After a particularly rich opening ceremony for Summer Game Fest 2025 on the evening of June 6, the summer video game extravaganza then treated us to a Devolver Digital event that was as crazy as ever for night owls. Among the biggest remaining conferences, we now have the Wholesome Direct, the Future Games Show, and especially the Xbox Showcase 2025. As every year, Microsoft's gaming branch is joining the party, with a new presentation that promises to be just as busy. Ahead of it, we offer you a recap to find out when and how to watch it, and what games to expect.
When and how to watch the Xbox Showcase 2025?
We've known since the beginning of April that Microsoft is giving us a date this Sunday, June 8, 2025 at 7 p.m. (Paris time) to attend the Xbox Showcase 2025, which is expected to last two hours. Like previous editions of the Summer Game Fest, the X brand is going it alone this year compared to its main competitors, Nintendo and PlayStation. Sony has indeed taken the lead at the festival with a State of Play on June 4, while Nintendo is still conspicuous by its absence.
In any case, you can watch Xbox Showcase 2025 live or on a delayed basis via the brand's official YouTube and Twitch channels. Its dedicated social networks should also allow you to stay informed throughout the conference. Finally, we'll naturally be on deck to cover the games being showcased, with potentially some very big surprises thrown in, and share it all with you!
What to expect at Xbox Showcase 2025?
Xbox Showcase 2025 naturally means a significant amount of space dedicated to so-called "first-party" productions, namely games from Xbox Games Studios, but also from Bethesda and Activision-Blizzard, which are an integral part of the enormous conglomerate that Microsoft's gaming branch now represents. But as Xbox increasingly adopts the position of publisher rather than manufacturer, we should also be treated to announcements from "third-party" studios, including various independent games and ports. Finally, we're not immune to surprise hardware announcements, as rumors are becoming increasingly persistent around a portable console, in one form or another, and the little sister of the Xbox Series. Let's take a closer look.
The Outer Worlds 2, Call of Duty, Fable, Forza, Gears of War... the big stars expected at Xbox Showcase 2025
So let's naturally start with the biggest part of Xbox Showcase 2025: first-party games. Many studios under Microsoft's umbrella are currently working on many highly anticipated titles, some already announced, others only teased for now, and some that should be entitled to a famous WORLD PREMIERE. At the time of writing, very few of them have already confirmed their presence at the conference. In this area, we have Obsidian's The Outer Worlds 2, which will be entitled to a long dedicated presentation after the Showcase, with most likely a release date announced. We also have Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4, which will show us its best tricks, for a release on July 10 on all platforms and Xbox Game Pass.
The anticipated return of very big Xbox, Bethesda and Activision-Blizzard licenses
Beyond that, all that's left is to speculate about the announcements expected at Xbox Showcase 2025. Naturally, there are plenty of big licenses we'd like to see again, including Fable, or Gears of War with E-Day and Reloaded, the remaster of the very first installment. We're also hoping to finally learn more about a highly anticipated upcoming Forza game, which will likely take the form of Horizon 6. Similarly, Halo, once Xbox's shining flagship, is also set to show its new face under its Halo Studios banner. And what better time for that than Xbox Showcase 2025? At least, that's all we hope for.
State of Decay 3, announced several years ago, is also expected to show its zombified face, as is Everwild from Rare, which we've also been waiting for for a very long time. After a rather promising presentation in last year's edition, we also hope to see the reboot of Perfect Dark by The Initiative and Crystal Dynamics. Finally, a certain Ninja Gaiden 4, published by Xbox, developed by the explosive duo Team NINJA/Platinum Games and presented with great fanfare during the Xbox Developer Direct at the beginning of the year, could still emerge from the shadows.
As for the major entities belonging to Xbox, Bethesda and Activision/Blizzard, we also expect to see some big names at the Xbox Showcase 2025. We are thinking in particular of Marvel's Blade by Arkane Lyon, which has been very discreet since its teasing at the Game Awards 2023. Regarding Bethesda itself, we also pray to finally have news of a certain and extremely watched The Elder Scrolls 6. As for Activision-Blizzard, we can count on an announcement around the next Call of Duty. According to recent rumors, a certain Spyro 4 could also set the conference alight, and we're really excited about that! Finally, Blizzard should also have several announcements concerning Diablo 4, Overwatch 2 and World of Warcraft and, why not, its famous new shooter, which could be set in the unfortunately long-neglected universe of StarCraft.
