The launch titles weren’t great. Will next year be better? Let’s find out! Whatoplay presents
our picks for the Top 25 Upcoming Xbox Series X games for 2021. Arranged by release dates.
To see the complete, up-to-date list of all upcoming Xbox releases,
visit our page of All Upcoming Xbox Series X|S Games.
1. Outriders Third person
shooters aren’t entirely common in Square Enix’s repertoire. But this upcoming title
promises a rich shooting experience, especially for fans of games like The Division and Warframe.
Enjoy drop-in, drop-out co-op shooting in a story set in a dystopian sci-fi universe.
On top of that, it’s also an RPG with four different classes, with abilities to manipulate
time and fire, or form artillery out of thin air. It’s set to release on February 2nd.
2. Mass Effect: Legendary Edition It's not just one Mass Effect game,
it's three! All of them refreshed and remastered for their entrance to the next-gen.
Spanning the first three games of the series, the highly praised titles will return along with all
their DLCs and promotional material. Their teaser trailers show some of the favorite characters,
resurrected in eye-popping graphical detail. It’s coming out in Spring 2021.
3. Avowed Another fantasy-based first-person RPG is
coming out of Obsidian Entertainment. Set in the same universe as their Pillars of Eternity Series,
we get to see the world of Eora in a different light. From the reveal trailer, it seems we'll
get to have a Skyrim-like experience that will be packed with deep caverns and magical combat.
No release date has yet been confirmed but speculation points to a Late 2021 release.
4. ExoMecha TwistedRed
blew us all away with their premiere trailer of their new competitive FPS.
At first glance, it looks like a cross between Crysis and Titanfall. Which is to say, it's got
that next-gen feel to it, with its fast-paced combat and dazzling graphics. And what makes it
even better is it's going to be free to play. Coming out exclusively for Microsoft in 2021.
5. Battlefield 6 EA has confirmed that
a new entry of Battlefield will be coming in this next-generation. With their entrance to
the high-powered consoles, they will be targeting support for new innovations.
While all that's reassuring, we really don't know much else about what the installment
will be about. But, we're itching to learn more before its release in 2021.
6. Hogwarts Legacy We are finally getting
an open world experience of the famous magic school. Set in the 1800s, we won't be meeting
the iconic characters we've come to love. However, we will get to create a brand new
character who will wield Ancient Magic against a mysterious threat. With an announce trailer
teasing us with classes and creatures to battle, we're all hotly anticipating its release in 2021.
7. Halo Infinite When we first saw gameplay in the recent showcase,
many were quite unimpressed by what it had to show for. Following the event, it seems the project has
gone through some changes. Most notably the most recent departure of project director, Chris Lee.
While we won’t see the game in this year’s Video Game Awards, we may get
some high-level updates in the following weeks. It’s scheduled to release in 2021.
8. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 We are going back to the
Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in this hotly awaited sequel. The development of this title has been
quite the long road. But, now, it’s coming in the best way possible. Made with the Unreal Engine 4,
more mutated creatures and mysterious anomalies await us in eye-popping realism. With a
seamless open world and non-linear story to boot, it’s coming in 2021.
9. Resident Evil Village The iconic survival horror
series is pumping out another hit with this new entry. Sticking to the first-person perspective,
take the role of Ethan Winters and set to explore an eerie European village.
It won't be mad murderers and zombies anymore. Instead, we take deeper dive
into the supernatural in an environment of cult mysticism. it's coming in 2021.
10. Bright Memory: Infinite Starting out as a game made
completely by one person, this Infinite edition will take it to a whole new level entirely.
The goal was always to expand the original game with rewrites to the story and reworked
levels. But, from their Gamescom, we see a game that’s entirely deserving of its next-gen title.
Packed with more bulletstorms and stylish combat, it’s set to release in 2021.
11. Scorn If you're a fan of the gruesome
art of Alien and the old Dune movie, you may enjoy immersing yourself in this FPS from Ebb Software.
It's an atmospheric experience, throwing you in the depths of a unsetting dream-like world.
Navigating its regions is an adventure itself, especially with its non-linear
story and varying puzzles. A microsoft exclusive, it’s coming in 2021.
12. The Ascent Cyberpunk is in and Neon
Giant has submitted their own contender in the lineup. Composed of a team of only 11 people,
they give us a tour of their gritty city run by entirely by megacorporations. An isometric
action RPG, it’s a visual marvel. With its co-op gameplay, you’ll be allowed to share the looting
and shooting experience with a friend. It’s coming exclusively to Microsoft consoles in 2021.
