The Xbox Games Showcase is almost upon us once again, and with it a plethora of game reveals and announcements. You'll be able to tune in on Sunday, June 8 at 10am Pacific.
With how many studios Microsoft has snapped up over the last few years, it can be hard to keep track of who and what is potentially on the table for 2025—which is why you've got me here to do the hard work for you.
We'll of course be covering the Xbox Games Showcase in its entirety on Sunday, along with the many other Summer Game Fest 2025 tag over the next few weeks.
But for now, we're in informed speculation mode—so let's break down all the developers in Microsoft's stable, and what we could expect to see from them at the Xbox Games Showcase 2025.
Xbox studios
- Halo Studios (formerly 343 Industries): After layoffs, a switch to Unreal Engine, and hiring for key positions as recently as 2024, it seems unlikely this rebranded studio will have anything to show this year. Expect the next Halo to still be a ways off.
- World's Edge: It's hard to say what the Age of Empires team might be up to. A proper new sequel seems unlikely. Maybe a new expansion for AoE 2, or a remaster of the first game?
- The Coalition: A proper look at Gears of War: E-Day seems like a very safe bet—it's been a year now since the original CG trailer announcement.
- Compulsion Games: With South of Midnight only just released earlier this year, a new announcement from this relatively small studio seems unlikely.
- Double Fine: Four years on from the release of Psychonauts 2, the time seems ripe for a new Double Fine game. My prediction? It'll be something completely unpredictable.
- The Initiative: Expect to see more of the studio's Perfect Dark game—we got a gameplay reveal last year, so a more substantial demo and a release window seem very possible.
- InXile: Last year, InXile revealed the distinctly BioShock-inspired Clockwork Revolution—we'll probably get a more gameplay-focused look at that again this year.
- Mojang Studios: A new look at Minecraft's Chase the Skies update and perhaps hints at future updates to come seems like the safe prediction here. But could it also be time to announce another spin-off, in the vein of Minecraft Legends and Minecraft Dungeons?
- Ninja Theory: It's possible we might see another glimpse of Project Mara, the studio's mysterious new game—but it seems like it's still very early in development, so I wouldn't expect any more than a teaser and a title.
- Obsidian: The Outer Worlds 2 is getting its own stream after the showcase—The Outer Worlds 2 Direct—so expect to see lots of new gameplay and a launch date for later this year. I also wouldn't be surprised if we get an announcement for another new project from the studio—these days Obsidian seems to usually have two games in development at a time.
- Playground Games: A pretty extensive look at Fable gameplay seems very likely, assuming it's sticking to that 2026 release date. I'd also be very unsurprised if this is the year we get the announcement of Forza Horizon 6.
- Rare: It's been a long time since we last saw Everwild, Rare's ambitious new project. It apparently is playable (Phil Spencer said on social media last year that he tried it), so this feels like the year for a gameplay reveal, to reassure us all it's not in development hell.
- Turn 10: We're due a new Forza Motorsport, so an announcement here seems possible, though we wouldn't usually expect to get a new Motorsport and a new Horizon announced at the same time.
- Undead Labs: After last year's cinematic trailer, I'd expect a more substantial look at State of Decay 3 this year, with at least a rough release date.
Bethesda studios
- Bethesda Game Studios: We know there's more DLC on the way for Starfield (with the name Starborn bandied around after Bethesda ed the trademark), so a look at that seems inevitable. It's possible we'll see something of The Elder Scrolls 6, but I wouldn't put money on it—despite being announced all the way back in 2018, it only entered active production once Starfield was out the door in 2023.
- Zenimax Online: The Elder Scrolls Online is still going strong, so an expansion or update announcement seems likely. That goes double for Fallout 76, which is particularly well-positioned to take advantage of booming interest in the series following the Fallout TV show.
- Id Software: With Doom: The Dark Ages only just released, I wouldn't expect anything substantial from the studio at the showcase.
- Arkane: It's been about a year and a half since we found out the studio is working on a Blade game—it'd certainly be nice to get a more substantial look at it this year.
- Machine Games: I'm wondering if the studio might have a mini-sequel/standalone expansion to announce for last year's Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, in a similar vein to Wolfenstein: The Old Blood or Wolfenstein: Youngblood.
Activision studios
- Blizzard: The next Diablo 4 expansion is likely to be the focus for Blizzard this year, along with perhaps a look at updates for Overwatch 2. It's not impossible it'll have some new game to tease, but with how many live service games it's got on its plate right now, I'd be surprised.
- Infinity Ward/Treyarch/Sledgehammer: It's Infinity Ward's turn next on the Call of Duty developer merry-go-round, and it seems very possible we'll see its new game announced here. Modern Warfare 4 is the most likely bet.
Summary
Oof, that's a lot of studios. Let's bring that all together, for anyone who got sleepy halfway through that list. What are the headline predictions?
It's likely we'll be getting better looks at Gears of War: E-Day, Perfect Dark, Clockwork Revolution, Fable, Everwild, State of Decay 3, and possibly Blade, if we're lucky. The Outer Worlds 2 will have its own "deep dive" stream after the main showcase.
We'll probably get announcements for Forza Horizon 6 or a new Forza Motorsport, as well as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, something from Double Fine, and perhaps a name and a teaser for Ninja Theory's Project Mara.
That does seem to leave a bit of space for a few more new announcements, with Obsidian, World's Edge, MachineGames, and perhaps Mojang seeming like likely sources for them.
We probably shouldn't expect a new Halo yet or anything substantial on The Elder Scrolls VI—both are likely still a long way off.
Enjoy the showcase! And to check back in with PC Gamer for the best coverage across the whole of Summer Game Fest 2025.
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