2020 is set to be a big year for Microsoft and Xbox. There will be brand new hardware launch, with the confirmation of the Xbox Series X arriving this holiday season, and a catalog of new exclusive titles coming to Xbox platforms all throughout this year.
It is a little unconventional to discuss Xbox exclusives since Microsoft eliminated Xbox exclusivity in 2018 when it announced that all future first-party titles would be coming to PC as well. So for the sake of the list of exclusive games below, all of the games on this list are coming to PC and Xbox One (and potentially Xbox Series X).
Ori and the Will of the Wisps - March 11
A sequel to the 2015 hit Ori and the Blind Forest, Ori and the Will of the Wisps is another Metroidvania-like title with just as impressive an art style as its predecessor, if not more so. The story in the new game focuses on Ori's true destiny, as the developer put it. The developer has also decided to alter a number of game mechanics from the first game, including the upgrade system and certain elements of exploration. Though the original Ori is now a featured title on the Nintendo Switch, this sequel is currently only confirmed for Xbox One and PC to be released on March 11. Both Ori and its upcoming sequel were developed by Moon Studios and published by Xbox.
Bleeding Edge - March 24
Developed by one of the newest members of the Xbox first-party studio system, Ninja Theory, Bleeding Edge is a class-based multiplayer melee game that features 12 playable characters. It is another Xbox-published game coming soon to PC and Xbox One on March 24. On the face of it, the characters can seem a bit similar to other hero based multiplayer games such as Overwatch and the like, but its focus on up-close melee combat (and some long range weapons) could set it apart and lead to a unique multiplayer experience.
Gears Tactics - April 28
A new title from Xbox, this turn-based strategy spin-off of the Gears of War franchise is sure to find a comfortable home amongst other strategy titles on PC. Gears Tactics takes all of the fundamental elements of the series and puts a strategy twist on the gameplay. The game challenges players to hunt down a big evil villain that figured out how to create monsters, and must recruit and lead new squad members along the way. It will release on PC and Xbox One on April 28.
Halo Infinite - Holiday 2020
Probably Microsoft’s biggest software launch of the year, Halo Infinite will launch alongside Microsoft’s newest flagship hardware, the Xbox Series X, in holiday of 2020. Following the events of Halo 5, the game will continue the story of Master Chief and is the sixth game in the mainline series. 343 Industries developed this title with a lot of the criticisms of Halo 5 in mind such as the lack of split-screen, which will be making a return to the multiplayer. Additionally, 343 said that the story of the game is going to focus on Master Chief as a more of a person. Besides launching alongside new hardware, Halo Infinite is being developed using a new game engine developed by Microsoft called the Slipspace Engine.Â
Microsoft Flight Simulator - TBA 2020
Announced during E3 2019, Microsoft Flight Simulator will also be making a grand comeback sometime in 2020. The newest entry in the long-running running series of games is being developed by Asobo Studio and published by Xbox. The last entry in the Flight Simulator series came out in 2006, so this is probably going to be a new experience for most Xbox users. The newest entry in the series also comes featured with all of the graphical bells and whistles featured on modern gaming consoles, making for a striking looking simulation with first-person cockpit views. Furthermore, the developers also utilized map data from Bing Maps in order to build a much more accurate world with a numerous real-life international airports to land at make for a realistic sim game.
12 Minutes - TBA 2020
12 Minutes is an indie game being published by Annapurna Interactive and has been in development since 2015 by game designer Luis Antonio. The game features, as the title suggests, a 12 minute cycle that loops over and over until the player is able to put enough clues together to solve certain mysteries. As the player learns more aspects of the story, more parts of it start to unfold and lead to a sequentially dramatic plot line. It will release on PC and Xbox One eventually in 2020.
Grounded - Spring 2020
Grounded is one of the first titles to be released by Obsidian since its acquisition by Microsoft and is slated to be released during the spring. The game features a multiplayer survival style where the players’ characters have been shrunken down to the size of an ant, while players will also have to battle actual ants along with other insects in the game in order to survive. Areas to explore include ant hills, ponds (players can swim underwater), and the towering structures that make up the surrounding plants.
Tell Me Why - Summer 2020
Tell Me Why is a new game from Dontnod Entertainment, the studio that made Life is Strange, Vampyr, and The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit. The new game takes place in a small town in Alaska and follows the story of twins Tyler and Alyson Ronan as they trudge through traumatic childhood memories together. Their apparent goal is to try and figure out some deep family mystery. Noted for its focus on deep and mature narratives, Dontnod's games have tended to focus on player choice. Tell Me Why will most likely feature the same level of dramatic choices that could be found in the studio's previous games. The studio struck a deal with Microsoft so the game will be published by Xbox for release on PC and Xbox One.