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Xbox Games Showcase live report

Well Halo there! Microsoft shows its next-gen hand, live from 5pm BST

Ooooooh, I'm a tinglin' because this one should be special. After a slight false start earlier in the year, Microsoft is about to properly show its hand when it comes to the next generation of Xbox. The Xbox Games Showcase is - as the name suggests - about games and nothing else. Join us at 5pm BST to see what surprises await.

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Our live coverage of this event has finished.

*taps mic*

Martin Robinson

*sniffs it suspiciously*

Martin Robinson

*clears throat*

Martin Robinson

*keeps clearing throat*

Martin Robinson

*really hacking away now*

Martin Robinson

*spits massive glob of phlegm*

Martin Robinson

But wait, look! The phlegm is XBOX GREEN.

Martin Robinson

Hello and welcome to the live report for today's Xbox Games Showcase.

Martin Robinson

Sorry about all the coughing and whatnot.

Martin Robinson

That's proper old Hollywood behaviour.

Martin Robinson

You're all off watching the pre-show aren't you?

Martin Robinson

That's plain rude.

Martin Robinson

I've probably bored you with this before but my friend once interviewed Donald Sutherland and before he could even ask a question Donald demanded a spittoon.

Martin Robinson

MarkMarkYepMark: I don’t fancy being your friend and having to tell Donald that Spittoon has a double “t” in it.

I knew that... Honest. (Thank heavens for the edit button).

Martin Robinson

15 minutes to go so I'm going to do the decent thing and get a beer.

Martin Robinson

Martin Robinson

Martin Robinson

Kami: I'm hitting the lucozade citrus chill atm.

That sounds much more palatable than what you were drinking last time!

Martin Robinson

So, predictions...

Martin Robinson

I'll let you go first.

Martin Robinson

Plz.

Martin Robinson

Oh god you're all in for a CRUSHING DISAPPOINTMENT tonight.

Martin Robinson

I'd love Phil S to come rollerblading on stage, though, before doing a massive JSRF tag and announcing it's BAAAAAAAAAACK.

Martin Robinson

GarciaHotspur: Gradius 6 then surely?

Don't. Just don't.

Martin Robinson

Halo Infinite is of course locked in.

Martin Robinson

And I don't think anyone would be too surprised to see a new Forza Motorsport and Playground Games' Fable.

Martin Robinson

What else, though?

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We're expecting new IP from Obsidian and something from The Initiative - the fancy Santa Monica studio Xbox has founded with veterans from the likes of Crystal Dynamics.

Martin Robinson

Will either of those make an appearance?

Martin Robinson

Kami: XBox 360 had some lovely JRPGs early on. Blue Dragon, Infinite Undiscovery...

We have just had Dragon Quest 11 announced for Xbox! I think I'm up for a third playthrough of that too...

Martin Robinson

I honestly would be happy if we had an hour of Microsoft Flight Sim tbh.

Martin Robinson

Ten seconds.

Martin Robinson

And. Here. We. Go.

Martin Robinson

PEGI 18 PEOPLE! HOLD TIGHT FOR SOME GROT!

Martin Robinson

kaisersoser: Nice pre show. Some delightful surprises!

I missed the entire thing because I was too busy making sure I had beer for this. Ever the professional.

Martin Robinson

Well, this will be Halo Infinite then.

Martin Robinson

Which sounds very much like 343 is going back to the drawing board a bit - and going back to Combat Evolved.

Martin Robinson

Miyamotosan: Has anyone else got two doofus's talking over their video feed?

That's your punishment for watching the pre-show and not joining us here exclusively.

Martin Robinson

vert1go: Neck stab count so far: 0

It is early days...

Martin Robinson

Right, that's the CG bit done.

Martin Robinson

343 I love you, but no-one plays Halo for the CG bits.

Martin Robinson

GIVE US SOME GAMEPLAY.

Martin Robinson

Yeah like this will do - a dramatic emergency landing on a Halo ring sets up our first look at Infinite in action.

Martin Robinson

Which is obviously a bit familiar from Combat Evolved's iconic introduction of the ring world.

Martin Robinson

Wish this bearded lad would pipe down a bit.

Martin Robinson

Well, the Master Chief has a new annoying comedy sidekick.

Martin Robinson

Elsewhere, though - Halo Infinite does indeed look a lot like Combat Evolved.

Martin Robinson

It also looks a lot like Halo 5 to me - I'm not seeing anything that screams next-gen, but I am also watching on a compressed 1080p60 feed.

Martin Robinson

What it does show is that the more freeform battles of Combat Evolved's open levels feature.

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As do, for now, solely Covenant enemies.

