The Xbox Series X’s reveal at The Game Awards was truly both unexpected and exciting. This excitement has created certain hopes, speculations, and expectations for its release lineup of games. Here are 10 games that would make for the perfect Xbox Series X launch late next year.
Fable 4
It’s been almost a decade since the release of the last mainline Fable game, but vague rumors and short reports about Fable 4 development have been floating around for what seems like at least two years now.
With Playground Games supposedly on the job, it may only be a matter of time before a reveal, hopefully anyway. Here’s hoping that Fable 4 doesn’t try to revolutionize the pause menu again, though.
There are no details but Fable fans still cling to the hope of seeing a trailer sometime soon. A surprise Fable 4 launch on Xbox Series X would do wonders for Microsoft’s lineup of exclusives.
Halo Infinite
This one is a given. Xbox Series X should, without a doubt, launch with Halo Infinite available to play on day one. After all of the little teasers and past reveals, it would be disappointing if the game somehow missed the launch day.
No gameplay has been shown yet, but Halo fans seemed to be getting on the hype train regardless, especially after the cinematic trailer from E3 2019.
Although this isn’t a numbered entry, Halo Infinite seems to be a mainline title. It’s coming five years after Halo 5, but the existence of the Master Chief Collection has made the wait… infinitely more bearable.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Ninja Theory became a part of Xbox Game Studios about a year ago, and many believe that the developer is one of Microsoft’s best acquisitions.
Hellblade II’s reveal at The Game Awards came as a shock, and left many in awe. The trailer was intense and a bit unnerving, but impossible to look away from.
The studio is also developing 4v4 multiplayer brawler, Bleeding Edge, but Hellblade II has a much better chance at being a console seller at this point.
If Senua makes her return just in time for the Xbox Series X launch, countless players would be eager to once again share the space inside her mind alongside the various voices it holds.
Gears Tactics
Originally announced as a PC exclusive title, Gears Tactics has since been confirmed to be coming to Xbox as well by Studio Head, Rod Fergusson.
It’d be foolish to expect another new, numbered Gears entry right after the release of Gears 5 in September. With that said, Microsoft will still be providing new Gears content just before Xbox Series X hits storefronts.
The Game Awards gave us our first real look at Gears Tactics. It’s definitely strange to see a turn-based strategy Gears game, but it boasts a 40+ hour campaign that should keep fans sawing through alien monstrosities well beyond holiday 2020.
Forza Motorsport or Forza Horizon
With Playground Games working on something else, it would be up to Turn 10 Studios to put out the next Forza title. It’s right about time for racing fans to get a new Forza Motorsport since Horizon dropped last September, and the franchises tend to alternate.
At this point, it’s difficult to tell whether or not a new Forza is on the way in 2020 with Horizon 4 still being supported over a year after its launch. The game got a new LEGO-themed expansion this summer, and a battle royale mode just a few days ago.
Look, I like LEGO as much as the next guy, but it would be nice to see Xbox Series X hit the shelves with as many new Xbox games as possible. A new Forza being one of them.
Psychonauts 2
Psychonauts 2 was a crowdfunding success way back in 2016, so why hasn’t it been seen or talked about more? Well as with many titles, crowdfunded or otherwise, the short answer is delays.
The game was slated to come out in 2018, then 2019, and now, it’s to be expected in 2020. Barring any more Kingdom Hearts III-type setbacks, the platformer should be available by holiday season next year. Double Fine has even provided gameplay recently, so that’s a good sign.
Psychonauts fans have clearly put their money where their mouths are by raising over $3 million for the sequel, so it can be assumed that Psychonauts 2 will do nothing but help the Xbox Series X launch lineup.
12 Minutes
12 Minutes had an unexpected, but immensely intriguing reveal trailer shown off at this year’s E3. The game has players solving a mystery in order to save a life while stuck in a 12-minute time loop.
It may not be a huge title like the others mentioned above, but a polished game with a little creativity goes a long way. This is especially true when certain AAA games start trending on Twitter due to terrible, yet hilarious, in-game physics.
The game started off as an indie project by developer Luis Antonio, and it’s now being published and released by Annapurna Interactive sometime next year. It’s coming to Xbox One and Windows, but hopefully it’ll be out in time to be played on Xbox Series X as well.
The Next Assassin’s Creed
Around 2015, Assassin’s Creed started to hit choppy waters full of criticism in regards to its annual release schedule. Origins seemed to right the ship, and then Odyssey sailed into the clear waters of praise. But Ubisoft tends to use leaky boats, and the next entry is rumored to be set in the Viking Age.
After taking 2019 off, all indicators point to an Assassin’s Creed game dropping just before the launch of Xbox Series X. If that happens, playing through the franchise’s open world formula would be a great way to see the extent of hardware’s capabilities.
A New Call of Duty
Like strong forces of nature, yearly Call of Duty releases are inevitable and cannot be ignored. You may not enjoy them, but I can assure you that many people do.
Call of Duty will undoubtedly sell units, regardless of whichever side you fall on. It would certainly be a beneficial add to the Xbox Series X launch lineup.
After making $600 million in just three days, the series’ return to its Modern Warfare roots this year may have set up the next entry to see even higher sales numbers in 2020 off of good faith alone.
Fortnite
There are many opinions out there, good and bad, about the game. No matter what you may think or feel, though, Fortnite is another current titan in the industry in its own right.
I’m one of those people who realized it just wasn’t for me, way back in Season 1. However, I still believe that it would be a huge misstep for it not to be available with all its current features on Xbox Series X.
One of Fotnite’s most important features is cross-play. If players want to upgrade to the newest console, but can’t continue playing with their friends on PC, PS4, or Switch, that could be a serious deal breaker for a lot of potential buyers.
If you’re looking forward to any other Xbox titles that weren’t mentioned, let us know which ones in the comments below!
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