Summer Game Fest 2023 is almost over, but it’s saved one of the most hotly anticipated shows until last. The Xbox Games Showcase and Starfield Direct are kicking off now, so stay tuned to see all the announcements, highlights, and details you may have missed, right here on Dot Esports.
13:50 – That’s all folks!
It’s been a lot. Todd Howard and the team said a few final words to us and wrapped up the show. Bethesda really made sure to show us what Starfield is all about, and it looks like one of the biggest releases of the decade. The exploration, combat, world-building, and everything in between just look too good to be true.
We’re sure we will spend countless hours exploring space in the game, and more importantly, we’re certain we will have tons of fun. Sept. 6, you can’t come soon enough.Â
13:48 – Photomode
There’s a photomode. We didn’t get more details, but Starfield has a photomode. Perfect for snapping pics of the bases you build and the wildlife you find. Or the gorgeous sci-fi vistas you’ll discover.
13:44 – Combat
Now we’re looking at the research you can undertake in the outposts and camps you build, providing new weapons and attachments. Combat has been completely overhauled from previous Bethesda titles, with more mods and weapons than Bethesda has ever done before. Gravity varies on each planet, making your boostpack a necessity and providing new angles for combat.
There are also zero-gravity environments, where things like rocket launchers will push you backward. If you really want, you can punch everything you face to death, or opt to go down the minigun route. Stealthy players who still want to shoot can equip silencers too, so you won’t have to be a pacifist just because you want to be sneaky. You can also just bonk enemies on the back of the head to knock them out.
13:40 – Base building and farming
After exploring, players will have the opportunity to create a base camp on each of the planets. Doing so opens multiple options, from setting your companions to work in these camps, mining resources, building your own apartments and offices, and more. There’s even a top-down camera for the larger parts of your base, making building easier than ever.
You can also discover wildlife, gather resources to build an outpost, and “farm” those creatures. The developers pushed for “native wildlife” rather than aliens, making the creatures you discover feel more natural and lifelike, rather than a science-fiction freakshow.
13:39 – Starfield special edition
At last, it’s time to dive into the special edition of Starfield, which ought to feature something unique. When it comes to Starfield, players will be able to lay their hands on a special watch, which also features in-game. It’s called the “Constellation explorers watch,” and it connects to your phone to give you notifications, similar to a smartwatch.
The case will also feature a “Constellation patch,” which shows the colors of the faction with whom you’re going to be working in the game. Also, a unique Xbox controller will also be up for grabs, which as you can imagine, is a mix of white and red, and is sure something every Starfield fan will want to have. I know I do.
13:37 – What other planets can you explore?
Some more details on the enormous roster of planets to explore, described as a “massive playground” in which you are set free. From discovering plants and wildlife to finding new enemies to defeat, it really seems like you can get lost in an entire galaxy. I just really hope you have the ability to recruit pets from the creatures you can find. Now we’re getting some details on the landscapes in the game, which range from exciting to quiet. You can scan planets before you land for a sneak peek at what you can find if you land there. There’s an array of locations to find and explore, as well as plant life and animals.Â
13:35 – What else can you do?
Space in Starfield is much more than just visiting planets and fighting raiders with your ship. There are plenty of different encounters you will be able to have in space, from visiting utopian cities, trading posts, or even trading with other friendly ships.
Some strangers will have unique encounters and dialogue with your character. The trailer, for example, showcased “grandma” inviting the player to her ship for some cookies. And well, who wouldn’t like to take a short break in space?
Either way, space in Starfield is going to be a massive field of possibilities, which almost looks too good to be true.
13:32 – Space combat
We’re now looking at the cockpit of the spaceship, which gives you “complete control.” Ship combat is a “complex dance,” with the ability to boost power to engines to reduce the time you have to wait until you can warp to safety. Or, you can route power to weapons and shields when you’re ready for a fight. Skills allow you to target specific areas of an enemy ship when in combat and you can then loot ships you destroy.
Or, you can dock with the enemy vessel and board the ship like a real Stormtrooper, though hopefully one with better accuracy. You can fully hijack enemy ships and once you do, you’ll add them to your fleet.
13:30 – Followers, romance, outposts
Bethesda games almost always feature different companions you can take along on your journey, and with Starfield, it’s the same deal. The devs underlined how you’ll meet plenty of potential crew members along your journey, with each of them coming with different perks and powers.