Martin Robinson

And as soon as I say that a big bastard brute shows up.

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An elevator zooms quickly up from the ground and we get a sense of exactly how big this world is.

Martin Robinson

I think that was being pitched as Halo Infinite's Breath of the Wild moment.

Martin Robinson

And yes the Chief does have a grappling hook.

Martin Robinson

There's something incredibly camp about a grappling hook.

Martin Robinson

So I approve, basically.

Martin Robinson

Is Cortana the grappling hook? Is this a sneaky remake of that weird Bionic Commando reboot?

Martin Robinson

45709: Place your bets will we get a release date and price?

I'd very much bet against it.

Martin Robinson

So, Halo Infinite - it looks... decent? We'll be seeing a bit more of it later on tonight and will be sure to tell you all we discover.

Martin Robinson

It's the most ambitious game they've done yet, say 343.

Martin Robinson

Still waiting for the day someone comes out and just admits this is the least ambitious thing they've done.

Martin Robinson

That they're just sort of going through the motions and living from paycheque to paycheque. Watching the clock tick to 5pm every day.

Martin Robinson

Anyway that was Halo Infinite it'll be 4K60 and will be Halo.

Martin Robinson

Here's a new game.

Martin Robinson

It's a CG trailer, unfortunately.

Martin Robinson

So feck knows exactly what kind of game it is.

Martin Robinson

It's got a manky deer in it tho.

Martin Robinson

And it is State of Decay 3.

Martin Robinson

Hope they put the manky deer on the cover.

Martin Robinson

There's Phil! What t-shirt is he wearing?

Martin Robinson

Oh it's just a Halo Infinite t-shirt. No sneaky tease - yet, anyway.

Martin Robinson

Instead we're getting a slick sales pitch on Games Pass.

Martin Robinson

samquorn92: How many Japanese developed games can we expect today?

We've had Dragon Quest 11 already - I know it's old, but it's the biggest series Japan has so it's quite a statement of intent.

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And here's cars.

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Because I'm me I can tell you there was a Chaparral there.

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And here's an in-engine look at what I think is simply called Forza Motorsport.

Martin Robinson

We start at Laguna Seca and also see a lot of a garage that I presume acts as some sort of hub.

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And there's a lot of IMSA and GT machinery pounding around, which I approve of.

Martin Robinson

One thing to note there - that just said Windows and Xbox Series X. No Xbox One.

Martin Robinson

This is Everwild, which is either a terrible 90s indie rock band or Rare's new IP, I forget.

Martin Robinson

What kind of game is it? WHO KNOWS IT'S ANOTHER CG TRAILER.

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Again, Xbox Series X and Windows PC the only platforms that show up there.

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Everwild is a place to be eternal, we're told by Everwild's executive producer.

Martin Robinson

Hmmmm.

Martin Robinson

Next, let's go a bit more domestic with Dontnod's...

Martin Robinson

(Runs to google to remind myself what Dontnod are working on atm)

Martin Robinson

Yes I knew that of course.

Martin Robinson

That was Tell Me Why. And this is Moon Studios, the devs behind Ori.

Martin Robinson

And they're making a special Xbox Series X version of Ori and the Will O' the Wisps

Martin Robinson

I got that wrong didn't I? It's Ori and the Will of the Wisps.

Martin Robinson

attomm19883: Only Halo showed gameplay then, so far. So disappointing.

Forza was in-engine, if that counts...

Martin Robinson

(I don't think it does)

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Private Division - 2K's indie arm - now has something to show us.

Martin Robinson

Ah, it's... Outer Worlds. I guess on Xbox Series X.

Martin Robinson

Peril on Gorgon, an Outer Worlds expansion coming September 9th. If that's your kind of thing.

Martin Robinson

And Grounded is next.

Martin Robinson

Obsidian's new joint that's currently available to check out in early access.

Martin Robinson

Does this mean we'll get to see the studio's new IP next?

Martin Robinson

Feargus is here now - we've seen two Obsidian games, so how about a third?

Martin Robinson

And here we go.

Martin Robinson

It's a CG trailer.

Martin Robinson

So *shrugs*.

Martin Robinson

Ah hang on, we've got a bit of first-person gameplay that looks very Skyrim.

Martin Robinson

oakie007: Right that's it... I'm holding my breath until a decent game is shown...

RIP.

Martin Robinson

That could be something quite special, of course - though it's very hard to say based on that.

Martin Robinson

That's Avowed, then.

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And this is a new game from Interior Night - London-based, and founded by a Quantic Dreams veteran.

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It's a grounded experience - as you might expect given the studio's heritage.

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An interactive drama.

