Today, several games were shown during Microsoft's Inside Xbox event, the first of a series of events that are being planned over the next few months. With a first-party event planned for July, the focus was on third-party games coming to Xbox Series X, and while the Assassin's Creed: Valhalla "gameplay" reveal was the star attraction, there was a surprising number of next-gen horror games featured in the showcase.
From Monstrum 2 to Bloober Teams newly announced The Medium, here's a look at every horror game that's been announced for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X so far (listed in alphabetical order).
Dying Light 2
Although its current window of release is unknown, Techland's Dying Light 2 is one of the bigger games known about so far. It was delayed from its spring 2020 window, instead likely releasing sometime this fall. And when it does, it has been confirmed to be a cross-gen release on PS5 and Xbox Series X.
Ghostwire: Tokyo
During Bethesda's E3 presentation last year, The Evil Within and The Evil Within 2 developer Tango Gameworks revealed that it was working on a new survival-horror game, Ghostwire: Tokyo. Not a lot is currently known about Ghostwire: Tokyo, only that it's not a traditional horror game, but an action-adventure where players will need to rid the city of Tokyo of paranormal enemies and supernatural evil. Given that no release window or platforms were announced, it seems safe to say Ghostwire: Tokyo is eyeing the next-generation consoles, although this is currently speculation.
Martha is Dead
Martha is Dead is a psychological thriller in development from the creators of The Town of Light, LKA. Set during World War II, Martha is Dead follows a young woman who must uncover the truth of how her twin sister Martha was killed, all while dealing with superstition surrounding mysterious folklore, and coping with the extreme horrors of war. Martha is Dead has been confirmed for both PC and PlayStation 5 and will be released sometime in 2020.
Monstrum 2
Perhaps the most unique upcoming horror game, Monstrum 2, is a 4v1 multiplayer horror game where players must survive in a procedurally generated labyrinth set in a decaying sea fortress. As a direct sequel to Team Junfish's 2015's rogue-lite Monstrum, four players take on the role of survivors and will need to scavenge for supplies and find hidden access routes to important equipment, all while trying to survive from a terrifying lab experiment gone wrong. Think Predator: Hunting Grounds or Evolve but in a procedurally generated environment where the puzzles are always changing.
Observer: System Redux
After the success of P.T. inspired psychological thriller Layers of Fear in 2016, horror game extraordinaire Bloober Team followed it up with the cyberpunk-themed psychological thriller, Observer for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch earlier this year. It's next game, Observer: System Redux is effectively a next-generation port, taking the original game and updating it with enhanced visuals and gameplay, as well as brand new story content. Observer: System Redux is coming to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Quantum Error
Kings of Lorn: The Fall of Ebris developer TeamKill Media has announced its upcoming first-person shooter and horror hybrid, Quantum Error. The announcement trailer doesn't reveal too much about the game; however, i it takes place on Earth in the year 2109 during some sort of invasion by zombie-like creatures. Quantum Error has been confirmed for both PS4 and PS5, with no word on a release window.
Scorn
Developed by Ebb Software and heavily inspired by the works of H. R. Giger, the original designer of the Xenomorph from Alien, Scorn is a first-person horror game that was first announced all the way back in 2014. After ongoing issues with funding, Scorn is back and in development for Xbox Series X and PC. Set in a nightmarish universe, Ebb Software has designed the game around the idea of players being thrown into an unsettling environment that makes them question what they see. Each location contains its own theme, and players will need to acquire skills, unlock weapons, and complete puzzles to make it out alive.
The Medium
From the brilliant minds at Bloober Team, developer of Layers of Fear 2, Blair Witch, and the previously mentioned Observer: System Redux comes a new original next-generation psychological horror, The Medium. Haunted by a vision of a child's murder, players control Marianne, a medium that's living between two different worlds: the real world and the spirit world, and must find answers in an abandoned hotel resort. For the creation of The Medium's soundtrack, Bloober Team has chosen to collaborate with Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka in an effort to reflect the game’s theme of duality. The Medium will release on Xbox Series X and PC in Holiday 2020.
Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2
Originally scheduled for a March 2020 release, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is an action RPG with enough elements of horror to fit the description. Set in the fictional World of Darkness, a group of rogue vampires has broken the masquerade and begun killing and turning humans throughout Seattle. Players take on the role of a newly turned vampire and must learn to control their new powers before joining one of the cities' vampire groups. Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is coming to PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X sometime in 2020.
Horror games are a great way to show off new technology, allowing for features like ray tracing to really shine, so it's no surprise that Microsoft took advantage of that during the Inside Xbox event. Microsoft has already announced it will be holding monthly Xbox Series X streams over the summer as part of its Xbox 20/20 initiative, and Sony is yet to properly reveal the PlayStation 5 to the world, meaning that with or without E3 2020, there's going to be plenty of next-gen news on the horizon, and more horror games to be revealed.
MORE: Everything Revealed for Xbox Series X in Inside Xbox Stream