Whether you’re eager to dive back into the world of Fable or are dying to know what happens next in Senua’s journey, there’s something for gamers of all genre preferences to get hyped about this year. We’re here to help clear up any uncertainty, with this list of all Xbox Exclusives releasing in 2024.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
May 21, 2024
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 might very well be the biggest exclusive release on Xbox in 2024, and not just because of the limited field of competitors. Continuing the saga of the haunted Senua, this sequel appears primed to take players through even more harrowing challenges, both material and mental.
When the protagonist isn’t facing the demons in her own head, she’s also contending with threats in the real world that stand between her and her goal of survival.
January’s Developer Direct finally revealed a May release date, which isn’t all that long to wait.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Sept. 5, 2024
While the war in Ukraine has impacted the development of the game substantially due to the developers being Ukranian, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl has been trucking along this whole time.
This is good news for new and old fans of the series. Whether you’re interested in interacting with a vast world ravaged by a nuclear event or want to take part in its novel blend of immersive sim elements, first-person shooter gameplay, and an atmosphere dripping with horror, there are plenty of reasons to give this sequel a chance on Microsoft’s current hardware.
Sadly, January saw the announcement of yet another delay, though at least it was only to September and didn’t push the game out of 2024. Instead, we just have to wait a few more months past the Q1 original date.
Replaced
Release Window: 2024
Replaced has been a long time coming — made even longer by the effect of the Ukraine war on its Ukrainian developers at Sad Cat Studios — but it seems like 2024 is finally the year when players will get to experience what this Xbox exclusive has to offer.
Set in a dystopian alternate version of the 1980s, this 2.5D cyberpunk title drips with style in a way few other games do. Likewise, the bits of gameplay teased in its trailers over the year push the limits of how much motion and energy can be conveyed outside of a 3D title, making the experience more enticing.
Its broad 2024 release window doesn’t give us the best idea of when it’ll come out, but our fingers are crossed that this is finally the year when this game escapes its development hell and achieves the acclaim it seems destined for.
Avowed
Release Window: 2024
Developed by Obsidian Entertainment of Outer Worlds and Fallout: New Vegas fame, Avowed is absolutely bursting with potential and stands as one of the most promising Xbox exclusives coming in 2024.
Setting players loose in a world full of danger and mysteries, this first-person action RPG already looks to be a must-play experience for fans of Bethesda-style games and RPG lovers alike. The trailer makes it seem incredibly open-ended in how you deal with combat scenarios, meaning it’ll likely be meaty enough for fans to dig into repeatedly via multiple playthroughs.
As is the case with most entries on this list, though, it still only has a broad 2024 release window. Here’s hoping we find out sooner rather than later when we can expect to dive into the experience it offers.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
Release Window: 2024
On the off chance you didn’t play Microsoft Flight Simulator 2021, let us assure you that Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is well worth having on your radar.
Host to both impressive visuals and attention to detail that would make even the most meticulous developers swoon, the series has proven it’s more than just a collection of tech demos. Its flight gameplay is among the best in the business, and the effort put forth to make sure the planes and environments are accurate makes the games much more immersive.
The latest entry in the series doesn’t have a firm release date yet, but we can at least say with confidence that it’s expected to come out in 2024, given the name.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Release Window: 2024
Though Indiana Jones might’ve been retired on the silver screen with the last film, the character will continue on through video games. Wolfenstein developer MachineGames is hard at work on the next adventure of everyone’s favorite archaeologist. The first gameplay arrived in January 2024, and Direct viewers were surprised at the first-person perspective. That’s right, all the shooting and whipping will be done right through the eyes of Indiana Jones.
For the first time, someone else will be taking on the role of Indy. While the character model is definitely based on Harrison Ford, Troy Baker will be doing the voice and likely also performance capture.
Currently, all we have to go on is a release window of 2024. If I were to venture a guess, we will get this one sometime in the summer, just to celebrate Indy’s love of the sun.
Everwild
Release Window: 2024
Rare has been quiet since after tearing things up in the Xbox 360 generation, though that might change with the upcoming Everwild. However, this game has been through the wringer in some development roadblocks. Work on Everwild began in 2014 before it was eventually revealed in 2019. The bad news is that, only a couple of years later, it was reported that development on the game had been rebooted, which is never a good sign.
At this point in time, it isn’t even truly clear what Everwild is, as the only trailers to date have been cinematic. Rare has created some fantastic games, so there’s not too much of a concern, but after 10 years, it stands to reason that even if it isn’t released this year, we should at least see more of it.
Other reporting claims that the team behind Everwild is confident this will finally be the game’s year, and it would certainly be nice if that turned out to be the case.
Ark 2
Release Window: 2024
Ark 2 is another “well, maybe this year” game, as it was supposed to be released last year. it’s been somewhat quiet, but that could be attributed to the release of Survival Ascended, which refreshed the first game. Not much is known about Ark 2, though it will likely once again be dinosaur hunting, taming, and outpost building.
In a year that we already got Palworld, it would definitely be wise for Xbox to make sure that Ark 2 releases, especially after that game blew up. As the first Ark is mostly responsible for the survival crafting game craze, 2024 is the perfect time to bring in the next evolution.
The biggest difference to this one is that Ark 2 doesn’t seem like it will be a full release on launch. All wording surrounding it implies it will go be an Early Access title, just like the first one was.
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