Xbox and Bethesda at E3 2021: rumors and predictions

Xbox and Bethesda at E3 2021

Microsoft has a prairie in front of it this year and can't really afford to fail, especially after last year's E3 Halo Infinite affair. Sony has not announced any particular plans for E3 2021 and the recent news regarding some of the PlayStation first party games, which in fact have endorsed Microsoft's highly criticized strategy of supporting the Xbox One generation even after the launch of the Xbox Series X and S, they are an unexpected and great push to take away some satisfaction on a communicative level.

The official announcement of the conference, which will be held on June 13, 2021 at 19:00 Italian time, talks about a 90-minute streaming focused on games from Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda and some non-third parties. better identified, arriving by the end of the year or a little later. Microsoft has kept the hype low so as not to risk making the end of 2020, when the wait turned into a boomerang. The Redmond house has been incredibly discreet in recent months, probably precisely for storing cartridges for E3 2021 (also because it didn't have much to say, since it didn't launch much on the market). Despite this, rumors and leaks were not lacking, in particular around some highly anticipated titles that we will talk about in the next paragraphs and of which we will try to give you the most lucid picture possible.

Of course we imagine that the Xbox Game Pass will play a central role in the event, if only for the fact that everything announced will enter the service from launch day. Who knows that Microsoft does not surprise us with some dedicated offers. But now let's try to understand what we can expect from Xbox and Bethesda at E3 2021 by talking to you about the rumors and making some predictions.

Some certainties: Halo Infinite, Psychonauts 2 and Age of Empires 4

Xbox and Bethesda at E3 2021 One game in particular will have to prove that it has gone beyond last year's presentation: Halo Infinite. After becoming the stone of the E3 2020 scandal, in some ways also unfairly, this year 343 Industries' game will have to prove that it is ready for the market, showing off all its best skills, in particular on a technical level. In recent months, the development studio has kept the communication level high, keeping a direct line with the fans, and it is no mystery that the game will be present at the conference, as also revealed by the poster of the same, so the doubts about it are zero. . What is certain is also the fact that he cannot afford to fail, for no reason in the world.

Psychonauts 2 is another of the certain titles. Some say it will even be launched during the conference. Double Fine has been working on it for many years, starting it before it was acquired by Microsoft, so it will also be released on PS4. Despite this, the fame of its author, Tim Schafer, as well as that of the first episode, considered one of the best platformers ever, could make it interesting to show it off during the event, even if only as a flagship. After all, if they can play it immediately, players will surely be happy to see it.

Psychonauts 2 could be launched during the conference On Age of Empires 4 we have some doubts, because it is essentially a PC title. However, Microsoft may want to show it for two reasons: to announce the Xbox version and to have another game almost ready on stage, so as to respond to those who want it not very concrete. Basically we are talking about the heir to one of the most prestigious RTS series ever, so certainly not a secondary title, which should arrive within the year. It must also be said that it will be available from launch on the Xbox Game Pass PC, so why hide it?

Will Starfield be Bethesda's first big Xbox exclusive?

Another certainty of the 'E3 2021 from Microsoft is a highly anticipated title, which has been talked about for years without knowing anything for sure: Bethesda's Starfield. The fact that he will be present on the Microsoft stage is practically certain. Even the poster of the conference does not leave many doubts about it. Being a new intellectual property from the Elder Scrolls studio and the latest Fallout, the wait is sky high (pardon the pun). What is interesting, however, is not only the quality of the game, but also the conclusion of the ballet of rumors that have taken place in recent months, practically since Phil Spencer announced the acquisition of Bethesda, which we can summarize in a simple question: will it be an Xbox exclusive or not? Many take it for granted, but the official announcement itself could produce incredible excitement among fans of the platform. In fact we are talking about one of those news capable of galvanizing the masses, which therefore Microsoft will certainly not waste. What can we expect from Starfield? Probably a space role-playing game with simulation elements and a particular focus on the customization of spaceships. In this case, however, better wait for Bethesda to introduce it to us, because there may be some surprises.

Forza Horizon 5 or Forza Motorsport?

Forza Motorsport Many thought Microsoft would return to E3 2021 charges with Turn10's Forza Motorsport, but more recent and insistent rumors say that the Forza shown may actually be PlayGround Games' Forza Horizon 5, which is supposed to have a Mexican setting. Probably, being Forza Motorsport a big technological leap for the series, it may not be ready yet, while Forza Horizon 5 may have been shaped starting from the excellent fourth chapter, so as to accelerate its development. Of course, ours are all hypotheses, so take them as such. We would be happy to see both games, but we are aware of how one necessarily excludes the other. Whatever the Force is shown, it wouldn't hurt to be able to play it by the end of 2021.

What else could be presented?

Avowed could be at E3 2021 Currently Xbox Games Studios have more than thirty games in development, including the ones we mentioned in the previous paragraphs. There could also be secret projects, which as such cannot be counted, but which could still be among the surprise games presented at E3 2021. Let's see what we can expect by taking a study by study exam.

Compulsion Games hasn't announced its new game yet, but it is known to be working on a brand new intellectual property. There is talk of a mix between Bioshock and Uncharted, but for sure nothing is known yet. However, it seems that the game is one of Phil Spencer's favorites, so there is some expectation.

