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Microsoft promised fans that Xbox will have great exclusives when they acquired big gaming companies, but if these hyped games don't deliver, then that means Microsoft is headed towards disaster. Zenimax, Bethesda, Activision, Blizzard, King; these are just some names that have become or are becoming part of the Microsoft ecosystem in an effort to develop first-party titles that will boost the Xbox library – but it's been a great while since the Xbox has seen a massive first-party exclusive drop, while its rivals have been putting out GOTY contenders yearly like Tears of the Kingdom, God of War Ragnarok, and Horizon Forbidden West.
So, with the release and failure of Redfall, the failure of Warhammer 40K: Darktide, Phil Spencer's admission that Xbox is third fiddle behind Nintendo and Sony, and the uncertainty around other first-party offerings Xbox has for the near future, a lot now lies on the shoulders of the following games that will definitely define make or break moments for Microsoft in the gaming space for this console generation – and potentially, generations to come.
Here are some of the biggest upcoming titles from Microsoft, as well as some Xbox console exclusives from closely related third parties, that will define the future of Microsoft in gaming for years to come.
7. Fable
Fable is definitely one of the most-awaited games for the Xbox Series X, but its long stay in development hell has toned down the hype for the game by a lot. After all, many fans already know better than to trust every word that comes out of Peter Molyneux's mouth, so much so that his failed promises still haunt Fable even if he's no longer involved in its development. Still, news about Fable's release continues to be anticipated by fans, and many hope that its transfer to Playground Games means that it will be much more grounded in its promises and would actually deliver. But if this fails, too, Microsoft doesn't just lose out on a potential best-seller; they'd also lose out on one of their more venerated franchises and would probably spell the death of the Fable series.
6. State of Decay 3
State of Decay 3 is another title that many fans anticipate. However, it's also one of the upcoming Xbox Series X exclusives that have been shrouded in mystery since its first reveal. It's been three years since it was first revealed, but there still hasn't been any concrete news on how the game's coming along. As this will also be Undead Labs' first game under the Microsoft umbrella, State of Decay 3 will serve as yet another barometer of how much of an impact being under Microsoft's care has on the studios that it has been acquiring. So far, it's been negative (looking at how you've been treating Arkane, Microsoft!), but if this succeeds, it'll be a good turnaround for Microsoft.
5. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Unlike the other titles in this list, there's really no helping that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has been delayed the way it has been. After all, developing a game while your country is being torn apart by war is a tall task to fill. At this point even, it's impressive that GSC Game World has managed to produce what they've produced so far, but them being able to release the game at all would already be a big success for them. Still, even if we consumers could be more forgiving to the developers, the game's commercial performance would still drastically affect Microsoft's position in the gaming market. So, Microsoft still has to back this game to the moon and hope that it succeeds – and in spite of its developers' limitations, it's surprisingly one of the more promising titles in this list.
4. Everwild
Everwild's announcement came the latest amongst the games in this list, but just like the rest of them, details about it have been mum since it was announced for the first time. Originally, the game was meant to come out on the Xbox One, but has since dropped that version in favor of an Xbox Series X version. Then, it's been two years since that announcement since we've heard anything new about Everwild. That's a big shame, because Everwild is Rare's first new IP in a long while, and many fans of Rare would kill to know what's up with this new title. Sadly, we'd have to just wait for things to pan out for this game and hope for the best that Rare delivers yet again another great game.
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3. The Outer Wilds 2
The Outer Wilds was definitely never a GOTY contender, but it was a decent game that offered a lot of old-school Western RPG fans more of what they loved from games like Fallout New Vegas and Fallout 3. So, expectations aren't that high for The Outer Wilds 2. That being said, that will only make it even sadder if The Outer Wilds 2 ends up becoming a failure since the least it needs to do is to just be as good as its predecessor. While it's unlikely to fail, the fact that there haven't been any development updates about the game, apart from it being released on Xbox, leaves a lot of fans worried about its future.
2. Senua's Sage: Hellblade II
The first Senua game was a definitive experience, and what it offered to consumers back then was so utterly unique, it makes you wonder how Ninja Theory is supposed to top that. Still, even if the game only ends up being half as good as the predecessor, that would still be a lot. But like many games in this list, Senua's Saga: Hellblade II has been very much kept under wraps. No one knows when this game is coming out, and apart from a single cinematic trailer with a little bit of gameplay, we have little to no information available about the game. Way to make us anxious about this game, Xbox Game Studios.
1. Starfield
And finally, we have the big daddy of all of Xbox's first-party exclusives – Starfield. And of course, since it's so important to Microsoft at this point, it's been the focus of many of Microsoft's recent games showcases. Not only will Starfield spell the success of Microsoft and the Xbox for years to come, but its success is also meant to justify Microsoft's acquisition of Zenimax and Bethesda, which was, at the time, the most lucrative acquisition in the video game industry. While Activision Blizzard King has since eclipsed that, there is still a lot of pressure to perform for Starfield, as it will definitely be the Xbox Series X's tentpole title that it has struggled to have since its launch years ago. Once Starfield launches, all eyes would then turn to what Activision Blizzard King will have on offer for Microsoft post-Overwatch 2 and post-Diablo IV, but until then, Starfield is that big game title that would move sales of the Xbox Series X if it were successful – regardless of how Phil feels about this fact in the business.
These games are part of our list of the Top 10 Upcoming Xbox Series X titles not heading to the Nintendo Switch or the PlayStation, and really, there's a lot riding on these titles for Microsoft's long-term prospects in the gaming space. Hopefully, Microsoft finds its footing, especially with Starfield, or else its big moves over the past decade would prove to be nothing more than a farce.
The success of these games will affect Microsoft's overall strategy – and will see whether or not the tech juggernaut will continue eating up “smaller fish” in gaming to fuel its Xbox war machine. If many of these fails, we might even see the end to Microsoft's gaming aspirations, and see the Xbox blood line end in this generation.
