Microsoft put its stamp on Gamescom 2018 by releasing new Xbox hardware and providing updates for a slew of AAA games, including Forza Horizon 4, Sea of Thieves and State of Decay 2.
The rumored Xbox Elite 2 controller and Halo: Infinite didn't make an appearance, but we did get information on several other anticipated titles. Here are the big announcements from the special "Inside Xbox" broadcast at Gamescom 2018.
PUBG 1.0
PUBG (PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds) will leave the Xbox Game Preview program for the game's official release on Sept. 4. The immensely popular battle royale game is finally transitioning from early access mode to a full-blown product.
To commemorate the release, Xbox created a new limited-edition PUBG controller. The peripheral is black with a gray digital camo pattern. The controller has a bright blue circle outlining the left thumb stick, and a sight scope on the right thumb stick.
There is also a PUBG logo on the back and an X on the right trigger button. A rough texture on the trigger buttons will provide additional grip. The controller is available for pre-order today (Aug. 21) and will ship in October.
Battlefield V
Battlefield V Xbox One S and Xbox One X bundles are coming when the massive first-person shooter launches on Oct. 19. The One S version will cost $300 and come with the game, a wireless controller and a 14-day Xbox Live Gold trial. A $500 1TB One X bundle includes a copy of Battlefield V, a standard wireless controller, a one-month pass of EA Access and a 14-day trial for Xbox Live Gold.
The star of the show is the Battlefield V Gold Rush special edition Xbox One X. The $500 console comes in an exclusive gray-and-gold color scheme, and a matching gray controller ships in the box. The bundle will include the Battlefield V Deluxe Edition, a download code for Battlefield 1943, one month of EA Access, one month of Xbox Game Pass and a 14-day Xbox Live Gold trial.
Battlefield V will be available for EA Access on Oct. 11 and ships worldwide on Oct 19.
Halo
We didn't get the Halo Infinite reveal we were hoping for, but the Master Chief Collection is coming to Game Pass on September 1. It contains four games: Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2 Anniversary, Halo 3 and Halo 4. 343 Industries recently revealed that the Master Chief Collection would be updated with visual enhancements for the Xbox One X.
We also got an in-depth look at the making of Halo: Fireteam Raven: a co-op arcade game that players can experience at Dave & Busters locations.
Fallout 76
Xbox premiered a new trailer for Fallout: 76. The clip was styled as a retro advertisement for the Construction and Assembly Mobile Platform, or C.A.M.P. The C.A.M.P is a pop-up settlement that provides shelter, food and water. Players can move it around the large open-world map to provide refuge from the dangerous conditions.
A Fallout 76 Xbox One X bundle is available for pre-order today. It includes a digital download of Fallout 76, a wireless controller, one month of Xbox Game Pass and one month of Xbox Live Gold.
Game Pass Mobile App
Microsoft is currently developing a standalone Game Pass mobile app. For those who don't know, Game Pass is a $9.99 per month subscription service that gives you access to dozens of games. The upcoming app will let you discover games, download them remotely and provide updates on when games are coming to or leaving the service.
For Android smartphone users, the Game Pass app is available on the Google Play Store. If you own an iPhone, you'll need to sign up soon, as slots to join the beta are limited. Xbox is currently offering a promotion where people who have never tried Game Pass before can get a two-month subscription for just $2.
Xbox Design Lab Controllers
Microsoft is adding new customizations to the Xbox Design Lab, which lets you create your own Xbox controller. There are five new camouflage options and five new shadow options. New additions include a Desert Camo paint job and a blue shadow color scheme that fades to black. A limited-time silver shadow controller will be available from today until Sept. 30.
You can see some of the new finishes in the above trailer.
Devil May Cry 5
The last Devil May Cry game came out 10 years ago; now the wait for a sequel is almost over. Devil May Cry 5 will be released on March 8, 2019. Capcom showed off gameplay of the upcoming action game, and let Gamescom attendees get some hands-on time.
Clips of the upcoming action/adventure game showed off the Devil Breaker: Nero's new robotic arm, which can grab enemies from a distance or freeze time in place. In a new gameplay clip, we saw Nero take down a menacing goliath boss with a combination of fast-paced movements and powerful abilities. We also got to see a glimpse of Dante’s playstyle, and to no one's surprise, he was riding a badass motorcycle, but this time he was using it as a weapon of demonic destruction.
Forza Horizon 4
The upcoming open-world racer, Forza Horizon 4, was first announced at E3 2018 with a trailer that showed off its gorgeous graphics, and a new dynamic weather system that simulates the change of seasons.
At Gamescom, PVP modes were the highlight. Forza's PVP game modes were overhauled to be more skill-based and competitive. For example, Team Adventure, as the name suggests, is a new race where you rack up points as a team. So even if you're not the best player, you can still fight to earn more points by finishing in a higher position. In these team-based modes, you can send quick chat lines and emotes to get your competitors riled up.
