Every console tries to cater to multiple audiences, but they also seem to all have a specific genre they focus on above the rest. PlayStation seems to be all about action-adventure and story driven games while Nintendo goes after family-friendly experiences. In recent years, it has been hard to figure out just what market Xbox has been after. The console has seen a wide variety of experiences, but it has not really been the home of a specific genre for a little while now. However, that all seems to be changing over the next couple of years.
The Xbox used to be the home for shooters, but ever since it lost the exclusive Call of Duty deal and Halo Infinite failed to make an impact, its place in gaming has not been clear. While there has not been a shortage of games, it has not nailed down a specific market like the Switch or PS5 has. However, the latest Xbox Games Showcase seems to be changing that. Over the next couple of years, the Xbox Series X seems to be becoming the home of expansive RPGs, and that should be great news for fans of the genre.
Xbox's Future is in Expansive Fantasy RPGS
Since acquiring Obsidian Entertainment and Bethesda, it seemed like Xbox wanted to go all in on expansive RPGs. After its latest showcase, that approach has been made very clear. After Bethesda launches Starfield, it will allegedly focus its efforts on The Elder Scrolls 6. At the same time, Obsidian Entertainment is developing Avowed and Playground Games is making Fable. That is three fantasy RPGs coming from Xbox Game Studios over the next couple of years, and there will likely be even more after.
Avowed will be Obsidian Entertainment's version of The Elder Scrollsset within the Pillars of Eternity universe. It looks like it will have all the hallmarks of the genre on a smaller scale and may be exactly what RPG fans need to tie themselves over until The Elder Scrolls 6 hits store shelves. While no release date has been announced yet, it is supposed to launch sometime in 2024. If it matches the quality of previous Obsidian Entertainment titles then it should be a fantastic ride from beginning to end.
Playground Games has been working hard on Fable for a little while now, and fans finally got to see a glimpse of it at the Xbox Games Showcase. It will reboot the classic Fable series and whisk players back to the colorful world of Albion for a brand-new adventure. It looks to be as funny as ever and will hopefully mark the grand return of this iconic franchise. While no release date or gameplay has been revealed, Xbox will likely show more of it soon. It may not be as expansive as The Elder Scrolls is, but it should still be a great fantasy experience nonetheless.
After Bethesda finally launches the hotly anticipated Starfield, it will focus its attention on the next Elder Scrolls. Nothing is known about this project, but Bethesda seldom disappoints with its expansive RPGs. It will likely take everything good about Skyrim and expand upon it in exciting ways. Even though players have only seen a title card, it is still one of the most anticipated upcoming releases in years. It will be interesting to see what the studio has planned, and hopefully, fans will not have to wait forever.
Those three fantasy RPGs are the primary focus of Xbox's upcoming first-party slate, and those are not the only RPGs on the way. There are also some third-party fantasy titles on the horizon, Xbox already has The Elder Scrolls Online, and if the Activision Blizzard acquisition gets approved then it will have even more RPGs and fantasy worlds to play with. Starfield and The Outer Worlds 2 may not be fantasy related, but they are also expansive first-party RPGs coming out in the future. It seems like Xbox's future is in the RPG, and fans of the genre will want to get their hands on the console or a PC so that they can be a part of that future.