Xbox Games Showcase 2024 Recap - Call of Duty, Gears, Dragon Age and much more

This Summer Game Fest, Xbox definitely came up on top. Despite all the negativity and controversy surrounding the company after its bosses closed a few beloved studios, it's impossible to disagree that this year's Xbox Games Showcase was absolutely superb.

Finally, we got a lot of trailers for highly anticipated huge games, including their gameplay. And, what's even better, most of the games will be released relatively soon, while Game Pass subscribers will be able to play most of them day one without any additional costs (I marked them here to let you know).

So let's break down what's exactly made the show so awesome.

Call of Duty Black Ops 6

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series.
Release date: October 25.
Game Pass availability: yes, day one (this is huge).

While I have no particular interest in Call of Duty as a series, this entry is important in a special way - it's the first game to be released straight into Game Pass on release date, following Activision/Blizzard merge with Xbox. It's been rumoured that Microsoft wasn't sure if it wants to make Call of Duty "free", since it's their new biggest potential moneymaker. However, I think that someone convinced the company's bosses to take this risk, since this is probably the best opportunity to finally revive Game Pass' halted subscriber count.

The game in set in 90s after the Cold War, and it tries to play on different historic events.

There's also an extended presentation of the game for those interested.

DOOM: The Dark Ages

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series.
Release date: 2025.
Game Pass availability: yes, day one.

A prequel to DOOM (2016) about Doomguy wrecking havoc during the Middle Ages. The trailer looks fun and campy, as this time you'll be able to parry enemies with your shield and use crazy nonsensical weapons like a shotgun shooting shards of your enemies' skulls.

State of Decay 3

Platforms: PC, Xbox Series.
Release date: TBD.
Game Pass availability: yes, day one.

A sequel of the games where you play as a squad of survivors fighting off hordes of zombies.

To be completely honest, I'm not entirely sold on this one, since I feel like most zombie games nowadays have to find a really good excuse why they worth players' time in such an oversaturated genre. State of Decay 3 looks fine so far, but I have no idea why anyone should be bothered to play it.

Then again, since it's coming to Game Pass, might as well give it a try.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard (formerly Dragon Age: Dreadwolf)

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series.
Release date: Fall 2024.
Game Pass availability: nope.

Finally, FINALLY we got an actual trailer for this highly anticipated game. As many pointed out, this particular promo feels off-tone for what Dragon Age is, possibly trying to attract a new younger demographic with its quirkiness, quips, and bright colours.

I don't mind the trailer at all, and just glad to see that the game's production values are on point and, well, it's finally coming out! My only sad thing is that I'm not in love with any of the characters so far (including Varric, who may or may not be a part of the party again). Hope it changes later.

I'll write more about the game once BioWare shows an extended look at the gameplay on June 11.

Starfield: Shattered Space

Platforms: PC, Xbox Series.
Release date: 2024.
Game Pass availability: nope.

This DLC looks like a different game, but still not exciting enough for me to go back to Starfield.

Fallout 76 - Skyline Valley update

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series.
Release date: June 12.
Game Pass availability: yes, day one.

A huge expansion for Fallout MMORPG with a new map and an ability to play as a lost ghoul.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series.
Release date: 2025.
Game Pass availability: yes, day one.

Hand down the most exciting trailer of the presentation, that got me screaming in excitement. A high-budget JRPG-style game about a weird world where the Paintres draws a number, decrementing each time - and everyone of that age or above turns into dust. Sounds like a synopsis for a YA novel, but I'm so into that!

The game looks gorgeous. Finally, we get a true-next gen title that's not a sequel or a remake. I can't wait to play it.

South of Midnight

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series.
Release date: 2025.
Game Pass availability: yes, day one.

Another curious game, interestingly with a skip-frame animation style, possibly inspired by the recent Spider-Man animated movies. A post-apocalyptic setting with quirky characters - count me in!

World of Warcraft: The War Within

Platforms: PC.
Release date: August 26.
Game Pass availability: nope.

Whatever the heck is happening in WoW's story at this point - looks cool.

Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series.
Release date: TBD.
Game Pass availability: nope.

A remake of the 2004 game METAL GEAR SOLID 3: SNAKE EATER, one of the most hyped games in the series. Feels kinda wrong to be excited about something MGS-related after the series' creator, Hideo Kojima, infamously left Konami. But, well, looks very decent, might play.

Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series.
Release date: July 18.
Game Pass availability: nope.

A nice-looking souls-lite in fantasy setting and a stylish trailer. Don't have particularly high hopes for this one, but looks interesting enough to give it a try.

Age of Mythology: Retold

Platforms: PC, Xbox Series.
Release date: September 4.
Game Pass availability: yes, day one.

A remake of a cult-classic RTS with gods. Looks very nice - I missed out on the original, but will probably finally catch up thank to this one.

Perfect Dark

Platforms: PC, Xbox Series.
Release date: TBD.
Game Pass availability: yes, day one.

A reboot of a classic action franchise, claimed to be "the first AAAA-game", because obviously. I'm just glad that the project is very much alive and in a much better shape then the recent rumours claimed. I wouldn't hope for it to be released until at least Holdiays 2025, though.

Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series.
Release date: August 10.
Game Pass availability: nope.

Another great cinematic from Blizzard for an upcoming DLC.

Fable

Platforms: PC, Xbox Series.
Release date: 2025.
Game Pass availability: yep, day one.

Another project that was announced a long time ago and is finally getting into shape. The game looks great, but Fable heavily relies on its British humour and, more so, charm - something that's impossible to measure based on trailers alone. We'll see!

FragPunk

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series.
Release date: 2025.
Game Pass availability: nope.

Yes, it's a live-service - the world's least favourite thing right now. But I'm intrigued in it's core mechanic to change the entire battlefield using cards - depending on how it will actually be executed, might be just enough to help this game stand out and feel like a true next-gen (well, current-gen) project.

Mixtape

Platforms: PC, Xbox Series.
Release date: 2025.
Game Pass availability: yep, day one.

A quirky coming-of-age musical with a star-struck soundtrack featuring the Smashing Pumpkins, Iggy Pop, Joy Division, and many more. No idea how it actually plays, but will probably end up a joyful ride.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

Platforms: PC, Xbox Series.
Release date: November 19.
Game Pass availability: yes, day one.

More photo-realistic, world-sized greatness.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series.
Release date: October 29.
Game Pass availability: nope.

A very pleasant surprise for me: a true sequel to Life is Strange, featuring Max Caulfield, now a college student. Max's friend gets murdered, and she uses her powers once again, this time jumping into a parallel universe, where said friend is still alive. Max now has to solve a double-quantum murder.

I sure hope this one lives up to expectations, cause they are quite high. And, well, at least game looks much better graphically.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Platforms: PC, Xbox Series.
Release date: 2024.
Game Pass availability: yes, day one.

This trailer convinced me that MachineGames, the creators of Wolfenstein, can actually make a great Indiana game that won't feel like a weird Tomb Raider/Uncharted copy. And will likely be as good as original movies!

Avowed

Platforms: PC, Xbox Series.
Release date: 2024.
Game Pass availability: yes, day one.

Avowed is kinda all over the place, with no distinct style or a hook. Still, Obsidian probably can pull this one off - worth to try via Game Pass.

Atomfall

Platforms: PC, Xbox Series.
Release date: 2025.
Game Pass availability: yes, day one.

A post-nuclear Britain looks gorgeous! But I definitely want to know more about this game to get properly hyped up.

Assassin's Creed Shadows

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series.
Release date: November 15.
Game Pass availability: nope.

Could this turn out to be a perfect modern Assassin's Creed game? I like how developers (seemingly) found a balance between RPG-like combat for one protagonist and a more stealthy approach for another. A high-fiedlity Japan is a sight to behold, too!

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series.
Release date: September 5.
Game Pass availability: yes, day one.

And yet another game that's been stuck in a development hell for way too long, but is finally coming out. Interesting to try out and see how it plays - especially as not a fan of the series, unlike many of my friends.

Gears of War: E-Day

Platforms: PC, Xbox Series.
Release date: TBD.
Game Pass availability: yes, day one.

Now, this is cool: instead of doing a straight sequel, Coalition decided to go back to the roots of Gears of War and make a game set 15 years prior to the first one. They want to show how gruesome the invasion of Locust was, and reinvent the series as a whole. Very, very ambitious and exciting decision!