Xbox Developer Direct to Offer Updates on Indiana Jones, Hellblade 2, More

Microsoft is returning with an Xbox Developer Direct next week, promising updates on the much anticipated Indiana Jones game, Obsidian’s upcoming fantasy RPG Awoved, and more. The presentation is scheduled to go live next Thursday, January 18 at 1:30am IST in India/ 12pm PT in the US, and will be available to watch on Xbox’s official YouTube and Twitch channels. True to the name, the event will include both gameplay footage and developer interviews to best illustrate upcoming titles in the ecosystem, a lot of which will be included with Xbox Game Pass. However, it is worth noting that despite the recently completed acquisition, don’t expect any Activision Blizzard games to be shown during the broadcast.

The standout here is MachineGuns’ Indiana Jones game, which was confirmed to be a PC and Xbox exclusive from the Microsoft vs US FTC trial in June. Announced just months after the company acquired ZeniMax Media for $7.5 billion (about Rs. 62,264 crore), Indian Jones’ first gameplay trailer will likely put us in the shoes of the famous archaeologist with the whip and give out more details about the general premise of the title. This segment will run a little over 10 minutes. Meanwhile, developer Ninja Theory will take us on yet another behind-the-scenes trip into the world of Hellblade 2, charting a new path in Senua’s tale as she ventures into Viking Iceland to save innocents from a tyrannical rule. Hopefully, we get a solid release date this time — the team has been teasing its usage of Unreal Engine 5 for years now and understandably, players are getting impatient.

Obsidian is at the top of its league when it comes to writing branching RPGs, and fans are expecting to be stunned when they’re transported back to the fictional world of Eora, first introduced in the Pillars of Eternity series. In Avowed, Obsidian’s next RPG, you assume the role of a messenger tasked with investigating rumours of a spreading plague in the vibrant Living Lands, flush with intriguing characters, breathing environments, and absurd wildlife. Master spells, wield swords imbued with elemental magic, and make quick work of enemies through unorthodox methods. Given how much Baldur’s Gate 3 valued player agency and impressed gamers globally, Avowed has got some big shoes to fill. Then Oxide Games will show off some new Ara: History Untold gameplay, alongside ‘details about the inspiration, key features, and the road ahead.’

Shortly after the Xbox Developer Direct event, ZeniMax Online Studios has planned a broadcast for The Elder Scrolls Online, revealing the next big chapter that brings in a whole new zone, plot threads, and quality-of-life features. The show goes live at 2:30am IST in India/ 1pm PT in the US on the same Xbox channel. Elsewhere, there are rumours of Sea of Thieves coming to PlayStation and the Nintendo Switch systems — if true, we could learn more about it during the digital event.

The Xbox Developer Direct is scheduled for January 18 at 1:30am IST in India/ 12pm PT in the US.