Releases for the Xbox Series X have been slowly trickling out for launch. While the system has not had much in the way of exclusives this year, other than Bloober Team's The Medium, third-party releases such as Resident Evil: Village, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, It Takes Two, and Hitman 3 have kept Xbox Series X/S fans satisfied leading up to Xbox and Bethesda's summer games showcase.
With that in mind, here's a quick rundown of games slated to release for Microsoft's newest platform this summer. It is worth mentioning that due to the looming Xbox + Bethesda Games Showcase set to air on June 13, some of these games may feature vague "Summer 2021" release windows. It's somewhat likely they may fail to hit the June-August 2021 time frame. This list will also include some titles launching on Xbox One with Xbox Series X performance upgrades planned.
Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis (June 9)
Sega just recently confirmed that the newest incarnation of its wildly popular Japanese free-to-play MMORPG Phantasy Star Online 2 will be launching on June 9 worldwide. Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis is a special case for Xbox fans, as it is an Xbox console exclusive outside of Japan, despite the fact that Japan is also receiving Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 releases of the game.
Not much has been revealed regarding the Xbox release of New Genesis, other than it will launch the same day that the PC version leaves closed beta, June 9. It does not appear that an Xbox Series X/S native version will release for the game, so players on Microsoft's newest consoles will have to play the game through its backwards compatibility function. Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis is free-to-play however, most likely utilizing Microsoft's recent lifting of Xbox Live Gold requirement for playing free-to-play games.
Metro Exodus Enhanced (June 18)
Metro Exodus was one of 2019's biggest surprises, giving long-time fans of 4A's survival-horror first-person shooter series the climactic ending of a trilogy of games inspired by Dmitry Glukhovsky's best-selling novel series. While the game was nothing short of stunning even on Xbox One, Xbox Series X owners will soon be treated to a free upgrade to the game that introduces ray-tracing, atmospheric spatial audio, and a host of technical improvements giving players an opportunity to jump back into its post-apocalyptic Russian landscapes once again.
Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance (June 22)
Fans of the classic Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance series were recently treated to a surprise remaster of the original PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube action RPG that adapts the iconic tabletop RPG Dungeons & Dragons. While Larian Studios is hard at work developing Baldur's Gate 3 in early access, developer Tuque Games has taken it upon itself to develop a spiritual successor to the beloved hack n' slash series: In the form of Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance, a four-player co-operative action game that takes inspiration from all corners of the Dungeons & Dragons universe.
Better yet, Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance will be coming to Xbox Game Pass at launch and will feature cross-play across PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox Cloud Gaming. Hopefully this means the game will be a fun time Xbox RPG fans will be coming back to for months to come.
Scarlet Nexus (June 25)
One of the first games revealed for Xbox Series X, Scarlet Nexus, finally releases across Xbox One and Series X/S on June 25. This anime-style action game follows a psychic task force known as the OSF (Other Suppression Force), which is tasked with defeating a new race of monsters known as the Others. This game is developed by Bandai Namco Studios, with many key team members stemming from the studio's popular Tales JRPG series.
While Scarlet Nexus' main gameplay consists of stylish action combat similar to the works of Platinum Games, the game will also be balanced by downtime sections which allow the player to form relationships with the main cast similar to the Persona series' Social Link system. The game can also be played from two completely unique perspectives, the first from male protagonist Yuito Sumeragi, with the second being female protagonist Kasane Randall. Players interested can jump into Scarlet Nexus ahead of launch through its demo, currently available on Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One.
The Ascent (July 29)
While July is looking to be somewhat of a quiet month for Xbox Series X/S owners, developer Neon Giant will be capping the month off in style with the long anticipated cyberpunk action RPG The Ascent. The Ascent was another one of the first Xbox Series X/S console exclusives to be revealed in May of last year, however it appears that the wait will have been worth it, as early previews have indicated that the game is set to be a surprise hit when it launches on July 29.
Inspired by loot-based action RPGs like Diablo, The Ascent is a cooperative twin-stick shooter set in a neon-lit cyberpunk city that allows characters to fully customize their character's appearance and skill set through augmentations similar to the Deus Ex series. The game is set in a seamless open-world that can be traversed either with a party of four friends in multiplayer or alone in single-player. The Ascent was originally slated to be an Xbox Series X/S launch title but after a lengthy delay, the game will arrive on Xbox Game Pass at the end of July.
In Sound Mind (August 3)
As Halloween season preparations begin in August, developer We Create Stuff is planning to release its unique indie psychological horror game In Sound Mind for Xbox Series X. This game follows a small-town psychologist as he delves into the traumatized minds of his patients, culminating in a Lovecraftian first-person horror experience seemingly similar to Bloober Team's Layers of Fear series. So far, In Sound Mind appears to be a next-gen exclusive title for Xbox users, in that it will only be available on the Series X. The game will release on August 3.
Microsoft Flight Simulator (Summer 2021)
In the territory of unconfirmed release dates, one of Microsoft's biggest exclusives of 2020 still has yet to make its way to any of its home consoles. Microsoft Flight Simulator, the award-winning amateur flight simulator released on PCs last August, is still slated for a vague "Summer 2021" release window on Xbox Series X as of right now. While gameplay was revealed all the way back in December at The Game Awards, Xbox has given no update on when the massively popular flight sim will come to the platform since last year.
While it's obvious that an Xbox Series X release date for Microsoft Flight Simulator will be revealed at Xbox and Bethesda's E3 showcase next week, the jury is still out regarding if the title will make its alleged "Summer 2021" window. It would not be much of a surprise if it slipped to September or October, however an August release is likely for this ambitious simulation game given that it would commemorate a year since the PC version's launch on August 18, 2020.
Lake (Summer 2021)
Keeping with the theme of cozy games, last year developer Gamious revealed the laid-back, slice-of-life indie adventure game Lake. This game, which is set in 1986, follows a delivery driver as she escapes the big city to return to her home town of Providence Oaks. The game promises a range of characters with charming and quirky personalities, a branching narrative with no "right" or "wrong" endings or choices, and even romance options. Microsoft has also claimed the game as an Xbox console exclusive, which could even lead to its inclusion in Xbox Game Pass when it launches sometime this summer.