As you play along, you will develop your relationships with your companions, with some also able to transform into romantic ones. And similarly to Fallout 4, you will have the chance to create your own customizable outposts on different planets, and you’ll be able to place the companions you’ve met in them.
13:28 – Ship customization
The artists underline how important it’ll be to customize your own ship since it will be the main tool to explore space. Every space board will have a ship technician, which will help us to tweak our ship in the way we like it. And by the looks of it, there will be plenty of options. Customizing ships is incredibly detailed, with the ability to change everything from modules to colors. These affect your ability to craft and your storage space. We’re told the ship can look like anything you want. One developer tells us she likes to make her ships look like animals, showing a hippo and a spider. And there’s one that looks like Optimus Prime. I hope it can transform, too.
13:26 – Space exploration
We’re back to discussing exploration. Bethesda revealed it studied data from NASA so that the planets we’ll visit are both believable, while also fun and unique. Additionally, the space battles between your ships and certain pirates have been slightly teased, which seems like a cherry on top.
13:22 – Skills and playstyles
Skill points are being showcased now, which unlock or rank up skills. Skills can also be upgraded by completing challenges, which are increasingly difficult as you increase your level. There are five skill trees, which include a jetpack, the ability to talk to alien creatures, stealth, and being talkative. For completionists like myself out there, all these challenges are going to be quite an undertaking, but it looks like the usual Bethesda RPG stuff where you can go for any combination of playstyles you like.
13:21 – Oblivion Easter Egg
Not even the vast expanse of space can keep your greatest fan away from you.
13:18 – Character creator
“Every character you see is a character you could make yourself,” because everyone in the game is made using the same creator you’ll have access to. You’ll pick from a lineup of 40 presets, and then you’ll have the chance to customize your hero in various ways. You’ll also have the chance to choose your background, with each one giving you a few skills at the beginning. The devs underline how your background will influence your gameplay, for example opening doors to unique dialogue options, which will surely influence many quests.
All in all, there seem to be tons of traits in Starfield, with Bethesda showing some features of a couple of them. And while it’s impossible to dive into each one of them, we can assure you that the choice won’t be easy, since all of them look incredibly fun. But don’t worry, you can remove them if you don’t like them.
13:16 – New Atlantis
New Atlantis is the name of what seems to be the main city in the game, which is absolutely stunning. “It’s also where your adventure of Constellation begins,” the devs add. New Atlantis isn’t the only city in the space you’re going to explore in Starfield. We also see Cydonis, a city on Mars that is focused on mining. The devs also show Akila City, the capital of Freestar Space. There are plenty of factions in the far reaches of space, which are teased as the most hostile environments to explore.Â
13:13 – Artefacts
The game’s story looks to orientate about collecting artifacts, as we get a look at the crew. This is just one story in the game, however, as we’re promised plenty of other adventures to discover. Constellation is the organization looking to go on a galactic fetch quest.
13:10 – Your spaceship
After a while, a character returns to their ship and takes off into space. “NASA Punk” is the name of the approach Bethesda devs call Starfield’s gameplay, which combines modern starships with a cyberpunky vibe. We’re getting a look at the ship in the game now, which is the home of you and your crew. The detail is immense.
13:09 – Switch between first-and third-person
That’s right. Oh wait, it was Cyberpunk you couldn’t do that in, Bethesda games have always had that. Got excited about nothing there. Still, it’s nice to know. Starfield takes exploration to a new level, Howard claims some elements of the world will be generated randomly with an algorithm, which is sure to upset some people.Â
13:06 – Starfield Direct
IT’S HAPPENING. Todd Howard gives a lovely speech about Starfield before diving into the technical and gameplay details. Howard says they have “never tried to create a game like this.” An in-game look at the environment is shown, teasing over 1,000 worlds you can explore. From rocks to mountains, people to creatures. We see a big moon orbiting a planet, which you can also explore, because it’s actually there, not just a piece of set-dressing. Real-time global illumination lights the environment and there’s an all-new animation sequence.
13:05 – Black Series S
That’s it, get a black Series S on Sept. 1.
13:01 – Clockwork Revolution
Another world premiere, with another Xbox Games Studios title. Looks like a Victorian, steampunk environment. Think BioShock meets Dishonored. A giant floating airship is shown, as our protagonist picks up a gun. “Nowhere in space and time” where the apparent villain will not destroy us, so it seems it’ll have some elements of time travel tied in. Now we see a steampunk mech and the title: Clockwork Revolution, which is coming with a very specific release window of ‘due time.’
