Xbox and Bethesda's Developer Direct is about to start and will give fans a peek at some of the upcoming titles heading their way, including Redfall, and The Elder Scrolls Online; but don't expect to see Starfield.
The first Xbox and Bethesda showcase of the year is today and there's a lot to look forward to. We'll be getting a glimpse at a variety of games coming to the Xbox Series X |S, Xbox Game Pass, and PC. You can keep up with all of the announcements as they happen over on our Xbox and Bethesda showcase 2023 live blog.
Microsoft confirmed that developers from its stable of studios will be presenting updates, extended gameplay showcases, and that the showcase will "focus on big features". Before you start champing at the bit for more Starfield news, the rumours that the console-exclusive will be getting its own standalone deep dive were true. So it looks like we'll have to wait even longer for a confirmed release date after it was pushed from 11 November, 2022 to the first half of 2023.
With that elephant in the room ushered out of the door, let's take a look at what we can expect from the Xbox and Bethesda showcase, and when and how to watch it.
Xbox and Bethesda Developer Direct 2023: start time
The Xbox and Bethesda showcase is today, Wednesday, January 25 and kicks off at 8pm GMT / 3pm ET / 12pm ET. The runtime is around 43 minutes according to Xbox VP Aaron Greenberg on Twitter, so you don't have to go in blind, and can plan around it if you do decide to watch.
Xbox and Bethesda Developer Direct 2023: how to watch
Microsoft has made it nice and easy to tune into the Xbox and Bethesda Developer Direct. You can head to the YouTube or Twitch channels for both Xbox and Bethesda to watch the livestream. Just click on the link below to be transported to the platform you want to watch it on.
We've embedded the Xbox live stream for you below, so you can hit play and start watching right away.
Xbox and Bethesda Developer Direct 2023: what to expect
Microsoft has guaranteed that we'll be seeing and hearing more from The Elder Scrolls Online, Forza Motorsport, Minecraft Legends, and Redfall. Starfield will be absent from this week's showcase, with Xbox saying that in order to "dedicate the proper amount of time for a deep dive into Bethesda Game Studios’ Starfield, a standalone show is in the works."
Ideally, we'll be getting more of an idea of when that is at this week's Developer Direct. A date for the Starfield showcase would smooth over the feathers ruffled by the game's absence at the first Xbox and Bethesda event of the year, especially coming off the game's delayed launch.
The Elder Scrolls Online
The Xbox Wire post gives a brief overview of what details we'll be privy to around those titles. The Elder Scrolls Online studio director, Matt Firor, will be telling players all about the game's first chapter update of 2023; it'll include details on the new playable regions of Tamriel, as well as what's being teased as a "major new feature" that's set to drop in the "game’s biggest update this year." So Nords, Bretons, Khajit and all races alike can look forward to that!
Last year's chapter, High Isle, and 2021's Blackwood chapter both released in June of their respective years, so it's likely we'll get confirmation of this year's chapter release date. Which is almost certainly going to fall into the same month of 2023.
Redfall
For those of you with your eye on the upcoming FPS Redfall, there'll be plenty to see with both single and multiplayer gameplay reveals. Although it is stated that these will run for just "several minutes" so don't set your hopes too high. If you've been mulling over how you and your compadres will take on the bloodsucking vampires on the "picturesque island of Redfall, Massachusetts," you'll want to tune in. We've been promised a rundown of Redfall's combat, customisation, bosses, open world, and more.
We may also get a revised Redfall release date. Originally slated to launch last year, the game was delayed with no confirmation of a new date. Window Central's Jez Corden is pretty confident that the title will come out in early May – "the first week of May to be exact". That's according to 'reports and his own sourcing' so we'll be on the lookout for that.
Forza Motorsport
Turn 10 Studios will be introducing racing fans to "the next generation of Forza Motorsport" for Xbox Series X|S. The devs will be sharing "more gameplay and exciting new details," but the blog post kept things pretty vague other than that.
Minecraft Legends
Minecraft Legends is Mojang Studios' action-strategy title that's being developed with Blackbird Interactive – who also helped out with the iOS and Android game Minecraft Earth. Ahead of its spring launch, we'll be seeing exclusive Minecraft Legends gameplay at the Developer Direct.
Surprise, surprise
An Xbox showcase wouldn't be doing its job if there wasn't at least one surprise waiting to be sprung on everyone. Microsoft has diligently told us what's in store, but it'll be a letdown if there's not a little something squirrelled away for the end of the Developer Direct. We'll be hanging around until the stream cuts out to make sure nothing slips us by.
