Hello and welcome to part 5 of our coverage of the Electronic Entertainment Expo or E3 as it is more commonly known. 

Organized by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the event has had a long run up to this point. 

Today’s update has a lot of game announcements from the Xbox showcase. There’s a lot to get through so we’ll keep it short and sweet.

There’s a lot to be excited about so let’s take a look at some of the notable announcements and details that have come out so far. 

(Let us know if we miss anything and we’ll be sure to include it next time!)

Starfield

Bethesda started their showcase strong with a trailer for their space-themed game, Starfield. 

The trailer showed off some in-game footage, made with the new Creation Engine 2. The cutscenes look gorgeous and the in-game footage looked really good as well. 

But considering the issues with Fallout 76 at launch, along with all the glitches in basically every other Bethesda game out to date, it remains to be seen whether Starfield will deliver a worthwhile experience.

The release date was announced to be 11 November 2022.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 – Heart of Chernobyl

The next announcement that caught our eyes was for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 – Heart of Chernobyl. The announcement came with a gameplay trailer as well.

The new game will take place in the Swamps area from the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. – Clear Sky, which was first released in 2008 as a prequel to the original game. The game will also reportedly feature fancy new items and a new faction.

The game is coming to Xbox and PC first.

Contraband

This next one is a new IP. It is apparently a new co-op open world game called Contraband.

The game came with a stylish trailer featuring the song “Do It Again” by Steely Dan. It was a cinematic trailer that promised a co-op open world. Based on the contents of the trailer, the game might involve players taking the role of smugglers or thieves.

Sea of Thieves – A Pirate’s Life

Here’s a nice surprise! Jack Sparrow is coming to Sea of Thieves! 

Announced at E3, the third season of Sea of Thieves will bring an epic new campaign involving Captain Jack Sparrow and his infamous crew. Spanning 5 tales packed with secrets and side quests, this new campaign is perfect for groups and solo players. 

The new season launches on 22 June.

Yakuza – Like a Dragon

This is a short one but the JRPG entry of the Yakuza series, Yakuza – Like a Dragon is now available on Game Pass.

Here’s the frenetic trailer for the game.

Battlefield 2042 

We also got the gameplay trailer for Battlefield 2042. 

Featuring dynamically changing backgrounds and massive 128 player games on PC, this is looking to be a massive game. Unfortunately, this means that the single player experience will not be present in the game.

12 Minutes

This time-loop indie puzzle thriller has finally gotten a release date. 

Announced around 7 years ago, 12 Minutes is a game about a man trapped in a time loop where his wife is killed by an assailant in their own home. He is struggling to overcome this fate.

The current release date set is 19 August, 2021.

Psychonauts 2

The highly anticipated sequel to Double Fine Productions’ Psychonauts, Psychonauts 2 has finally gotten a release date. 

The game will come out on 25 August on Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. It will also come to PS4, PS5, Mac OS, and Linus at a later date.

Hades

Supergiant Games’ phenomenal Ancient Greece-themed rogue-like, Hades is coming to Xbox.

The game won multiple awards at the Game Awards and is considered by many to be one of the best games of 2020.

Halo – Infinite

We also got a look at Halo – Infinite at the showcase. More specifically, we got to learn a little more about their free-to-play multiplayer.

The multiplayer will allow friends to play together cross-platform with cross-progression. The multiplayer mode also includes a battle pass that will never expire once bought. The creators seem to be heavily learning towards providing weapons, armor, and other upgrades without randomized loot boxes.

Diablo II – Resurrected

The remaster of the classic game, Diablo II – Resurrected has now been given a release date. 

Slated to come out on 23 September, the game will come out for the PS5, PS4, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox One, Windows PC, and Nintendo Switch.

The game features updated graphics and online multiplayer.

Among Us

The game that ends friendships, Among Us, is coming to Xbox!

Featuring 15 player games, the popular social game about suspicion and deception is set to make a splash on the console.

Age of Empires 4

Age of Empires is getting another sequel! The real-time strategy game that a lot of us grew up with is coming back to us with more content than ever before.

The game will bring new civilizations, along with gameplay and graphics upgrades. There is a closed beta currently open for signing up, which you can do here.

Microsoft’s Flight Simulator

The realistic and beautiful Microsoft’s Flight Simulator is coming to the Xbox Series S/X on 27 July. 

The game will reportedly run at 4K on the console and is the first next-gen-exclusive Xbox Game Studios title. 

The game is also coming with a free Top Gun expansion.

Forza Horizon 5

We also got a fantastic new trailer for Forza Horizon 5. 

The trailer showed off exceptionally beautiful visuals and cars, along with weather effects and a variety of tracks in different biomes. The game is slated to be their biggest world yet with around 11 different biomes. 

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