Not-E3 2022 continues today with the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase, and we’ll be liveblogging it right here. Will we see more of Starfield that isn’t CGI target footage and concept art? Could we get a closer look at Playground Games’ mysterious new Fable? Will Redfall get its first major public appearance since, uh, the last the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase? Dunno, but you can watch the whole show via the stream embedded below, and follow along with commentary from myself and vid bud Liam. The curtain raises at 6pm BST / 7pm CEST / 1pm ET.
Welcome back to the RPS liveblog tool, inside which Liam and I will be locked without food or water at 6pm BST / 7pm CEST / 1pm ET. See you then.
– James Archer
Okay, we're about good to go after some slightly terrifying technical problems. Liam is here too!
– James Archer
Hello! I'm also here and VERY excited to see what Xbox / Bethesda have in store!
– Liam Richardson
Any last minute predictions before things kick off, James?
– Liam Richardson
If there isn't something Starfield-related I'll eat thermal paste. You?
– James Archer
My heart says Fable. My head says Starfield. Either way, I'm hoping for: video games.
– Liam Richardson
brucethemoose says: > Game Pass on the Steam Deck
This would be amazing.
But getting UWP apps to work on linux (via WINE???) would be a technical miracle, and a huge policy shift for Microsoft.
Simply cross licensing the available games to Steam would be an equally huge licensing miracle. I guess they could start with a small subset of gamepass, and slowly grow the catalog?
Yeah, it's technically possible on paper. Just a faff.
– James Archer
And we're off, starting with... Redfall. The fall of Red. This is Arkane's vampire FPS, if you don't remember its reveal at last year's Xbethbox event.
– James Archer
Combat looks good! I like the Nosferatu-y vampire designs.
– Liam Richardson
Bit of highly-choreographed, but tasty-looking solo gameplay before a teammate shows up and it transitions into more of Redfall 101 how-it-works vid.
– James Archer
Lots of footage of your vamp hunters' powers. I particular like the phantom elevator summon that flings teammates up in the air. Wish I could that.
– James Archer
And that's Redfall. Still coming 2023, as per the recent delay news.
– James Archer
Next up it's Silksong, the long awaited sequel to Hollow Knight! Most expected this to show up during a Nintendo Direct, but clearly Microsoft have gotten there first.
– Liam Richardson
No release date yet, but Silksong will be coming to Game Pass!
– Liam Richardson
Here's a...Rick and Morty FPS???
– James Archer
Rick and Morty-inspired, actually. But it stars Justin Roiland as your sentient, squishy alien gun, which in turn is used to plug other squishy aliens.
– James Archer
Sarah Bond is on stage now. She's letting us know that the entire show is focused only on games launching over the next 12 months. Seems like they've listened to feedback about last year's show that there were too many CGI teaser trailers.
– Liam Richardson
s'called High on Life, out October 2022. Quite liked the colourful art style of that, but R&M humour ain't for me, and that trailer was full of it.
– James Archer
Huh! Riot's catalogue of games are coming to Game Pass. Subscribers will get access to every hero in League of Legends, Valorant, League of Legends: Wild Rift and Legends of Runeterra.
– Liam Richardson
Also: Pop Stars by K/DA is a bop.
– Liam Richardson
Agreed.
– James Archer
A Plague Tale: Requiem up next. Some sneaky in-game footage to start...
– James Archer
That said, protagonist Amica is on the warpath - looks like a bigger emphasis on fightin' and stealth kills?
– James Archer
Our first look at the new Forza Motorsport is up next! Shiny cars, incoming.
– Liam Richardson
I know nothing about cars, but cor, look at those bonnets. Very shiny. Weather effects are looking very sharp as well. Out next year, and coming to PC!
– Liam Richardson
"The most technically advanced racing game ever made". Quite the statement.
– Liam Richardson
Ooh, Motorsport has ray tracing "on track" - Forza Horizon 5 only had it in the mode where you ogle a parked motor in a garage.
– James Archer
Dynamic time of day really makes each course pop. Look at that fairground! This looks gorgeous.
– Liam Richardson
THE SHINEST CARS
– James Archer
Overhauled physics, advanced car damage, dynamic time and day. This looks like a proper successor to Xbox's premiere driving simulator. No word on a release date (or even an official name?) but that's it for Forza.