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Weirdly it looks to me like Linklater's rotoscoped films Waking Life and his great take on A Scanner Darkly.

Martin Robinson

Very hard to get a handle on that one, but here's Hellblade 2.

Martin Robinson

The reveal is that Hellblade 2 is set in Iceland. And there's a new video about how they scouted the location.

Martin Robinson

Oh video games.

Martin Robinson

Double Fine are next with what must be Psychonauts 2.

Martin Robinson

There is absolutely nothing so far that's motivating me to get a Series X later this year. But let's see!

Martin Robinson

Oh god yes please.

Martin Robinson

It's okay it's Jack Black singing.

Martin Robinson

BRB, rushing to Curry's to pre-order this Jack Black singing machine MS wants me to buy.

Martin Robinson

Destiny 2 is coming to Series X, and to Games Pass.

Martin Robinson

Do people still play Destiny 2? It feels like three lifetimes ago that I bounced so hard off it.

Martin Robinson

We'll be getting a 4K60 version of Destiny for Series X too.

Martin Robinson

I just came back from a quick toilet break, so let's say..... NOW!

Martin Robinson

And with a nice look at STALKER 2 - hang on, they're still making STALKER 2 - I'm certainly feeling this a bit more.

Martin Robinson

That is a surprise, and a very welcome one!

Martin Robinson

This looks INCREDIBLY moody and sinister in all the best possible ways.

Martin Robinson

Yes please very much thank you.

Martin Robinson

And here's!

Martin Robinson

Kiliko: Drink every time it says world premiere

I've already been for one pee...

Martin Robinson

This is a new Warhammer game from FatShark?

Martin Robinson

Oh wow it's a 40K game from FatShark, called Darktide.

Martin Robinson

YES PLEASE.

Martin Robinson

All of a sudden this got real good.

Martin Robinson

And now it's Enhance, and it can't get much better than this.

Martin Robinson

This is a new take on Tetris Effect - one of the games of the last few years, if you ask me.

Martin Robinson

SO YES PLEASE.

Martin Robinson

Tetris Effect Connected, coming to Xbox later this year.

Martin Robinson

Image and Form, developers of SteamWorld, are working on something big.

Martin Robinson

That's another big yes please from me.

Martin Robinson

And how!

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The Gunk!

Martin Robinson

It looks packed full of neat and satisfying little systems like all of Image and Form's games - but this time in 3D!

Martin Robinson

Something moody and grounded now.

Martin Robinson

This, I believe, is Bloober's new joint.

Martin Robinson

(Someone much smarter than me just told me).

Martin Robinson

dai_bonehead: Watching with my 12 year old son. He just let rip with an absolute face melter of a fart. May be the most powerful thing I’ve experienced in the last hour.

The true power of the next generation.

Martin Robinson

Medium! Again, that looks like a Series X and PC exclusive.

Martin Robinson

SEGA

Martin Robinson

I know those guys!

Martin Robinson

They're great.

Martin Robinson

And I can sort of forgive them for taking so goddamn long to bring PSO 2.0 to the west.

Martin Robinson

Ah well, better late than never.

Martin Robinson

Phantasy Star Online 2.0 New Genesis, coming next year.

Martin Robinson

This, I think, is CrossFireEX - and Remedy's single-player piece of the massively popular game.

Martin Robinson

oldmanshoutsatcloud: CAN YOU PROTECT ME FROM FATE?

I mean, probably not.

Martin Robinson

Well, that's coming up to a wrap.

Martin Robinson

And there's more to come later in the year.

Martin Robinson

Oh yeah, and one last trailer.

Martin Robinson

(It's Fable).

Martin Robinson

It's a CG trailer though, innit.

Martin Robinson

Well, that revealed absolutely sod all.

Martin Robinson

A bit of an odd show, that.

Martin Robinson

Microsoft is keen to push its sort of platform agnostic games are games angle, which is great and something I broadly approve of.

Martin Robinson

But there is absolutely nothing there convincing me to get a Series X.

Martin Robinson

If I had the spare chunk of change needed for one of these machines later this year - well, I'd just spend it upgrading a PC.

Martin Robinson

Still, let's see what else they've got in the future! As mentioned earlier, we'll have more on Halo for you later tonight.

Martin Robinson

And thanks as ever for joining us.

Martin Robinson

(Don't blame me for the CG trailers, I do keep telling them but they won't listen).

Martin Robinson

oakie007: Mother in law says.... Hi guys... How did Phil do...

Not his greatest performance - almost invisible, but a solid presence at the back. 6/10.

Martin Robinson

vert1go: Thank you again Martin!

Thank *YOU*!

Martin Robinson

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