The new console generation has been off to a slow start for Microsoft, with delays resulting in a lack of major exclusives in 2022. There does appear to be optimism for Xbox in 2023 though, with a strong line-up to start off the first half of the year.
In recent weeks, we have learned that Microsoft has set up a new production studio, which will reportedly be used for Microsoft's own Direct/State-of-Play style announcement streams. The first of these streams will reportedly take place as early as January, covering a number of titles coming out in the early parts of 2023.
Xbox PR lead, Aaron Greenberg, teased this a little bit earlier in the month, saying that “we have a lot planned to show and share about an incredibly exciting year ahead for 2023”. Greenberg adds that while he recognises the demand for Xbox game news, “timing is always key”. It is thought that Microsoft scrapped planned reveals for The Game Awards this year, which should hopefully result in a more exciting showcase in early 2023.
Two of Xbox's biggest exclusives in 2023 will be titles that should have released this year – Bethesda's Starfield and Arkane's Redfall. There will also be a new Minecraft game, and a new Forza Motorsport in the first half of 2023. Currently, we don't know what Microsoft's big holiday season title will be.
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KitGuru Says: As long as Starfield arrives and Microsoft has one more surprise in store to end off the year, 2023 will be a much better year for Xbox. It has been almost five years since the company's initial studio buying spree and some of those early projects are bound to be nearing an announcement.