With the cancellation of E3 this year, there's a pretty significant gap in the gaming industry's schedule. Over the last few years, however, more and more publishers have started to remove themselves from E3 altogether and instead host their own showcase on their own terms. So this year, things might not change all that much, as Xbox and Bethesda's Showcase, along with Summer Games Fest and other publisher-specific showcases, should help fill the gap.
Based on the teasers released so far, it seems as though Xbox and Bethesda's upcoming June 12 showcase will focus on Bethesda's highly-anticipated Starfield, set to release towards the end of the year. Along with Starfield, fans are also likely to see Arkane's 4-player co-op vampire shooter Redfall, and some more information and reveals on already-confirmed titles. But a big-name games convention would be nothing without a few surprises, and Xbox and Bethesda's Showcase are likely to have a few reveals up their sleeves.
Some Possible Xbox and Bethesda Showcase Surprises
Xbox and Bethesda's Showcase is currently slated to be around 90-minutes in length, which is pretty lengthy, but also on par for its last few showcases. And if the last few showcases are anything to go by, there should be a significant number of games on display. While a few of Xbox and Bethesda's upcoming games are surefire hits to appear at some point in the presentation, there are a few games that fans haven't heard from in quite some time, or that fans don't really know anything about at all. MachineGames' upcoming Indiana Jones title is one such game.
Confirmed in January 2021, Wolfenstein developer MachineGames is working on a brand new Indiana Jones title, and fans haven't heard anything official from it since. With no general release date available, it seems unlikely that the new Indiana Jones game would make an appearance in Xbox and Bethesda's upcoming showcase, but that would make it a great surprise reveal.
New Games at the Xbox and Bethesda Showcase
Xbox and Bethesda's Showcase could also reveal some titles fans aren't aware of yet. A new Fallout game, for instance, would be an immense surprise to many, as there have been practically no rumors or speculation surrounding another entry in the post-apocalyptic franchise. A third mainline Wolfenstein entry would also be a neat surprise, especially with Wolfenstein: Youngblood not quite meeting fan expectations and leaving the series on a bit of a sour note. Giving fans just a brief tease of another B.J. Blazkowicz-led adventure might be a smart move for the publishers.
The Xbox and Bethesda Showcase could even pull out some completely left-field surprises, perhaps finally confirming the long-rumored GoldenEye 007 remake. Over the last year or so, there have been plenty of leaks surrounding a GoldenEye remake, including a leaked Xbox Achievements list, so it might make sense for it to finally be revealed during this year's Xbox Bethesda Showcase.
Some high-profile Xbox Game Pass surprises may also be on the cards for Xbox and Bethesda's Showcase. With Game Pass being such a pivotal service for Xbox right now, it makes sense that it would want to keep putting it front and center, right alongside new game reveals. Some surprise Game Pass reveals could include recent heavy-hitters like Ghostwire: Tokyo or even some of the recent Call of Duty entries to build hype for Modern Warfare 2.