Xbox Series X/S: every confirmed launch game so far – TrueAchievements

We’ll be looking to update this daily with any new or revised information, so be sure to check back closer to launch in order to get the complete picture. But for now, let’s get rolling…

DAY ONE RELEASES

These are the games that we know will 100% be on Xbox Series X/S on launch day, and we’ll keep this list updated as more games get confirmed November 10th release dates.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

Ubisoft revealed at its recent Ubisoft Forward that Assassin’s Creed Valhalla would be a Series X/S launch game. The sprawling historial epic had its release date pulled forward to fall in line with that of the console, and will take players on an oh-so-pretty viking-themed tour of ancient Britain.

Destiny 2: Beyond Light

Destiny 2 is about to change forever. As well as vaulting a bunch of old content that was barely played to make room for new stuff, console gamers will finally have a chance to experience Destiny at 4K60 on Xbox Series X. If you thought the gunplay felt good before, wait until you get your hands on this.

Dirt 5

Codemasters has pushed Dirt 5 back a few times, with the Xbox One version of the slick and stylish rally game now dropping on November 6th. The Series X/S upgrade will follow just four days later, but Smart Delivery support means you can always start on XB1 before making the leap to next-gen if you just can’t wait to fling some cars around.

The Falconeer

One of a fair few indies arriving at and around launch, The Falconeer is a beautiful aerial combat game, with players piloting all manner of huge birds with an array of customisable weapons and gear. Think Ace Combat but with a lot less hammy drama and a lot more beaks and you’re somewhere along the right track.

Gears Tactics

After a solid PC launch earlier this year, Gears Tactics has been confirmed for both the Series X/S at launch and Xbox One the same day. If you want more time to savour those grisly melee kills, this turn-based twist on the series will definitely be worth checking out, as we very much enjoyed the Windows 10 version.

Marvel’s Avengers

One of 2020’s more divisive games, Marvel’s Avengers will reportedly be available day one alongside the Series X. As in a few other cases, though, the wording was a little ambiguous as the announcement was made before the consoles had a street date, but as best we know, Square’s messaging was correct and fans will be able to upgrade on launch day.

Tetris Effect: Connected

What better way to show off your shiny new ultra-console than with a bunch of square blocks falling down a screen? We kid, of course — Tetris Effect is a surprisingly pretty version of the puzzle classic, and a darn fine game, too. The visual effects that accompany the block-dropping action are absolutely mesmerising in 4K HDR.

Watch Dogs: Legion

The second of two massive Ubisoft games that will be available at launch, Watch Dogs: Legion will be the pick of the two for folks who want to get stuck into something modern rather than historical. The dystopian London setting makes for a great showcase for the new tech, and being able to explore a huge map seamlessly with next to no downtime for loading will be another outstanding demo of just what a huge generational leap this really is.

Yakuza: Like A Dragon

It’s as if someone made a monkey paw wish for both a new Yakuza game and a turn-based RPG at launch, and here they are — the two rolled into one. Still, we’re into it. Yakuza: Like a Dragon is, despite the changes to gameplay and lead character, a mainline entry in the series, and that means hundreds of hours of gameplay, distractions galore, and loads of silliness to enjoy, all set against a super-detailed Japanese backdrop.

LAUNCH WINDOW RELEASES

These are the games that we know to be coming to Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S near the launch of the consoles, but which will either miss launch by a matter of weeks, might still make it to the launch party, or simply don’t have confirmed dates yet. This section is currently incomplete, but we’ve tried to hit all the major releases (and then some) to begin with, and again, we’ll add to this, keep it updated, and move games around accordingly as more data drops in the run-up to launch.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War

ETA: Q4 2020

Unless Actitivion is simply hiding its hand until Sony makes a move with PS5, it seems odd that the new CoD would have a next-gen upgrade if the Series X/S editions were going to be launching alongside the XB1 version on November 13th. Hopefully the publisher will be kind enough to clarify once we have dates for all the next-gen consoles, as that seems to be the source of a lot of the current confusion.