Are there any major DLC and update announcements coming?
In addition to new games, and as in previous editions, Xbox Showcase 2025 should also be the scene of major DLC and update announcements for Xbox's first-party productions. In terms of DLC, we're naturally thinking of Starfield, which we hope will be better than Shattered Space. Still at Bethesda, we're also expecting news of the Indiana Jones and the Ancient Circle DLC, which could give the conference a boost. Finally, staying on the subject of Diablo 4, we could have news of its second expansion after Vessel of Hatred.
Regarding major updates, we expect new announcements around Fallout 76, but also the excellent Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 from Asobo Studios. Similarly, the recently released Towerborne and the very promising 33 Immortals could also take advantage of Xbox Showcase 2025 to tell us more about their near future.
Ubisoft, Silksong, Final Fantasy..., the third-party guests of honor at Xbox Showcase 2025?
While Xbox's own licenses are the focus of most expectations, we should also be entitled to many distinguished guests from third-party companies as part of Xbox Showcase 2025. In any case, this is what many persistent rumors have been suggesting lately, with several highly anticipated announcements.
Brand partners and a huge indie game in the spotlight?
Among these, we will especially remember the closely watched Hollow Knight Silksong from Team Cherry, presumed to occupy a central place in the Xbox Showcase 2025. After many years of waiting, the spin-off of the brilliant Hollow Knight could finally get a terribly anticipated release date, on all platforms as well as the Xbox Game Pass.
Similarly, many reports tend to indicate that Ubisoft will be invited to the party, given the French giant's close relationship with Xbox, and especially the absence of the usual Ubisoft Forward conference. As such, we could be treated to many highly anticipated announcements, such as a certain Assassin's Creed Black Flag Remake, but also the famous Splinter Cell Remake. And, why not, presentations of new games like the intriguing Assassin's Creed Hexe? The bets are open.
Finally, other third-party studios could contribute their stone to the building, such as Ark 2, already presented at the Game Awards 2020 with Vin Diesel in the lead role, then during the Xbox Showcase 2022, and which since then seems lost somewhere in the jungle, or devoured by dinosaurs. On the Japanese side, rumors suggest that ATLUS will also be attending the conference to talk to us about a Persona 4 Remake, or even a sixth installment.
Is it Xbox's turn to be spoiled with ports?
After numerous ports of major Xbox licenses to PS5, and potentially Nintendo Switch 2, we could see the announcement of numerous ports to Microsoft's gaming branch ecosystem during the Xbox Showcase 2025. Among the most likely, we have various titles from Square Enix's Final Fantasy franchise, including FF7 Remake and Rebirth.
Sony could also return the favor to Xbox by porting some of its PS5 exclusives to the Xbox Series, and Nintendo could do the same. All of this remains hypothetical for now, and we'll have to wait and see what the conference has in store for us to be sure.
Any surprises to expect on the hardware side, though?
To conclude this recap ahead of the Xbox Showcase 2025, which is coming tomorrow evening, let's finally look at some potential surprise hardware announcements for Microsoft's gaming branch. While it seems that the Xbox Portable project is currently on hold, there are many rumors suggesting that ASUS is manufacturing the equivalent of a ROG Ally for Xbox. A presentation of the latter would therefore not be completely ruled out.
To close the show, Xbox could also take the opportunity to tell us about the next console that will succeed the Xbox Series. We know that Microsoft is seriously considering this, with what it claims to be "the biggest technological leap ever seen between two generations." A perfect opportunity to prove it to us at the Xbox Showcase 2025? See you tomorrow from 7 p.m. to perhaps find out.
Here's a pretty broad overview of the confirmed and presumed announcements to come for the huge Xbox conference as part of Summer Game Fest 2025. And you, what would you like to see or see again during this event dedicated to Microsoft's gaming branch? Don't hesitate to share your expectations with us in the comments!
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