– Liam Richardson
Speaking of radiant-looking vehicles, here's some new stuff for Microsoft Flight Simulator's 40th Anniversary. Includes the Spirit of St Louis and the Wright Flyer!
– James Archer
Also, um, the Pelican from Halo??? In Flight Sim. Yup.
– James Archer
Our first look at an Acti-Blizz title now (I was unsure if they'd even mention the acquisition to be honest). Overwatch 2 is getting a new hero in the form of a punky Australian lady and is entering early access on October 4th!
– Liam Richardson
Pete Hines is here! His shoes match his jacket. Good ol' Pete.
– Liam Richardson
The Elder Scrolls: High Isle comes to Xbox next week. It launched for PC on Tuesday.
– Liam Richardson
Quick CGI-only look at Ara: History Untold, a stratgey game from Ashes of the Singularity devs Oxide Games.
– James Archer
"Historical grand strategy", to be specific. Will launch on Game Pass, but no exact release date.
– James Archer
Fallout 76 is letting players venture beyond the default map in September alongside the release of The Pit. This expansion is based on a piece of DLC that released for Fallout 3, which I remember quite liking. It was very... grim, even by Fallout standards.
– Liam Richardson
James! Todd's on his way to show us Starfield!
– Liam Richardson
Back in Forza land and on Forza Horizon 5, which has a Hot Wheels expansion! The leaks were true.
– James Archer
Hmm something Dinosaur related now.
– Liam Richardson
Aw that Forza!Hot Wheels trailer was fun. Big plastic tracks through the sky, just like in my imagination as a nine-year-old. Out on July 19th.
– James Archer
Ark 2 is coming in 2023 for Xbox and PC. Was that Vin Diesel riding on the back of a dinosaur? I bloody hope so.
– Liam Richardson
Now for another peek at Scorn, the H.R. Geiger-y FPS. Coming to Game Pass and out on October 21st 2022.
– James Archer
Liam was making audible "eww" sounds during the Scorn trailer. Which I suspect might be mission accomplished for its art team.
– James Archer
We're being shown a new trailer for Flintlock. This is a steampunk souls-like from the developers of Ashen that looks absolutely wicked. Your little fox pal lets you fly through the air? I'm into this. Coming early 2023, and will be available on Game Pass.
– Liam Richardson
Something new and Minecraft-related from Mojang next. An action-strategy game! Still looks to include building mechanics, but with a third-person, almost ARPG-looking perspective.
– James Archer
Minecraft Legends, it's called. Out next year.
– James Archer
Crafting? Gathering? Farming? Americana soundtrack? MECHS? Lightyear Frontier looks like my kind of thing. Coming next year.
– Liam Richardson
Gunfire Reborn, the vaguely Borderlandsish co-op FPS that's been knocking around on PC for a while, it coming to the newer Xboxes. And Game Pass!
– James Archer
The Last Case of Benedict Fox comes to PC and Xbox in Spring 2023. It's a side-scrolling adventure that looks like it could be metroidvania? The main character is accompanied by a demon and is maybe exploring their dad's memories? It looks good!
– Liam Richardson
Fresh footage of As Dusk Falls, the hybrid 2D/3D "interactive drama." One for Supermassive fans, this.
– James Archer
Oh, and it's out on July 19th.
– James Archer
Naraka: Bladepoint is coming to consoles. It's a 60 player battle royale that's been on PC for yonks already BUT it is getting a campaign mode, so that's nice. Out on June 23rd.
– Liam Richardson
I'm a big fan of this chicken and this chicken alone. Cheers.
– Liam Richardson
Now a reveal for Pentiment, a new adventure game from Obsidian. Very eye-catching Renaissance-meets-Newgrounds art style. Cute AND historical, and it's coming to Game Pass this November.
– James Archer
Obsidian's Grounded is leaving early-access this September. It looks set to conclude the game's story, revealing why you've been all shrunken 'n that.
– Liam Richardson
Hmm. This looks a bit like Diablo's Necromancer to me...
– Liam Richardson
Another announcement, Ereban: Shadow Legacy. Third-person action-adventure where you play an angry shadow lady with absolutely no time for the robotic enforcers stomping around. Liking the mobility aspects where you turn into a literal puff of smoke to swoop around.
