Preview: What Xbox has in store for 2023

2023 will be the year we hope the Activision Blizzard buyout and the entire TV series around it wrap up, as we reap the first fruits of the Bethesda acquisition, while some major business First day Game Pass add-ons from third-party games are also locked. So it promises to be a good year for Microsoft and the Xbox brand.

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After a particularly lean 2022, especially in terms of blockbuster releases, Xbox Game Studios is in a much better position this year. Especially since the company will finally reap the first fruits resulting from the purchase of Bethesda. Three years after the announcement, this purchase will finally take effect.

Starfield is clearly one of the most exciting games on the list of releases. After all, this long-awaited game is one of galactic dimensions. A game with an expanded Skyrim profile, which is set to have a similar impact on the gaming industry.

Redfall, which is rumored to be released in May this year, is another promising game. The quality of this vampire-themed first-person shooter is beyond doubt. However, given Arkane’s impeccable reputation, we’re very hopeful and especially curious to see how Arkane’s scheme plays out in a multiplayer app.

Arkane games always get critical acclaim, but that doesn’t always translate into sales. This is their latest title right away Xbox Game Pass Seems like it will take that pressure off developers. The release on the subscription service will greatly enhance Redfall’s visibility and reach, with a lot of Xbox gamers getting into the game from day one.

Forza Motorsport, Turn 10’s new racing sim, has been confirmed for 2023. It looks like the award-winning studio is essentially using the power of the Xbox Series X to set a new graphical mark. And there are plenty of Xbox titles in development: Hellblade 2, Everwild, Contraband, Avowed, Fable, and Perfect Dark, to name a few. This year we’ll probably learn more about some of the confirmed names anyway, while there will undoubtedly be plenty of unannounced projects ready to finally be shown. The future looks green.

Game Pass remains the ‘best deal in gaming’

While the failure to live up to the original promise (“We release a first-party title on our service every three months,” remember?) has recently drawn some initial criticism, Xbox Game Pass remains a very good and valuable subscription service. The team has consistently managed to deliver interesting releases for the service, making 2022 another excellent year for Xbox Game Pass. When we take a look at the titles already confirmed for 2023, it’s clear that this is a really impressive list. One that will expand more as the year progresses.

Really there is a lot to look forward to. We’re getting major first party releases (Starfield, Redfall, Forza Motorsport), several Japanese games finally making their way to Xbox (Persona 3 & 4, Monster Hunter Rise, Ni No Kuni II…) and a slew of Interesting indie game releases.Atomic heart, replace the cocoon …). Already loyal subscribers can count on dozens of games in 2023, while a giant like Starfield has what it takes to attract a lot of new people to the subscription service. The value of Xbox Game Pass remains unmatched, though we suspect a price increase will also be implemented soon.

TV series surrounding the Activision Blizzard takeover

You can’t talk about “Xbox in 2023” without mentioning Blizzard’s acquisition of Activision and what it will mean for the company’s ecosystem. In recent months, this difficult acquisition has dominated game news, while 2022 wasn’t a loud flyer for Xbox anyway. Much has been said and written about the future where Microsoft will own Activision Blizzard. There is a group that sees the obvious benefits to consumers and the entire industry, while others – led by Sony PlayStation’s Jim Ryan – are critical of the way Microsoft is trying to increase market share in the industry.

The ongoing investigations and legal process of the Federal Trade Commission in the United States make it very difficult for Microsoft. However, Microsoft is fully focused on completing this purchase and it seems that it is only a matter of time before this acquisition deal is agreed upon. Preferably before the end of this year. After that point, a new era will surely emerge for Microsoft Gaming and Xbox Game Pass, immediately opening up a host of additional studios and IPs, but especially major franchises whose newest games are launching on the service on day one. Diablo IV may be a highlight, but in particular, the latest Call of Duty installment (which will apparently be a huge expansion of Modern Warfare 2 this year rather than an entirely new sequel) would already be a massive addition to the Xbox game. . environmental system.

So it looks like 2023 is going to be a good year for Team Green. Game Pass subscribers can count on a decent lineup, focused on quality and variety, while this year’s first-party titles are also included. Moreover, we hope to count on a lot of updates for already announced games that have been in development for centuries, while also being very curious about the moment when the veil is lifted on some new project. Anyway, on Wednesday, January 25, 2023, the head shot will be given with Developer_Direct, a 45-minute show focusing on The Elder Scrolls Online, Forza Motorsport, Minecraft Legends, and Redfall. Starfield is missing from that list, but don’t panic: This game will be getting a standalone spin-off at a later date.

The year 2023 begins at the secondary level

However, the year 2023 started in a secondary way for tech giant Microsoft, because between writing the above article and publishing it, the company executed a massive wave of layoffs. Worldwide, 10,000 jobs were cut, about five percent of the total workforce and good for the tech giant’s biggest round of layoffs in eight years.

Many game studios have also been affected by staff cuts. 343 industries, the team responsible for infinite aura, would have been hardest hit, but people also lost jobs at The Coalition and Bethesda Game Studios (acquired by Microsoft in 2020). In an email to Microsoft Gaming employees, Phil Spencer said it was a painful decision to lay off employees, but that the cuts will help the company achieve long-term success.