E3 2021 is nearly here, and with that comes dozens of updates and announcements for upcoming games. Of all the companies that will be in attendance,Xboxhas the most potential to wow its audience during its E3 2021 showcase. With a packed roster of studios now behind it, including Bethesda, Xbox fans are going to want to pay special attention toXbox’s June 13 event.
Kicking off at 10 AM PST, the showcase is promising ninety minutes of news and announcements for all things Xbox. That’s a healthy chunk of time for any gaming company, but considering how many studios Xbox now has under its belt, along with its emphasis onthird-party partnerships for Game Pass, fans should be expecting a show filled to the brim with updates on Xbox’s fall lineup and beyond.
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Halo Infinite News and Trailers
If any game is likely to take center stage during the conference, it’sHalo Infinite.The next entry inXbox’s crown jewel franchise was originally meant to release alongside the Xbox Series X, but it was pushed back a year to give 343 Industries more time to polish it up. The last bigHalo Infiniteshowcase was criticized for its visual presentation, so there’s a good chance that Xbox will spend time touting how beautiful the extra time in the oven has made the game.
There are a few other bits ofHalo Infinitenews that fans should expect to get updates on, too.Halo Infinite’s release dateseems like a given, considering that the game will be landing in November, which is only a few months after the show. Odds are that fans will also get a look atHalo Infinite’s multiplayer mode, which has received some impressive screenshots, but nothing in the way of gameplay footage.
On top of the standard multiplayer gameplay fare, fans are undoubtedly looking for more news aboutHalo Infinite’smultiplayer armor options.Halo 5was criticized for the overly futuristic look of its gear sets compared to the older entries, which had a sort of gritty tactical look to them. Of all the things that might not make the presentation, multiplayer customization seems like the most likely to get cut, but it depends on how much of the ninety-minute presentation is dedicated to all thingsHalo.
Starfield Release Date and Gameplay
Gamers have heard next to nothing onStarfield,Bethesda’s next big RPG, since it was announced back at E3 2018. This year, though, it seems like all of that will change. With Microsoft’s Xbox conference heavily touting the Bethesda portion of its showcase,Starfieldrelease updatesare essentially guaranteed to be at the show. While it’s impossible to state exactly what form it will take, it would be a waste of Xbox’s time not to show something.
According to recent leaks, fans should at least expect aStarfieldrelease window, and possibly even an exactStarfieldrelease date. That information comes from Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, who commented onBethesda revealingStarfield’s release date at E3 2021on Twitter recently, stating that the plan is to announce a specificStarfieldrelease date for fans. However, that date might be for 2022, rather than the 2021 date fans were hoping for.
If a release date is being announced, it stands to reason that Bethesda and Xbox will show a chunk ofStarfieldgameplay on stage. Besides some leaked screenshots – which might not even be ofStarfield –fans haven’t seen the game running, a strange detail considering how long the game has been announced.
Avowed Gameplay Updates, Other Obsidian Projects
Bethesda’s portion of the Xbox E3 2021 showcase will likely be more of a focus, but Obsidian fans also have plenty of reason to get excited. Obsidian has multiple projects in the works right now, ranging in scale fromGrounded,a small survival game, toAvowed,a massive RPG.Groundedhas periodically released updates since it hit early access, and Xbox will likely spend some time showing off its progress to those that haven’t been following it.
Avowedis likely to steal the spotlight if it appears, though.Avowedis set in the same world asPillars ofEternity,the RPG series that saved Obsidian from shutting down after a successful Kickstarter campaign. Fans are expecting on the same scale asSkyrim,but it’s another case of knowing nearly nothing about it. There’s no guarantee thatAvowedwill appear on stage, but Microsoft seems primed to fire off announcement after announcement this year, andAvowedgameplay, trailers, or a release window are all certainly on gamers' wishlists.
There’s no guarantee that theAvowedwill be shown, but ninety minutes is a healthy chunk of time for a showcase, and Xbox needs to drive home why it’s worth buying an Xbox Series X right now. The best way to do that is a barrage of updates, and Obsidian will likely be a key part of that.
New Xbox Game Pass Games and Partnerships
One of the most exciting things about the Xbox showcase will be the newadditions to Game Pass. Xbox first-party games land on the service day one, so almost everything that Xbox fans see during the Xbox-Bethesda E3 showcase will be included in the Game Pass subscription. That meansStarfield, Avowed,and everything else that Microsoft’s studios have shown off in the past few years.
Plus, there are likely going to be some third-party additions for fans to get excited about. Rumors have circulated thatUbisoft Plus will be added to Game Pass, and while that hasn’t been confirmed, it doesn’t seem impossible considering that EA Play is now included with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. There’s also the possibility of individual games launching day one onto the service, especially following titles likeOutridersandDungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliancebeing added to Game Pass.
Xbox fans should keep their eyes peeled for any other teases leading up to the June 13 showcase, as it’s nearly time for companies to share what they’ve been working on. E3 has long held the reputation of being a sort of gamer holiday, packed with fresh announcements. There have been some stumbles on E3’s part in recent years, but that shouldn’t distract Xbox fans from what the June 13 showcase will hold.
TheXbox-BethesdaE3 2021 conference will take place June 13 at 10 AM PST.
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