Even though E3 2022 has been canceled, fans still have a lot to look forward to this summer. As far as video game releases go, it does look a little barebone (excluding Nintendo), but there will be several events where players learn about coming games. It remains to be seen which third-party publishers host their own shows, but several will likely be at Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest. Sony and Nintendo are also likely to feature their own showcases, but it seems Microsoft has gotten ahead of the pack.
Microsoft has officially announced the date and times of its upcoming showcase. Perhaps even more exciting is that it is dubbed the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase.
According to Microsoft, this event will take place on Sunday, June 12 at 10 AM PT/12 PM CT. Microsoft obviously doesn’t provide specifics as to what will be there, but promises to feature “amazing titles coming from Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda, and their various partners." It also promises to reveal a diverse lineup of games, as well as confirm new releases coming to PC and Xbox Game Pass. Fans will be able to tune in at every major video platform, such as YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, and even TikTok, to view the showcase. Perhaps the biggest question for the showcase right now, however, is Starfield.
Starfield is not mentioned by name, but it’s likely to have a huge presence at the upcoming showcase. The first and perhaps biggest reason is that Bethesda typically reveals a game close to summer and releases it that fall. Starfield is a bit of an outlier, as it was announced at E3 2018 and already has a release date for November 11, but there is still next to nothing known about the game. Ergo, there really wouldn’t be a better place for it.
There are also other Bethesda games likely to be there, such as Arkane’s Redfall, but players will often associate the whole of Bethesda with its Bethesda Game Studios (Fallout, Skyrim). This association is not lost in the showcase’s title, and on top of that, the official image for it has serious deep space vibes. It might as well be saying, “Hey, come check out Starfield!”
All players really have to do now is wait and see what will be at the showcase. It’s not even two full months away, so at least it’s not too bad. In the meantime, it’s possible Xbox and Bethesda will confirm a few games that will be there, or at least specific developers, in the coming weeks.
