox fans are in for a treat this year as Microsoft has announced a double feature event for June 11, 2023. The Xbox Games Showcase and Starfield Direct will be livestreamed back-to-back, offering new surprises and first-looks from Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda, and other creative partners from around the world. Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming shows and how to watch them.

Xbox Games Showcase

The Xbox Games Showcase is Microsoft’s annual presentation of the new games coming to Xbox, PC, and Game Pass. It is similar to Sony’s State of Play or Nintendo’s Direct, but with a focus on Xbox’s own franchises and exclusives. The show will feature new gameplay, trailers, announcements, and updates from some of the most anticipated titles in the industry.

The show will start at 10am PT (local time zones below) and will last for about an hour. You can watch it live through a variety of outlets, including YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, and Xbox’s official website. The show will also be available in over 30 languages, and with American Sign Language, British Sign Language and English Audio Descriptions.

Some of the games that are expected to appear at the Xbox Games Showcase are:

• Contraband: A new IP from Avalanche Studios, the developers of Just Cause and Rage 2, Contraband is a co-op smuggler’s paradise set in the fictional world of 1970s Bayan. The game will feature a stunning open world, thrilling heists, deep customization and seamless online multiplayer. The game will launch exclusively for Xbox Series X|S and PC, and will be part of Xbox Game Pass.

• Fable: The beloved fantasy RPG series is making a comeback with a reboot from Playground Games, the studio behind the Forza Horizon series. Not much is known about the new Fable game, except that it will be set in a “completely fresh” world with “wondrous creatures” and “humorous characters”. The game was teased with a cinematic trailer at last year’s Xbox Games Showcase, but no gameplay or release date has been revealed yet.

• Avowed: Another RPG from Obsidian Entertainment, the makers of Fallout: New Vegas and The Outer Worlds. Avowed is set in the same world as Pillars of Eternity, a critically acclaimed series of isometric RPGs inspired by classics like Baldur’s Gate and Icewind Dale. Avowed will be a first-person RPG with a dark fantasy setting and a deep lore. The game was also announced with a cinematic trailer last year, but no gameplay or release date has been shared so far.

• Perfect Dark: A reboot of the classic stealth-action game from Rare, Perfect Dark is being developed by The Initiative, a new studio formed by Microsoft with talent from Naughty Dog, Rockstar Games, Crystal Dynamics, and other industry veterans. The game will feature Joanna Dark, a spy working for an eco-terrorist organization in a near-future world plagued by corporate conspiracies and environmental disasters. The game was revealed with a teaser trailer last year, but no gameplay or release date has been disclosed yet.

• Everwild: A new IP from Rare, Everwild is a mysterious game that explores the relationship between humans and nature in a magical world. The game will feature stunning visuals and unique creatures that evoke a sense of wonder and awe. The game was shown with two trailers so far, but no gameplay or release date has been announced yet.

• Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II: A sequel to the critically acclaimed Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is an action-adventure game that follows Senua’s journey into the Norse underworld. The game will feature realistic graphics and performance capture technology that bring Senua’s emotions and struggles to life. The game was revealed with an impressive trailer at The Game Awards 2019, but no gameplay or release date has been confirmed yet.

• Forza Motorsport 8: Forza Motorsport 8 is the upcoming reboot of the popular simulation racing franchise developed by Turn 10 Studios and published by Xbox Game Studios. The game will be released in 2023 for Xbox Series X/S and PC, and will feature stunning graphics, realistic physics, and a variety of cars and tracks from the real world. Forza Motorsport 8 will also introduce new gameplay elements, such as team management, branding, and fake sponsors, to create a more immersive and authentic motorsport experience. The game will be powered by a revamped ForzaTech engine that will take advantage of the current-gen technologies and deliver smooth performance and dynamic weather effects.

These are just some of the games that could appear at the Xbox Games Showcase. There are also many other titles that could make an appearance or be announced for the first time, such as State of Decay 3, Project Mara, The Elder Scrolls VI, Indiana Jones, Gears 6, and more.

Starfield Direct

Immediately after the Xbox Games Showcase ends, Bethesda Game Studios will host Starfield Direct, a deep-dive into their highly anticipated sci-fi RPG. Starfield is Bethesda’s first new IP in 25 years, and it promises to be an epic space adventure that lets players create their own character and explore a vast universe filled with planets, factions, aliens, secrets, and dangers.

Starfield Direct will invite you inside Bethesda Game Studios to learn much more about Starfield, with tons of new gameplay footage, developer interviews, and behind-the-scenes insider information. You’ll get to see how Starfield is being made, what inspired its vision, how it plays, and what you can expect when it launches on September 6, 2023.

Starfield Direct will be aired right after the Xbox Games Showcase on June 11, and you can watch it on the same channels as the Showcase. The show will last for about half an hour, and it will be followed by another stream on June 13 called Xbox Games Showcase Extended, which will feature more interviews and updates from Xbox Game Studios and their partners.

Starfield Direct is a must-watch event for any RPG fan or sci-fi enthusiast, as it will offer an unprecedented look into one of the most ambitious games ever made.

Also read: Everything to know about Summer Game Fest 2023

How to Watch

You can watch both the Xbox Games Showcase and Starfield Direct live on June 11 at 10am PT (local time zones below) on YouTube.com/Xbox, Twitch.tv/Xbox, Facebook.com/Xbox, or Xbox.com/en-US/xbox-games-showcase-starfield-direct.

You can also sign up for email reminders or add the event to your calendar at aka.ms/XboxFanFest to make sure you don’t miss out on any of the action.

If you want to watch the event with other fans in person or virtually, you can also sign up for Xbox FanFest at aka.ms/XboxFanFest and enter to win for a chance to attend one of the FanFest events in Los Angeles, Mexico City, São Paulo, Melbourne, or Warsaw.

Airtime for Xbox Games Showcase in Local Time Zones:

• PT: June 11, 10am
• ET: June 11, 1pm
• BST: June 11, 6pm
• CET: June 11, 7pm
• JST: June 12, 2am
• AEST: June 12, 3am

The Xbox Games Showcase and Starfield Direct are shaping up to be two of the biggest gaming events of the year. Don’t miss this opportunity to see what’s coming next for Xbox, PC, and Game Pass.

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