A look ahead at Xbox’s 2024

Thought I'd highlight some of the stuff that the Xbox community has to look forward to this year. I'll link to trailers (containing gameplay where possible, of course) so you can check out some of the projects here you maybe haven't heard of. All of the games listed are Xbox first-party projects, second-party projects, or third-party exclusives (some timed, some potentially permanent). Hope at least somebody out there finds this interesting!

Dungeons of Hinterberg – Announced at the Xbox Games Showcase in 2023, this is an Action-RPG with an emphasis on social elements. Explore the Austrian Alps by day with your snowboard, fighting monsters and puzzling your way through dungeons. By night, share drinks with the locals as you learn more about their lives, and hopefully pick up some new skills along the way. Coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC. The game will be available day one in Game Pass. [Trailer]

SOPA: Tale of the Stolen Potato – At CCXP '23, Studio Bando revealed SOPA; a narrative adventure game inspired by movies such as Coco and The Little Prince. Supported by ID@Xbox, the team recently confirmed an August release date for the game, but haven't yet given an exact date. Coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC. The game will be available day one in Game Pass. [Trailer]

Age of Mythology: Retold – An updated remaster of a cult classic RTS. Age of Mythology puts a godly twist on the Age of Empires formula, having you command mythical armies as a pantheon of Greek, Norse and Egyptian deities. This game will mark the first time an Ages title will release simultaenously on both PC and console, the latter of whom has always had to wait years for a port. Coming to Xbox Series X|S, PC and Cloud. The game will be available day one in Game Pass. [Trailer]

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl – With development sadly delayed due to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the newly-relocated workforce at GSC finally seem ready to release the long-anticipated new entry in the cult-classic S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise. Blending FPS gunplay with open-world RPG mechanics and steeped in horror influence, this seems like a title that fans of Metro and Fallout will want to get familiar with. Coming to Xbox Series X|S and PC. The game will be available day one in Game Pass. [Trailer]

Dead Static Drive – A survival horror title jokingly described by the developers as "Grand Theft Cthulu", you're trapped in a deadly race across rural America as you attempt to outrun both monsters and the police. In development since 2014, this lovecraftian roadtrip finally seems to be reaching it's destination, with Reuben Games announcing last year that they're aiming for a Q3 2024 release. Coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC. The game will be available day one in Game Pass. [Trailer]

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 – What is there left to say about Call of Duty at this point? Love it or hate it, there's no denying the colossal popularity that this franchise continues to enjoy year-on-year. The first entry to have been in development for 4 years, Treyarch Studios and Raven Software placed a big emphasis on player choice and replayability when showcasing Black Ops 6's campaign. A full multiplayer reveal is scheduled to take place at Call of Duty NEXT on August 28th, with a beta arriving at the same time across all platforms. Coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and PC. The game will be available day one in Game Pass. [Trailer]

Flight Simulator: 2024 – Building upon the foundations of Flight Simulator, this new iteration expands the fleet of airborne vehicles at your disposal, from hot air balloons to gliders to airships. A bigger focus is being placed on the world itself this time around, with players able to see herds of animals roaming mountaintops, auroras lighting up the night sky, and airports full of busy travellers jostling to catch their flights. You'll also now be able to undertake a myriad of jobs as a pilot; firefighting, cargo transportation, weather research, cropdusting, etc. Coming to Xbox Series X|S, PC and Cloud. The game will be available day one in Game Pass. [Trailer]

33 Immortals – Some people here may have actually already played this, as Thunder Lotus (developers of the excellent Spiritfarer) recently ran a beta for anybody lucky enough to get in. A stark departure from their previous title, this is a 33-player(!) co-op roguelike that sets you and your friends on a quest to fight through hell, purgatory and heaven in an attempt to slay an evil God. Sounds like a game that will both strengthen and ruin friendships. Coming to Xbox Series X|S, PC and Cloud. The game will be available day one in Game Pass. [Trailer]

Towerborne – From the developers of The Banner Saga comes a new side-scrolling action-adventure. Either alone or with up to three friends, your mission is to reclaim territories that have been lost to monsters throughout the City of Numbers. With an artsyle inspired by classic 2D beat 'em ups, the game uses procedural generation to build out an expansive world map. This, coupled with Stoic's confirmation that free post-launch content is already in their roadmap, should hopefully provide players with a fresh take on the Castle Crashers formula. Coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC. The game will be available day one in Game Pass. [Trailer]

ARA: History Untold – The underdog of 2024's Developer Direct, this project is being helmed by a team of former Civilization developers. Leading your nation through an alternate timeline to our own, ARA aims to blend grand strategy with card-based tactics that provide an element of unpredictability to the game. An emphasis has also been placed on choice-based progression, with certain upgrades locking you out of other avenues of victory, forcing you to weigh up your options and decide if a trade-off is worth it. Coming to PC. The game will be available day one in Game Pass. [Trailer]

Avowed – From the brillaint minds at Obsidian Entertainment (The Outer Worlds, South Park: The Stick of Truth, Fallout: New Vegas), this RPG brings a brand new perspective on the world of Pillars of Eternity. Comparable to The Outer Worlds in scope, this slightly smaller-scale adventure is focused on providing an impactful story and serving as a shining example of player agency. From choosing how to approach an objective to the myriad of on-the-fly weapon combinations you can switch between mid-battle, Avowed looks like a return to Obsidian's roots after the experimental outings of Grounded and Pentiment. Coming to Xbox Series X|S, PC and Cloud. The game will be available day one in Game Pass. [Trailer]

Indiana Jones & The Great Circle – I'm sure most of you have already seen this one plastered everywhere across Reddit. Machine Games (the developers of Wolfenstein) are tackling the iconic explorer's first video game in over a decade, executive produced by Bethesda's very own Todd Howard. A self-proclaimed "dream game" of Todd's, the title offers a mixture of first-person combat with third-person navigation. Featuring shootouts, parkour sections and puzzles aplenty, here's hoping Machine tie it all together nicely. Coming to Xbox Series X|S and PC. The game will be available day one on Game Pass. [Trailer]

Replaced – In August of last year, Sad Cat Studios announced via Steam that Replaced was being delayed to the latter half of 2024. Hopefully it's worth the wait, as the pixel art platformer looks absolutely stunning. Clearly inspired by classic cyberpunk staples such as Blade Runner, the game has you play as an artifical intelligence that has been forcibly implanted into a human body. All the while set to the backdrop of a gorgeous neon-soaked alternative take on the 1980's. Coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC. The game will be available day one in Game Pass. [Trailer]

ARK II – Alright, I think we have to be honest with ourselves here… is this one actually happening? Pretty much the entirety of the ARK community laugh at the prospect of this game releasing in 2024, but that's what the studio has publicly said. Some people I've spoken to are convinced that it's not even real and Studio Wildcard haven't actually begun working on it yet. Vin Diesel is attached to the project as executive producer (yes, i'm being serious), and seemingly playing a pivotal role in the game's narrative. Studio Wildcard has announced some radical changes coming to the sequel, most notably a switch to a third-person perspective with soulslike combat. Xbox have signed a deal to have it be a console launch exclusive, but we'll have to wait and see whether that launch really is this year or not. Coming to Xbox Series X|S and PC. The game will be available day one in Game Pass. [Trailer]