Now that the Xbox Series X and S are finally sitting in entertainment centers around the world, the focus can finally move to the future. What games will these consoles receive? How strong will support be for the next generation of Xbox gaming?
While Microsoft has put in some work to upgrade its first party situation — going on a studio buying spree these past few years — we aren’t going to see the fruits of that for a while. And early 2021, for a number of reasons, is really shaping up to be a very empty period for those hoping to play boundary-breaking titles on a new Xbox.
Here’s what the first quarter of 2021 looks like for those playing on an Xbox Series X or Series S (thanks to Game Informer for the dates):
January
- Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition – Jan. 14
- Hitman 3 – Jan. 20
- The Medium – Jan. 28
- The Yakuza Remastered Collection – Jan. 28
February
- Outriders – Feb. 2
- Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood – Feb. 4
- Little Nightmares 2 – Feb. 11
- Riders Republic – Feb. 25
March
- Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time Remake – March 18
- Yakuza 6: The Song of Life – March 26
- Balan Wonderworld – March 26
- It Takes Two – March 26
With the exceptions of Hitman 3 and possibly The Medium here, the Xbox Series X/S doesn’t really have a heavy hitter to look forward to for the first three months of the year. And those two aforementioned titles strike pretty much back to back. After that, you’re looking at a) smaller or more niche games and b) remakes, remasters, and ports. Yikes.
Things look even more bleak when you take COVID-19 into account. The virus has been a cruel mistress this year in terms of throwing all our schedules off. The games in January might be safe at this point, but those in February or March could still shift out of that window due to unforeseen circumstances related to developing in this environment. The first quarter could actually get emptier if a few titles have to be pushed back.
Hopefully this upcoming period is just an aberration, and we can look forward to things going back to normal sometime in mid to late 2021. You might want to buckle up for the first part of the year, though, at least. Perhaps you should hit up the Countdown Sale and stock up on some games to play while you wait this drought out.