10 Times Xbox Won Gaming In 2021

2021’s Microsoft’s game division excelled. While all of gaming has been experiencing a boom, Xbox, in particular, has stood above the rest. With the continued growth of the Xbox Game Pass and other major announcements, they’ve found a foothold for this generation. That’s impressive, given the meteoric success of Playstation 5.

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People have been awaiting Xbox’s 2021 announcements since their acquisition of Bethesda. Between the in-house Xbox studios and acquired, there are tons to look forward to, not just with games, but other media as well. The internet has been abuzz with news at every Xbox event.

Forza Horizon 5

Aside from Halo, Forza is one of Xbox’s biggest franchises. The driving simulator has been praised for its accuracy, graphics, and controls. This entry features a detailed recreation of Mexico. All the maps and areas in Forza Horizon 5 feel great to drive in and it has remained one of Xbox’s shining exclusive franchises.

Its announcement at E3 was big. Just as big was the announcement that it was coming to Game Pass, which really increased its install base. Not to mention it ended up being a part of Microsoft’s biggest exclusive lineup ever and ended up winning several awards at The Game Awards.

Psychonauts 2 On Game Pass

Psychonauts 2 is the long-awaited sequel to a cult-classic game that got popular on the original Xbox. Despite the developer being bought by Microsoft, it still is committed to releasing on all promised platforms. The team took their time making it and avoided crunch culture. The only wrinkle was the minor backlash it got for its easy mode.

To top it all off, the game then became available on Xbox Game Pass. It even appears alongside the first game, meaning you don’t have to jump through hoops to experience the series. Psychonauts 2 is fantastic in its own right and was even nominated for Game of the Year this year.

Halo Infinite Free-To-Play Multiplayer

Halo Infinite was one of the most anticipated games Microsoft ever released. After a poor reveal, it was delayed in order to make improvements. This was a great call by 343 Studios, but the real revelation regarding the game was the standalone, free-to-play multiplayer.

Multiplayer has always been a part of the Halo experience and allowing players on Xbox, cloud gaming, and PC to all connect and play the multiplayer as a standalone was bold. But it paid off, as the multiplayer was a big hit, attracting even new players to Halo Infinite.

Starfield Release Date

Bethesda’s Starfield has been the most enigmatic title in recent memory. It was announced years ago as a completely new IP, but between the developer’s struggles with Fallout 76 and the wait for info, a lot of people had given up hope on its release. But news finally came out at E3 this year.

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While gamers didn’t get to see gameplay, much more is known about the game now. A stylish cinematic trailer let everyone know that the release date will be on November 11th, 2022. In addition to being an Xbox exclusive, fans are confident that Microsoft will afford Bethesda the extra resources to polish the game. In any case, people are excited for Bethesda’s first new series in over 20 years.

Blinx The Timesweeper On Game Pass

Blinx the Timesweeper is a stranger title in the Xbox library. Back on the original Xbox, several titles were released with the goal of emulating competitor successes, including party, platforming, and racing games, with a cute mascot to highlight it all. The mascot in question here was Blinx the Timesweeper, a bizarre cat that traveled through time.

While his games were never panned, he was bypassed by Master Chief as Microsoft’s mascot. As time passed, people have brought back Blinx as a relic of a bygone age. Most notably, Blinx became the mascot for the viral Twitter account, Poorly Aged Stuff. In response to Blinx’s resurgence, Microsoft has added Blinx to Game Pass, bringing the character back.

Cloud Services Come To Console

One of the most exciting announcements of the year came from Gamescom. There, they announced that their cloud gaming platform would make its way to Xbox Game Pass’ services on the Xbox Series consoles. This project was called xCloud and has been renamed Xbox Cloud Gaming. Currently, its beta is only available on the Ultimate Game Pass, but the service is already proving very responsive.

Microsoft’s been working on its streaming project since 2016, which is way longer than some of the other competitors in the game streaming scene. Game streaming has had a rocky history, as consoles like Google Stadia are unable to compensate for the lack of networking infrastructure. But bundling the service with Game Pass really gave it a shot at success.

The Outer Worlds 2

Speaking of Bethesda, Fallout: New Vegas was considered the best game in the series. And the developers of that game, Obsidian, made a spiritual successor called The Outer Worlds. The game was well-liked, but it, unfortunately, ran into some issues in the endgame. But now with Obsidian and Bethesda under one roof, fans have high hopes for the sequel.

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The teaser for The Outer Worlds 2 promises a lot. It will have a new star system and a new crew of characters. It’s looking to be a tough in-house competitor to Bethesda’s own upcoming Starfield, and fans are looking forward to an exciting satirical space adventure.

Microsoft Flight Simulator On Console

The release of Microsoft Flight Simulator in 2020 was met with almost universal acclaim. However, despite its beautiful graphics and lovely simulation, it did have one problem — its PC-only exclusivity limited its player base. But this year, Xbox rectified that by announcing the game for consoles and Game Pass.

Giving the game to console and Game Pass owners transformed it. It turned an expected piece of Microsoft’s software lineup into one of Xbox’s major franchises. Microsoft Flight Simulator lets you visit many famous locations and landmarks around the world, making it especially popular for those who haven’t been able to travel in 2021.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

At The Game Awards, gamers finally got a good look at Ninja Theory’s next project. Norse mythology has become somewhat of a hot topic in most media, but Hellblade took a different approach by focusing on the subject in the afterlife. The first game was also praised for its well-written female protagonist, Senua. These elements seem to be focused on heavily in the upcoming sequel.

The trailer shown at The Game Awards wowed audiences with its beautiful CG cutscenes. Except not really, as the entire trailer was gameplay. It shifted from beautifully acted dramatic scenes to controllable spelunking at the drop of a hat, with footprints and water ripples underscoring it all. If Hellblade II even looks half as good as the preview, it will break the internet.

Halo TV Series Trailer

The final Xbox announcement of the year was a real doozy. Gamers finally got to see a preview of the Halo television series at The Game Awards. The show has been in development hell for years but will be finally appearing on Paramount+ in 2022. For those unfamiliar, the series first had a planned release date in 2015 with Steven Spielberg attached, but obviously didn’t happen.

Thankfully, despite the show’s rough history, the trailer looks absolutely stunning. There are plenty of sweeping landscape shots of familiar locations, matched with footage of UNSC space marines. Narration from reoccurring character, Catherine Halsey, adds an ominous air to the trailer. Finally, the trailer ends with a great shot of Master Chief’s iconic armor. Xbox fans can’t contain their excitement for the Forerunner’s legacies to show up on the small screen.

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