Cyberpunk 2077

ETA: Q1 2021

The Xbox One release of CD Projekt Red’s ambitious RPG arrives on November 19th, but the next-gen upgrade — confirmed to be free for existing owners — won’t follow until early next year. If it’s anything like as expansive as The Witcher 3 was, though, most people probably won’t even be halfway through the game by the time the enhanced version arrives. Cyberpunk’s neon-laced world is going to look ridiculous on Series X, mark our words.

Dead by Daylight

ETA: Q4 2020

The developer of this ever-popular asynchronous multiplayer survival game has already come out and said that it is working on a next-gen version, and the team has already begun upgrading all the assets ahead of time. Once it’s all done, the target is a 4K60 horror experience like no other, and it’s due to arrive on Series X and Series S before the year is out.

FIFA 21

ETA: Q4 2020

So far, EA hasn’t dropped a date for the Series X/S version of FIFA 21, but it’s extremely rare for the big annual sports games to miss a console launch. It’s out on XB1 a month ahead of the arrival of the new consoles and while it won’t support Smart Delivery, back-compat (with the promise of a free upgrade later) means you’ll be able to squeeze a kickabout in on launch day one way or another.

Fortnite

ETA: Q4 2020

The concept of a modern device that doesn’t run Fortnite would have been unthinkable prior to Epic’s little scuffle with Apple. The developer has said it wants to have the game on the new consoles ready for launch, but whether that means with brand new versions, via optimising the XB1 release for Series X, or simply using back-compat is still unclear at this time. Hopefully we’ll find out soon, because that Fortnite seems pretty popular.

Hitman 3

ETA: January 20th, 2021

Good things come to those who wait. And apparently, so too do murderous bald men. Agent 47 returns early next year for another campaign of creative carnage, and given how good a showcase for new hardware this series has been in the past, this stands to be its most impressive outing yet. It’s been suggested that Hitman 3 will be slightly darker and more mature in tone than previous games, although we haven’t given up hope of getting another chicken suit just yet…

Immortals Fenyx Rising

ETA: December 3rd

Formerly known as Gods & Monsters, this colourful mythological adventure was the star attraction of the recent Ubisoft Forward show. Comparisons to Zelda: Breath of the Wild have been pretty abundant — both in our own hands-on preview of the game and in wider discourse — so Immortals has a pretty hard act to follow. But between its beautiful world, flashy combat, and in-depth character customisation, it’d be unfair to rule it out just yet.

Just Dance 2021

ETA: November 12th

Just don’t.

Madden NFL 21

ETA: Q4 2020

Same deal as FIFA here — Madden NFL 21 isn’t explicitly slated for launch day, but we’d be really surprised to not see it on (or very near) November 10th. Once again, there’s a free upgrade coming via EA’s own Dual Entitlement system, and Series X/S will run the XB1 version in the meantime if needs be…

The Medium

ETA: Q4 2020

This generation saw Bloober Team rise from zeroes to heroes, with horror title Layers of Fear (and its sequel) and sci-fi thriller Observer cementing the studio as one to watch in its field. The Medium’s ingenious gimmick is that it will use the new-found grunt of Series X to render two versions of the world at once in real time, with gameplay cutting between the two (and sometimes even displaying both) on the fly as the situation demands. It’s the kind of idea that could only work on tech like this, and it looks fantastic.

NBA 2K21

ETA: Q4 2020

Seeing a pattern with these sports games yet? NBA 2K will almost certainly be there at launch like it has been with the last two Xbox consoles. It’s likely that it’s just the marketing deal with PlayStation that has kept mouths shut this long, and we’d expect a confirmed date as soon there’s one for PlayStation 5.

