There have been several teases, hints, and speculations going around regardingXbox’s 2021 lineup of games. WithMicrosoft’s Bethesda acquisition now seemingly finalized, fans are waiting with bated breath for any announcements. Though Microsoft has yet to officially confirm anything, a new mention from Xbox’s Jason Ronald might have just given way, what is shaping up to be a big year for Xbox.
Ronald, who is Xbox’s director of program management, was a guest on this week’s Iron Lords Podcast where he talked about the state ofXboxSeries X/S. The conversation peaked when Ronald was asked about Dolby Vision’s implementation in games and whether he has seen any unannounced titles using it. Carefully curating his statement, Ronald said," I have seen a lot of things internally that I’m excited for everyone to see later this year." Furthermore, on being asked what’s his most anticipated game of 2021 is, he said, “not all games that are releasing this year have been announced.”
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Ronald’s statement may come as a surprise to many, given how Xbox’s biggest release of 2021 isHalo Infinite. It could be that Ronald is talking about Bethesda’s highly anticipatedStarfieldthat is rumored to be releasing this year. Games Beat’s Jeff Grubb mentioned in the GamesBeat Decides podcast that Microsoft will be holding a Bethesda-related event once the deal is finalized. What with all theElden Ring leaks, many thought that FromSoftware’s latest would also be on the Xbox stage.
Unfortunately, Xbox GM Aaron Greenberg, quickly denied that rumor, saying that there are no such events planned for the moment. It’s also important to note that Greenberg had similarly declined Xbox game announcements in the past, which surprisingly turned out to be true. As far asElden Ringis concerned, it could also have a presence at the recently trademarkedBandai Namco Next.
With the addition of Bethesda, Xbox has plenty of exclusive titles in its arsenal that may be revealed sooner than later. Moreover, an industry insider recently suggested thatMicrosoft is planning to acquireDying Light 2studioTechland. It’s important to take all of these rumors with a grain of salt, but it would interesting to see how Microsoft reacts to them, if at all.
With the current work-from-home scenario, a lot of big AAA games will inevitably end up getting delayed. This also may be a big reason for Microsoft holding out game announcements and exclusivity deals. However, even without any new announcements, Xbox users will have plenty to look forward to this year.