An Xbox One S bundle with Forza Horizon 4 will cost $300, and will include one month of Game Pass and a 14-day Xbox Live Gold trial. For $500, a 1TB Xbox One X bundle adds Forza Motorsport 7 as well. Forza Horizon 4 will be available on October 2.
Sea of Thieves
Forsaken Shores, the new expansion for the open-world pirate adventure game Sea of Thieves, is coming on Sept. 19. Microsoft showed footage of a new volcanic world described as being "more perilous than any other part of the world." When you start feeling tremors, a volcano is set to erupt, and when it does, you don't want to be anywhere near it. Rocks will pummel to earth, geysers will erupt and water will be too hot to stand in.
The update will include a new quest for merchants called Cargo Runs. In it, you will deliver certain items, like bottles of rum, expensive cloth or plants, to certain parts of the world. A new inventory system and different cannonball types are also coming to Sea of Thieves.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
With Shadow of the Tomb Raider just weeks away from release, the folks at Eidos Montréal showcased exactly how dangerous the tombs could actually be with a new gameplay demo.
The company also unveiled an Xbox One X ($499) and an Xbox One S ($299) bundle, both of which come with a controller, 1TB of storage, a 14-day trial for Xbox Live and one month of Xbox Game Pass. You can pre-order the consoles now, and they will come out when Shadow of the Tomb Raider launches on Sept. 14.
Hunt: Showdown
Hunt: Showdown will be coming to Xbox Game Preview. If you're not familiar with the service, Xbox Game Preview is a way for people to purchase work-in-progress games, and become part of the development process.
Developed by Crytek, Hunt: Showdown is a competitive PVP multiplayer game that emphasizes teamwork and communication. Set in a gothic-Western setting, the first-person shooter sets teams of bounty hunters against each other in a race to kill a monster and get out alive. Similar to PUBG or Fortnite, as a round of Hunt proceeds, teams move closer to each other.
Hunt: Showdown was first released as an Early Access title on Steam in February.
Sable
The indie title Sable is perhaps the most gorgeous game shown during Inside Xbox at Gamescom. Inspired by European comics like TinTin and Japanese animation from Studio Ghibli, Sable was one of the standouts of E3. Gameplay details are scarce, but we do know you can ride around on a vast desert landscape in a hoverbike. We're already sold.
Unfortunately, we'll have to wait until late 2019 to play the game.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
A new competitive mode is coming to Ori and the Will of the Wisps, which will satisfy speedrunning gamers. In Spirit Trials, players race each other through new courses spread throughout the world. You can dash, burrow and grapple your way to victory.
Metro Exodus
Microsoft unveiled a new level for the upcoming first-person shooter Metro Exodus. This particular part of the game encourages stealth play. Set in a dense wilderness, players will have to battle the elements and avoid being eaten by wild animals, like bears and wolves.
Metro Exodus will be released on Feb. 22, 2019.
DayZ
DayZ is coming to Xbox Game Preview on Aug. 29. This zombie-survival game has been available on Steam since 2013, and is now finally coming to consoles.
A trailer shown at Gamescom gave us a glimpse of the gorgeous Bohemian landscape where players will need to be resourceful to survive.
Life is Strange 2
A sequel to the beloved graphic adventure game, Life is Strange 2 will follow a new storyline with a different set of characters. A trailer shown at Gamescom follows two brothers who run from the law after an encounter with a Seattle policeman goes wrong.
The first of five episodes that make up Life is Strange 2 will be released on Sept. 27 on PC, Xbox and PlayStation 4.
State of Decay 2
A new DLC is coming to the survival/horror game State of Decay 2. Called the Daybreak Pack, the major add-on brings a new mode, tons of unlockables and a "Blood Plague Juggernaut." In the new mode, you'll play as an elite Red Talon soldier with the goal of defending a fortified position from waves of zombies. Help comes from a satellite system that sends in air strikes and item drops on the new map.
There are seven waves of zombies that get increasingly more difficult, and the mode will take around 45 minutes to complete. The co-op mode will be released on Sept. 12.
The Division 2
While the newest The Division 2 gameplay trailer didn’t reveal very much gameplay at all; it did reveal that if you pre-order the game you’ll get access to the private beta, as well as the Capitol Defender Pack, which includes a hazmat outfit and an exotic shotgun. Division 2 is set to release on March 15, 2019.
The Dark Pictures Anthology
Supermassive Games, the developer of Until Dawn, is returning with the Dark Pictures Anthology: a series of standalone horror games. The first title, Man of Medan, will debut this year, followed by two more games each year afterward. The choices you make in each story define what happens to the characters.
Supermassive Games released a trailer for Man of Medan. In it, things go badly for a a group of friends who discover a ghost ship while diving to a World War II wreck.
