Today was Xbox’s first Developer Direct stream, showcasing what to expect from Xbox, PC and Game Pass in 2023. The show presents information direct from the developers, giving us a new look at Redfall, Minecraft Legends and more from the teams creating them. The show even featured a brand new game from Tango Gameworks, releasing tonight.
Minecraft Legends
The show opened with Minecraft Legends, a procedurally generated action-strategy spin-off from Mojang. The game supports cross-platform play, and will feature both cooperative and competitive multiplayer. Today’s showcase focused on PvP gameplay, with Piglins invading player’s worlds from the Nether to cause havoc for both sides. The game also received a confirmed release date of Apr. 18, arriving on Xbox Game Pass simultaneously.
Players can explore, gather resources, build bases or battle for glory, with all actions supporting the team in their fight for survival. Throughout the game, the enemy team will be aiming for your base while you need to approach theirs.
Forza Motorsport
Turn 10 Studios’ reboot of Forza Motorsport came next, showcasing the most “technologically advanced” racing game to date. The game launches in 2023, with no confirmed release date at present. There will be over 500 cars at launch, with over 800 upgrades to customize vehicles across 20 new environments. Upgraded physics and brand new shaders and graphics aim to make the game both impressive and immersive.
The audio system has also been rebuilt, with each car’s parts affecting the sounds that each car will make. Forza Motorsport is all about realism, with a dynamic time of day and weather system, that even affects the racetrack.
Hi-Fi RUSH
Following the highly-anticipated Forza game, a new game was shown from Tango Gameworks, the makers of The Evil Within. Hi-Fi Rush is a colorful and bombastic rhythm action game. Attacks and combos add to the game’s soundtrack, and attacking on the beat makes for more efficient and smoother moves. The unique game arrives today on Xbox, also included with Xbox Game Pass.
Hi-Fi Rush‘s world is constantly moving with the music, from enemy attacks to cutscenes, which protagonist Chai must follow along with. Even bosses come with musical mini-games featuring licensed tunes. Progress isn’t prevented from missing beats, but staying in rhythm rewards the player. The beat isn’t just heard, but is also indicated with visual cues to make it a little easier.
Elder Scrolls Online
The Elder Scrolls MMORPG also had some coverage at the show, teasing the next chapter: Necrom. The Necrom update releases in June, and brings a new playable class to the game, the Arcanists, who wield forbidden knowledge magic. The new chapter takes place in Eastern Morrowind. Details are limited at this time, but stay tuned for future updates as Necrom is getting its own show later today.
For a limited time, almost all past chapters and DLC are available to play for free. The base game and all these extra DLCs are available on Xbox Game Pass for those subscribed.
Redfall
The upcoming Arkane Studios open-world FPS game closed out the show, with a confirmed release date of May 2. The new gameplay preview took a look at the world of Redfall, showcasing both the reclaimable safe houses and the greater vampire-ridden city. Not only did we see a lighthouse mission, but we also saw some other side activities taking place throughout the Redfall world. Players are said to be able to approach their goals in a variety of ways, like past Arkane titles.
Players will also be able to enter Vampire Nests, otherworldly psychic spaces that change each time they are entered. The Nests have a heart at their centre, that the player must destroy, and then escape with their lives whilst the Nest crumbles around you.
That’s it for today’s show. What did you think of today’s Xbox and Bethesda Developer Direct? Let us know in the comments below, and keep your eyes on GameLuster for more gaming news.
