

The first half – aka the Xbox Games Showcase itself – was full of non-stop surprises. The publisher promised a double-bill of updates and reveals for upcoming Xbox Series X games and Game Pass wonders, coupled with a gloriously in-depth look at Starfield ahead of its September release.

But, with two solid hours of back-to-back announcements (and a major info drop for Starfield), Xbox did everything right. Coming off the back of a disappointing Redfall launch and a long run of silence around first-part releases out of Xbox Game Studios, fans and critics alike were stacking up the odds against Microsoft Gaming being able to deliver a showcase that would satisfy. The Xbox Games Showcase 2023 had everything riding on it.
