Xbox will present its latest rendition of Developer Direct to showcase some of the biggest titles releases throughout 2024 alongside insights on other future projects. All the showcased games will be available on both Xbox Series X|S and PC via Game Pass. The show will be taking place on January 18, 2024, from 12 pm PT onwards. Here is a list of timings from different regions for anyone interested:
- Los Angeles (USA): 10 am PST, January 18, 2024 onwards.
- New York (USA) and Quebec (Canada): 3 pm ET, January 18, 2024 onwards.
- Rio de Janeiro (Brazil): 5 pm BRT, January 18, 2024 onwards.
- Dublin (UK and Ireland): 8 pm BST, January 18, 2024 onwards.
- Gent (Belgium): 9 pm CEST, January 18, 2024 onwards.
- New Delhi (India): 1:30 am IST, January 19, 2024 onwards.
- Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia): 4 am MYT, January 19, 2024 onwards.
- Tokyo (Japan): 5 am JST, January 19, 2024 onwards.
- Sydney (Australia): 6 am AEST, January 19, 2024 onwards.
- Auckland (New Zealand): 9 am NZST, January 19, 2024 onwards.
The Xbox Developer Direct live stream will be taking place on major social platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, and more. So if you wish to watch the event as it unfolds, make sure to tune in during this time. With that said let us dive into what we can expect from the upcoming game showcase.
What to expect from the Xbox Developer Direct showcase taking place in January 2024?
Microsoft has already given a short insight on what to expect from Xbox Developer Direct showcase which will take place in January 2024. Some of the major highlights from the events are the Indiana Jones action-adventure game, Avowed, Ara: History Untold, an update from The Elder Scroll Online, and the widely anticipated Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2.
Indiana Jones game
The critically acclaimed game studio, MachineGames, responsible for the Wolfenstein franchise, will be bringing the action-adventure hit Indiana Jones, to the digital platform. The franchise created by George Lucas is a widely known global hit starring Harrison Ford as the adventurer himself. Xbox Developer Direct will feature 10 minutes of exclusive gameplay and the story behind its development by MachineGames.
Don’t miss the gameplay reveal of our new #IndianaJones game at the Xbox #DeveloperDirect. We can’t wait to show you what we’ve been working on! pic.twitter.com/lCNKWiFN2k
— machinegames (@machinegames) January 9, 2024
During the entire runtime of the reveal, fans will get to learn about the setting, how it feels to play as Indy, and other interesting details surrounding the game. Knowing MachineGames’s specialty in creating incredible single-player experiences, this might be one of the best reveals of the showcase.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
Fans have been eagerly waiting for Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, the next big release from Ninja Theory. Over the years, the game has been teased at various game events, namely, The Game Awards, and finally, fans will get to see the game come to life this year. As it is known, the game has been developed on Unreal Engine 5, and the visuals look amazing.
This cannot arrive quick enough#hellblade2 pic.twitter.com/rbx9Xgmzqp
— EPICTREASURE (@EpictreasureX) January 8, 2024
The Xbox Developer Direct showcase will give deep insight into how the game was crafted by the developers with snippets from the studio itself. It hasn’t been mentioned if a gameplay reveal is being planned to display what’s new for players to enjoy. However, since the game has been largely anticipated, it might be possible that a gameplay reveal is in the works.
Avowed
Obsidian Games will be joining in line to share what fans can expect from their upcoming offering, Avowed. Avowed is an RPG title set in a vibrant fantasy land as showcased in 2020. While some gameplay snippets have been shared previously, fans are yet to witness a deep dive into the gameplay.
It’s the year of Avowed
Gameplay deep dive during the Developer Direct is going to be HUGE.
Single Player ✅
AAA✅
Fantasy✅
First Person✅
Multi Region Hubs✅
Role Playing Game✅Xbox Series Consoles & PC 2024 pic.twitter.com/sb9vadAOZh
— Jamie Moran (@JamieMoranUK) January 10, 2024
Xbox Developer Direct will even feature exclusives from the developers on how they created the game, the thought process that went behind it, and more. Avowed is a first-person adventure which will have players exploring the secret-filled Living Lands. Knowing Obsidian Games’ successes with titles like The Outer Worlds, Pillar of Eternity, and other major titles, the upcoming RPG release looks promising.
Other things to expect from the Xbox Developer Direct event in January 2024
It has been mentioned by Xbox that Developer Direct 2024 will also feature a gameplay reveal for Ara: History Untold. Oxide Games, the developer behind the widely known strategy game, Civilization V, will be creating Ara: History Untold. The game has been showcased previously in August 2023 and will provide an in-depth city-building experience that simulates real life.
Ara: History Untold can be defined as a city builder that combines themes from Age of Empire, Sims City, and Civilization V into one big sim-strategy game. Oxide Games will be sharing their journey behind creating the game, the key features included, and what to expect from the strategy game altogether.
Imagine buying PS5 and not being able to play Hellblade 2, Indiana Jones, Fable and Avowed. pic.twitter.com/gxWsSmRJqE
— Kuwiks (@kuwiks) January 9, 2024
Additionally, Developer Direct will even feature a first look at the new update coming to Elder Scroll Online in 2024. This showcase is scheduled an hour after the event kicks off and is reported to feature the upcoming storyline, a new zone, and other additions. Likewise, there haven’t been mentions of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 in the official document revealed by Xbox, but leaks have suggested its existence in the past.
Evaluating the runtime of the last Developer Direct in 2023, the event went on for almost 45 minutes without a host. A similar type of approach can be expected this year as well and the event will likely stick to the point during the entire showcase. However, seeing what’s in stock for the upcoming event, the showcase might run for more than an hour and wrap up quickly without adding any fluff.