Observer System Redux

ETA: Q4 2020

Bloober’s second entry on the list is a complete visual overhaul of arguably its finest game. It’s frequently been compared to Blade Runner (and even features the late, great Rutger Hauer in the lead role) and presents a captivating sci-fi world where neural investigators are able to step into and explore the minds of others. Visuals and performance rated among the game’s few negatives on release, so this retooled version is currently riding pretty high on our wishlist, especially after seeing just how much the assets have been improved.

Outriders

ETA: Q4 2020

This new project represents a pretty major change of pace for People Can Fly, a studio best known for the frenetic Painkiller games, supporting roles on early Gears games, and the potty-mouthed Bulletstorm. Here, we get to see the mature side of the team, with a third-person shooter which guides up to three players (who take on the roles of the Pyromancer, Technomancer, and Devastator) through an RPG-influenced narrative adventure with loot, dialogue options, weapon mods, powerful special abilities, and all that good stuff.

Poker Club

ETA: Q4 2020

Never before will 2-7 offsuit have looked so good. You should still definitely fold it, but still… shiny. Here, you’ll be able to play out your poker career all the way from low-stakes bar games to top-end high roller events in broadcast studios, playing against AI opponents and/or other players around the world. It’s hardly the best way to show off $500 worth of new console, but Ripstone has been making these kinds of games for years, and few studios do them better.

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2

ETA: Q4 2020

Slamming two completely different puzzles games together has no right to work this well. The original never got an Xbox release outside of Japan, but believe us when we say it’s an outstanding fusion of two classic play styles, and features some truly creative modes that make the best of both sets of mechanics. Multiplayer in particular is fantastic fun both locally and online, although it’s worth bearing in mind that players with experience on other platforms have a head start of a good few years with these complex yet satifying systems.

Rainbow Six Siege

ETA: Q4 2020

Ubisoft’s original stance on Rainbow Six Siege was that it would be next-gen-ready in time for launch. However, the wording during the recent Ubisoft Forward wasn’t quite so clear, so it could be that the complications presented by 2020 have thrown a spanner in the works. Progress and unlocks will carry over to the new version when it does drop, though.

Ride 4

ETA: January 21st, 2021

Racing on two wheels rather than four has always been that much less forgiving when adapted to video game form, but developer Milestone is one of the best in the biz when it comes to delivering the thrill of motorcycle racing without the frustration of spilling off every corner. The Xbox One version arrives on October 8th, but there’ll be a three-month wait before the Series X/S version is ready to get out there and give chase.

WRC 9

ETA: Q4 2020

You don’t get this close to having double digits in your title if your game isn’t up to scratch. Sure enough, WRC 9 — which released only a few weeks ago on Xbox One — seems to have gone down well with critics and fans alike, although those looking for a Dirt-like experience might find themselves a little put off my the more realistic approach of this officially licensed release. Conversely, if you’re no fan of Dirt’s disrespect for total accuracy, perhaps this will be more your speed?

SERIES X OPTIMISED XB1 GAMES

These are the Xbox One games that have been specifically optimised for Xbox Series X, with new updates that take advantage of the next-gen tech above and beyond the usual backwards compatibility extras.

Forza Horizon 4

Despite how lovely Forza Horizon 4 already looks on Xbox One X, there is still some room for improvement. Factor in the generational leap of the new Xbox hardware, though, and this is unlikely to be the case any more. This is going to be beautiful.

Gears 5

Right now, Gears 5 is probably the best demonstration of 4K HDR gaming on Xbox One. The game also features the most customisable HDR calibration we’ve seen in a game so far, so it’s perfect for helping you make sure your display is set up properly. It’s also quite good.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps

Of the three games, Ori feels like it has less to gain from the jump to new hardware, but we’re ready to stand corrected. Anything for another excuse to venture back into that gorgeous world, especially now the issues from back at launch are behind it.

Well, that’s all for now, but as we say, we’ll make sure to keep this list updated as best we can as we head ever closer to the launch of Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. What are you most looking forward to picking up at launch? What are the big must-haves for you that might come a little later? Let us know below!