Xbox Games Showcase Wiped The Floor With Competition This Year

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Bawal Zehri

At HI Digital I test and write about different hardware configurations to show other PC users what they can expect from their build. My end goal is to educate the masses to make the right decision when they are looking for new PC parts to buy

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Gaming’s showcase season was highly anticipated this year. Following a disappointing State of Play and a mediocre Summer Game Fest, however, many feared this season would be quickly forgotten.

Much to our surprise, Xbox was ready to save the day. After hitting the ground running with an exciting Black Ops 6 debut, Phil Spencer took to the stage. What followed was more than an hour of game reveals, new trailers, and announcements.

Microsoft truly captured the feeling of E3 this year. In fact, the event was head and shoulders above anything we saw this year. I would even argue that it was the best showcase that Microsoft has ever hosted.

Why it matters: Xbox Games Showcase has raised the bar for future gaming events.

The Disappointing Summer Game Fest & State of Play

One factor that helped Xbox this time was the mediocrity that preceded its event.

For instance, while not a full-blown event, PlayStation’s State of Play was a substitute for Sony’s typical showcase during this time of the year. Apart from God of War Ragnarok and Astro Bot, this livestream didn’t do much for me.

Silent Hill 2 was also disappointing, with Monster Hunter Wilds being the only saving grace. Fast forward to Summer Game Fest, and this event ended on a similar note for me. However, it’s not difficult to see why.

Some major announcements during the Xbox Games Showcase could’ve benefited Geoff Keighley’s event, but Microsoft seems to have been hell-bent on putting on a show for everyone to remember. On June 9, it did just that.

First-Party Goodness

What I loved about the showcase was that it was relentless from beginning to end.

When you kick off a show with Doom: The Dark Ages, it’s already hard to follow up with equally exciting reveals. However, not only did Microsoft successfully continue the excitement, but some would even argue that it took things up a notch.

For instance, what followed Doom: The Dark Ages were games like Fable, Indiana Jones, State of Decay 3, Perfect Dark, and Gears E-Day. Not everything listed here was new, but I can’t stress enough how thrilling it was to see back-to-back hits.

Typically, I go into these showcases expecting a bunch of indie games. Xbox completely flipped that narrative, offering AAA trailers one after another. Even the smaller games like South of Midnight ended up being enjoyable.

This showcase had been in the making for a whopping four years. Everything Xbox promised in 2020, including Fable, Perfect Dark, and State of Decay 3, was on full display here.

Xbox’s Best Showcase

Remember how I said various titles from the Xbox Games Showcase could have been at Summer Game Fest? Well, it seems like Microsoft didn’t want to share anything this year.

Between Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Metal Gear Solid 3, and Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the event’s third-party showing was as strong as ever.

All in all, Microsoft came in at just the right time. While everyone seemed to be craving an exciting E3-like conference, Xbox was preparing something nobody could have expected.

I would say this showcase was so good that it can be compared to Sony’s E3 conference from 2016. Remember how PlayStation revealed God of War, Spider-Man, and Days Gone at the same event?

Well, Xbox brought Doom: The Dark Ages, Gears E-Day, and Black Ops 6 to the table. Microsoft even introduced a few new console models to mix things up, addressing nearly every facet of its gaming business.

Bawal Zehri

[How-To Guides Expert]

Laiba, our tech guru at HI Digital, simplifies and crafts How-To Guides with a Google IT Support Certificate. Beyond tech, she captures the city’s aesthetics through her lens. Join her journey where tech meets creativity!

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