Xbox recently clarified regarding Developer Direct on January 23, where it will highlight three confirmed games—Doom: The Dark Ages, South of Midnight, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. However, it’s the unidentified fourth game that is drawing all the attention.
In an official Xbox Wire post, editor-in-chief Joe Skrebels announced that the Direct would not only highlight the developers behind the confirmed games but also take viewers to a “surprise location” to reveal a new game from another studio.
What Big Surprise is Xbox Hiding?
As per The Gamer, George Foster, Executive Editor at TheGamer, speculated that the unannounced game could be the much-discussed remake of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, and it’s definitely a plausible option.
It’s been over three years since Halo Infinite’s release, with part of the team working on its multiplayer features while the rest have been focused on crafting something entirely new.
The new project included transitioning the game’s characters, environments, and assets into Unreal, which would have engaged a significant part of the team. However, it’s likely that many at the studio weren’t directly involved in these processes.
Halo Could Be Closer Than You Think: Here’s Why!
Although the game may not be completed or nearing completion, the announcement of The Witcher 4 at The Game Awards showed that a game doesn’t need to be far along to be revealed.
CGI reveal trailers can be shared at any point during development, as evidenced by The Elder Scrolls 6 and Cyberpunk 2077, both of which had trailers years before their serious development kicked off.
Halo happens to be a key franchise for Xbox. While Microsoft has acquired famous series like The Elder Scrolls and Doom, Halo is the closest the company has to a Mario-like icon.
By choosing to announce the studio’s rebranding and engine switch through a documentary rather than a simple press release, Xbox emphasizes how important the Halo franchise is. For Xbox to succeed in the hardware market, getting Halo right is essential, yet the company has faced difficulties in this area for years.
No matter the game’s development stage, Xbox is eager to communicate that the franchise is moving in the right direction. As discussions around Xbox potentially shifting away from exclusives grow, a successful Halo comeback could shift that conversation.
However, it could also turn out to be Oblivion, or a new installment in the Crash or Spyro series. Maybe even a Candy Crush action-RPG or Dishonored 3. The reality is, Xbox owns an extensive collection of IPs.