12:58 – Towerborne
Creators of the Banners Saga trilogy are up next with a gorgeous-looking game. Players seem to team up in parties of four in a co-op adventure, where they’ll slay different opponents with juicy, dynamic combos. Together they can save humanity in Towerborne, coming in 2024.
12:57 – Metaphor Re Fantazio
Another anime game from the creators of Persona. There’s a lot happening here, from giant monsters to floating books. Metaphor Re Fantazio is coming in 2024 and looks to be offering plenty to do, with some funky environments. Man, I really need to get into anime games.
12:54 – Cities: Skylines 2
After that explosive Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay, the showcase slows down a bit by showing us a city-building game, Cities: Skylines II. This time around we have much more advanced building menus, which will allow you to make the city of your dreams. Cities Skylines II is coming on Oct. 24.Â
12:50 – Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
Cyberpunk time. Keanu Reeves is here to tease the Phantom Liberty expansion to Cyberpunk 2077. Idris Elba joins the cast and Reeves is delighted to be working with him, which is understandable as Idris Elba is awesome. Back to the game though, as we get to see the official trailer. There’s a bomb ticking in your head. They could be referring to Johnny, but if not, V is really unlucky. To make matters worse, there’s now a big, deadly robot. But don’t worry, Idris Elba is here to make everything OK. Sept. 26 is the launch date. See you soon Edgerunners.
12:49 – Dungeons of Hinterberg
We’re back to more cartoonish games. This time around, though, it looks quite different than the previous games showed. Dungeons of Hinterberg lets the players explore the world as a red-haired girl who is extremely skilled with a sword, and we expect it to be fun as we see more when it launches in 2024.
12:48 – Still Wakes The Deep
Right, now we’ve got some crashing waves and somebody singing as we approach an oil rig. It’s pretty eerie, but it’s not BioShock. Still Wakes The Deep launches in early 2024.
12:46 – Jusant
Next we start with a character climbing an enormous mountain, with a cute mysterious creature in their backpack. After a few challenges, they finally make it to a tiny village on the cliff. It looks like a Strand game, as climbing and traversal seem to be the main gameplay focuses. It’s oddly enticing, and I can’t wait for Fall 2023 to try out Jusant myself.
12:43 – Starfield
Bethesda is back and it’s Starfield, though it’s not time for the Direct yet, so perhaps this is just a new trailer. The environment looks gorgeous and there’s a big dinosaur-like thing, which is always a bonus. Now we’re seeing some civilization and some robots, as the protagonist warps to a new location. There’s a big mystery to unravel and we’ve now got some gameplay with combat, followed by battles in space. I absolutely can’t wait to see more of this later, what a tease Bethesda is. Launching Sept. 6.
12:42 – Persona 5 Tactics
More Persona. Turn-based, multiple bizarre characters, from cats to anime people. Persona 5 Tactics will be available from day one on Xbox Game Pass on Nov. 17.Â
12:40 – New Overwatch 2 character and game mode
Now time for Blizzard Entertainment and Overwatch. A new adventure is coming in August, which seems to be more story-driven. Rest in peace to PvE. A new game mode called Flashpoint, with hero mastery, co-op events, a firing range, and story missions. Looks like we’re going to get a much deeper look into the characters starting on Aug. 10. And there’s a new hero coming, with a starter pack available to get them.
12:37 – The Elder Scrolls Online: Nercrom Shadow Over Morrowind
The Elder Scrolls stuff is here. Is it finally some promotional material from the upcoming sixth installment of the franchise? Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like it. This is new DLC for The Elder Scrolls Online, showing a bunch of magical creatures and typical TES-like combat with a bunch of action-packed moves. You’ll be able to check it out on June 20, when Necrom, Shadow Over Morrowind goes live.Â
12:35 – Forza Motorsport
Racing time. We’re getting a look at Corvette and Cadillac racing, as Forza takes center stage. In-game footage shows cars from both brands on the track and in a garage. We’re getting a look at the customization you can make to the cars, with the improved Corvette now easily working through the pack for the win. Forza Motorsport (they’ve done away with the numbers) launches on Oct. 10 and is a Game Pass Day One launch, of course.
12:34 – Path of the Goddess
The next game is from Capcom and we can see some weird hand-like plants. One of our protagonists appears to be a Samurai. Looks like feudal Japan mixed with some sci-fi elements, which actually blend quite well together. Path of the Goddess is a Game Pass Day One launch (we’re seeing a pattern here), though we’ve been given no indication of when that launch actually is.