13. The Gotham Knights In this latest DC title from WB,
Batman is dead but the city lives on. Without the Caped Crusader, it falls to Batgirl,
Nightwing, Red Hood, and Robin to take up the mantle of Gotham's heroes.
It won't be the first open world game around the iconic city. However, with four
different heroes at your discretion, there's definitely gonna be more to play around with.
14. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Quarantine The spinoff to the popular FPS series won't
be coming out any time soon. Running in contrast to their past games,
Quarantine aims to unite players against the common extraterrestrial threat.
Unfortunately, due to COVID concerns, the game has been delayed from its original schedule. With not
much known about the game so far, we're hoping to get more details before its release in 2021.
15. Everwild Rare is bringing their magic to the
next-gen console. Following a rising appreciation for naturally rich, magical adventures,
Everwild will be a worthy contender to the cause, with less focus on combat and more
on discovering the diversity and uniqueness of the world. While developers are still working on
translating its lofty themes towards gameplay, we'll have a lot to look forward to come 2021.
16. Atomic Heart After their impressive announce trailer,
we've long awaited the arrival of Mundfish's FPS. Despite more than a few months of radio silence,
their latest presentations have made it all worth it. They showed off a whole lot of detail in
their colorful and quirky Soviet Union. And, we're looking forward to roaming its halls and jungles,
and encountering all their creepy monsters. Coming this 2021.
17. Ghostwire: Tokyo Tango Gameworks latest IP. After their
Evil Within series, Tango have seemingly gone a completely different direction in this game.
Instead of horror, we're getting a more action type deal, with glitchy attacks and a whole lot
of enemies. The hype for a new, suspenseful title may have died along with their last trailer,
but there are still many hoping to try it on for size in 2021.
18. Hood: Outlaws & Legends No, it's not a new Assassin's Creed game.
Though, with a reveal trailer that boasts a medieval setting and hooded, hidden blade wielding
protagonist, the comparison kinda make sense. We only have a cinematic trailer to go on so far,
but according to developer Sumo Digital, we can expect a hefty,
online stealth multiplayer. Looking good so far, it's coming in 2021.
19. As Dusk Falls It may not be the most impressive
at real-time animation, but it's definitely more than just GTA Loading Screen: The Game.
A microsoft exclusive, what it lacks in graphics, it makes up for in intrigue.
The interactive drama spans 30 years in the story of two families, intertwined by a hostage-taking
brought about my misfortune. There will be tough decisions ahead as it comes out in 2021.
20. The Gunk The creators of SteamWorld are rising past
the ruddy nuts and bolts of their 2D platformer series. Now, they're exploring an alien horizon
in this brand new adventure. The untamed goo of this game's hub planet has so much character.
Even in their short reveal video, it's pretty clear that there's a whole lot to expect.
Gather resources, craft, and survive when it comes exclusively to Micrsoft consoles in 2021.
21. Chorus Answering to a need for more space-based
battles is this new IP from Deep Silver. Their cinematic trailer was already pretty eye-catching,
but their new gameplay showcase was spectacular. With a story about a deadly pilot and her sentient
plane, it delivers on the breakneck speeds and high-octane combat. It's set to release in 2021.
22. Paradise Lost
The Nazis have come to stay in this field trip through an icy alternative history.
Unlike other alternative histories involving Nazis though, this is more of a journey of discovery as
we play the role of a 12-year-old roaming around a Polish wasteland 20 years after the war.
Unfortunately, it's been delayed from its 2020 release, so perhaps we'll expect in 2021.
23. Blood Bowl III The marriage of two equally popular franchises:
Warhammer and Football. Blood Bowl takes cues from American Football and gives it
a chaotic and slightly gruesome fantasy twist. This third installment will come
with 12 races that can be played through their campaign and multiplayer modes.
Not much is known about the game yet but it's expected to come out in 2021.
24. State of Decay 3 Undead Labs is bringing the
next evolution of their open world zombie survival series. The announcement is relativeily recent,
but fans were blown away by its scenic yet creepy woodland atmosphere. We still don't
know much about the game other than the fact that it's on its way. However, we are looking
forward to facing off with undead animals, along with all the return of the features we loved.
25. Hellblade II: Senua's Saga One of Microsoft's most anticipated exclusives.
Ninja Theory is bringing their Nordic adventure to the next level with its entrance to the Series X.
We're gonna get a continuation of the compelling storyline as the demons that haunt Senua
come loose. Through reported to be built on the Unreal Engine 5 which launches late 2021,
developers may just opt to upgrade and launch earlier in the year.