In addition to Psychonauts 2, Double Fine is working on a new intellectual property not yet announced. Unlikely to be shown during the conference, as the studio has a game in the pipeline.

Brian Fargo's inXile is working on several RPGs, one of which will be hybridized with an FPS. The work just started and the fact that it is being developed using Unreal Engine 5 makes it very difficult for it to be shown during the conference, unless you decide to show a CGI teaser with a logo. The second game is even more on the high seas, as preproduction started in January of this year, so we're ruling it out a priori.

Mojang, the Minecraft studio, said they are experimenting with new ideas . We imagine that it is some Minecraft spin-off, like Minecraft Dungeons, but we don't know what stage of development they are in. Perhaps it could be among the surprises of the conference.

Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 could be among the games of the conference, despite being developed with Unreal Engine 5. Ninja Theory could show something advanced, in anticipation of a launch in 2022 or 2023. The other projects of the studio are also eligible to be at the event: the mysterious Project Mara and The Insight Project, announced for some time now. On paper, these are two highly experimental titles that we are very curious to see in action.

Will Senua be at E3 2021? Obsidian is the most active Xbox studio ever and has a lot of things to showcase. Meanwhile, there is Avowed, which could be present in a wider form than at E3 2020, where it was shown with a short teaser. In addition, there may be some updates for Grounded, a title in early access for some time. However, consider that Obsidian also has three other games in development: one directed by Tim Can, which should be The Outer Worlds 2 (too early to show it, since work is still in progress on the first chapter); one directed by Josh Sawyer who is thrilling the studio but has not yet been announced and the last directed by Brandon Adler, also unannounced. It's hard to say the odds of seeing the latter two during the conference, although they may both be in pre-production, so we'd rule them out a priori.

Playground Games has not only the new Forza Horizon in development, but the reboot of Fable. However, the works are not very advanced, so it is difficult for him to be present at E3 2021 (glad to be proved wrong).

Rare could instead show something of Everwild, at least to explain the game a little better and remove the rumors that still want him on the high seas are behind. There may be, but few of them count.

The Initiative may show some gameplay from the recently announced Perfect Dark. We don't say it is safe, but it's not unlikely either.

Undead Labs is hard at work on State of Decay 3, but it still appears to be in the early stages of development. Something could be seen, but we wouldn't count too much on it.

Will Perfect Dark be there? We have already talked about Starfield, but Bethesda could also let us taste something of The Elder Scrolls VI. The title is so anticipated that the full name with logo, the setting and the announcement of the exclusive PC / Xbox would be enough to send fans in jujube soup.

Id Software has just launched Doom Eternal, but he may have another project in the drawer. Basically after Doom (2016) he pulled Quake Champions out of the hat, so it might surprise us with something similar, also because Quake Champions has seen a decent slowdown in updates in recent times.

Arkane Studios is about to launch Deathloop on PS5 and PC, but it seems he has at least one other game in development: a vampire fantasy. Microsoft could pull it out of the hat somehow, albeit still far from completion, to reclaim the name of Arkane, whose fans currently have their gaze fixed on the competing platform.

Tango Gameworks is hard at work on Ghostwire Tokyo, another thunderstorm exclusive for PS5 and PC. It is unlikely that Mikami's team has a secondary project to present, so it might just not be there (or Microsoft might show fair play enough to give it a stand anyway).

Machine Games could be the joker of Microsoft's conference and show the new Indiana Jones and a new Wolfenstein. Nothing is certain, but the team has been silent for some time and something in development must necessarily have it. His presence at the event is therefore very likely.

The Elder Scrolls VI could be the bomb of E3 2021 Zenimax Online is very busy with The Elder Scrolls Online, which is doing very well. But it also has several unannounced projects in the pipeline, we don't know in what state of development. What one of these surprise ideas during the conference? Possible, but we wouldn't give it for sure.

The Coalition is definitely developing Gears 6, but it also has another game in the works that it could show at the conference. There is talk of a minor title, with production values ​​from AA, but it could come as a surprise.

There remain Alpha Dog and Roundhouse, of whose projects nothing is known. They might present something, but we just don't know what it might be.

Other Xbox studios and projects

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is one of the most anticipated third parties for Xbox Series X and S One of the games that should make a good show of themselves at the Xbox event is Asobo's Microsoft Flight Simulator, already available for PC but also coming to Xbox consoles. It is a niche game, but it has sold well and has proven to have qualities that make it certainly attractive, even for an event. IO Interactive is working on a new AAA multiplayer intellectual property for Xbox. It should be a fantasy game, given the code name "Project Dragon". Nothing is known about it, either at the level of development or content, so it is difficult to predict its presence or not during the event.

Among the other games that could be shown during the conference there are several already presented: STALKER 2, which greatly excited Xbox fans, Scorn, whose release date is still unknown, the upcoming The Ascent, Remedy's CrossfireX, Warhammer 40k: Darktide, ExoMecha, She Dreams Elsewhere and the evergreen Tunic . There are also rumors of other third-party games exclusive to Xbox, such as a Kojima title (of which nothing is known), just to make it clear that there is really a lot of meat in the fire and that this year Microsoft has every chance to do really well, finally pulling out some tricks.

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