12:31 – Fallout 76 DLC
While everyone expected something The Elder Scrolls-related, Bethesda shared footage of Fallout 76 DLC. With a funky tune in the background, different characters, from Power Armor-clad soldiers to raiders travel through different settings. In the end, it’s revealed the DLC supposedly takes the players into Atlantic City or Vault 76, or both. All we know right now is it’s coming “soon.”
12:29 – Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
This is a change of pace, as our protagonist is waking up naked on a beach. A hermit crab and a coconut drink are among the items to block the view of his manhood. He’s now also realized he’s naked on a crowded beach and we’ve got our first look at Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Fans of the series will be delighted at how many games they’re getting in the near future, with this one set to launch in early 2024.
12:24 – Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
The devs behind Senua’s Saga are here with in-game footage of Hellblade II. We start with Senua crawling out of a pass and uncovering some kind of a monster–definitely a terrifying one. All the while hearing voices, making the whole thing even more eerie. While the cinematic slows down a bit, the woman turns water into glass, breaks it, and jumps into the unknown.
12:21 – Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
Asobo Studio now, with the next generation of Microsoft Flight Simulator, featuring Aerial Firefighting, Search and Rescue, Helicopter Cargo Transport, Air Ambulance, Cupdusting, Mountain Rescue, Skydive Aviation, Aerial Construction, Industrial Cargo Transport, Remote Cargo Ops, VIP Charter Service, Air Racing, Glider Pilot—I’m losing track of everything here! Airships, hot air balloons. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is releasing next year.
We’re not done on Flight Simulator though, as the Ornithopter from Dune is coming as an expansion to the current Flight Simulator game on Nov. 3, 2023.
12:19 – Sea of Thieves: The Legend of Monkey Island
Set sail, everyone, since the new Sea of Thieves DLC called The Legend of Monkey Island is on its way. The trailer features a number of characters arriving at the titular island, and embarking on swashbuckling adventures. From visiting voodoo-like characters to fighting monsters and risking their lives, it sure looks like fun. It’s coming July 20, so make sure your sea legs are ship-shape.
12:17 – Avowed
Now it’s time for an Xbox Games Studios title, with Obsidian Entertainment. Looks like it’ll have Vikings, Orcs, and bears that have mushrooms growing on them. Neat. Plus giant spiders, everyone’s favorite enemy. This looks like it will take up a big chunk of my time, and looks a lot like Elder Scrolls. Avowed is coming in 2024 and is another Game Pass Day One launch. Lucky us.
12:15 – Persona 3: Reload
If you’re looking for a beautiful anime-like story adventure on Unreal Engine, the next title is for you. Revisit Persona 3 with Reload, coming in early 2024.
12:13 – Payday 3
Payday!? We have waited FAR too long for this. The classic masks are shown and we’re robbing a bank. A hostage is taken, the Swat team arrives and a minigun has been placed. Now there’s a big stand-off with the police and the graphics look considerably improved from Payday 2. Payday 3 is coming on Sept. 21 and is an Xbox Game Pass Day One title.
12:12 – 33 Immortals
Thunder Lotus is behind the next game showcased by Xbox, and it’s an indie adventure. Players step into the shoes of a character with different gameplay styles, from warriors to archers and mages. Additionally, you can raid up with up to 32 players to explore the world together. Coming 2024.
12:08 – Star Wars: Outlaws
Now this has definitely piqued my interest. We see X-Wings zipping about in space, so of course my mind went to a Squardons sequel. Now we’re in a bar, with a furry Axolotl creature. Our protagonist is running from what appears to be Bounty Hunters. Classic speed bike chase, a Rancor, everything you want from Star Wars. Coming in 2024, there’s a gameplay reveal at tomorrow’s Ubisoft showcase.
12:05 – South of Midnight
Next up, we see a cartoonish-style video game, with a zombie-like giant character playing guitar and bringing us a pretty tune, with animals running around. Suddenly, another character shows up, and she starts casting a spell, which turns into the name of the upcoming game—South of Midnight. While we don’t know the specifics of the game, it looks interesting and sure caught our attention. It will be available from day one on Xbox Game Pass.
12:00 – Fable
We’re starting big, it’s Fable. And, rather surprisingly, Richard Ayoade introduced it. He seems to be a giant. And he’s caught our hero, who is now sitting on his giant glasses. A very big tease and, of course, it’s a Day One launch on Xbox Game Pass, but no release date just yet.