We're getting a closer look at the game's open world. Strongholds, local events, dungeons. There's a lot to do here.
– Liam Richardson
Blizzard will support Diablo 4 "for years to come". Visually it looks like a huge step up from Diablo 3, too. It's looking very good, and will launch in 2023.
– Liam Richardson
This Sea of Thieves musical number has left the fourth wall in pathetic tatters.
– James Archer
Season 7 of Sea of Thieves, by the way, arrives on July 21st. Comes with an update that'll let you name your ship ("Booty McBootface", hilarious), customise your cabin, and save ship loadouts.
– James Archer
The next game by Echo Generation developers Cococucumber is called Ravenlock. It's a beautiful, Alice In Wonderland inspired action adventure. Launching in 2023.
– Liam Richardson
Next up is Cocoon, a top-down puzzle-platformer coming next year. You are: a tiny fly-boy. Your task: Moving orbs around? Is that a fly thing? Lovely vibes thouugh, considering it shares at least one developer with Inside and Limbo.
– James Archer
The next game from Team Ninja is up next. Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is coming in 2023. Not much has been revealed at this stage, but it looks like you'll be playing as a samurai fighting huge scary dragons?
– Liam Richardson
KOJIMA IS HERE. THE LEAKS WERE REAL.
– Liam Richardson
Nothing to reveal just yet, but Kojima is teaming up with Xbox Game Studios to make... something? At some point? Neat!
– Liam Richardson
Nice surprise for Persona fans: Persona 3, Persona 4 Golden and Persona 5 Royal are all coming to Game Pass. I believe that's the first time 3 has been on PC, and the first confirmation of a Windows port for 5?
– James Archer
Starfield gameplay! I won't have to eat thermal paste.
– James Archer
I can't wait to see all those fields full of stars.
– Liam Richardson
Between Todd, Pete and Phil the jacket game has been strong in this ActiBethBox presentation.
– Liam Richardson
Todd Howard is here to introduce the clip, set on a moon named Kreet. Not 'Crete', as I was just about to type before seeing the subtitle.
– James Archer
Our spaceperson steps off the ship and immediately starts scanning alien plants and wandering around. Looks a bit like leaving Vault 101 in Fallout 3, but in space.
– James Archer
It's very atmospheric isn't it? Interior and exterior locations are looking very nice.
– Liam Richardson
Time for some shooty combat against some pirates. Aaaaand some lockpicking. Tis indeed a Bethesda RPG.
– James Archer
Now we've left Kreet and are on New Atlantis, a heavily populated city. In space. Also, the combat looks like Fallout 4's. In space.
– James Archer
This is probably disrespectful to both Bethesda and Obsidian, but: this looks like The Outer Worlds on a bigger budget.
– James Archer
You can see those Bethesda "bones" quite clearly underneath all of this, I think. I'm not entirely blown away by what I'm seeing, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious.
– Liam Richardson
I'm glad to see the base building elements return from Fallout 4. Also: customisable space ships? OK, Todd. I'm listening.
– Liam Richardson
Ship building looks cool - it uses a modular system for swapping in and out loads of individual parts. Can choose your own crew as well.
– James Archer
...and then fly your pimped out ship into 3D space battles. Going a bit Ratchet & Clank here if you ask me.
– James Archer
Apparently we can land anywhere, on any planet. Heard that before, Todd.
– James Archer
It's a big claim but we're not shown how 'landing anywhere' works. Presumably Bethesda haven't created planet-sized planets for every planet.
– James Archer
And that's it, judging by this montage of games from throughout the show. Any highlights, Liam?
– James Archer
After playing the beta earlier this year I'm keen to get my hands on Overwatch 2 when it enters early access this October. Other than that, I quite liked the look of The Last Case of Benedict Fox. How about you?
– Liam Richardson
Ereban: Shadow Legacy is probably my pick of the 'new' stuff, I do fancy a spot of fast-paced stealth murder. And to be honest I liked Fallout 4 enough that I don't really mind if Starfield is just interstellar Fallout 4.
– James Archer
But yes, that's all from Xbethboxesda. In about 19 minutes Rebecca and Hayden will take over liveblogging duties for the PC Gaming Show - check that out here.
– James Archer
Cheers!
– James Archer
I'm also off to make a little recap video about all those things we saw 'n that. Laters!
