Source: Ninja Gaiden 4 / Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 / Invincible Vs / Xbox Games Showcase
PlayStation kicked things off with a “surprise” State of Play, where Geoff Keighley almost shed a tear introducing Resident Evil Requiem, and now Microsoft has come through and flexed its muscle during its annual Xbox Games Showcase.
As expected, Microsoft held its most significant announcements for its Xbox Games Showcase, finally revealing its Xbox-branded handheld with ASUS, while giving a much-needed update on Hollow Knight: Silksong, Persona 4 Remake, Doublefine’s new game Keeper, while just casually announcing Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is on the way, along with other announcements that got oohs and aahs on social media.
To close things out, Phil Spencer hit us with a promise that “players will get to celebrate 25 years of Xbox with a new Fable, the next Forza, Gears of War: E-Day, and the return of a classic that’s been with us since the beginning.”
We shall see Phil, we shall see.
So, for those who missed the showcase, let’s not waste any more time and touch on the biggest announcements.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Is Coming This Year!
Source: Activision / Treyarch / Raven Software / Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
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For the first time, we are getting consecutive Black Ops games with the release of Black Ops 7, scheduled for release sometime this year.
Now, forgive us if we’re a bit nervous about this game. Treyarch and Raven Software understood the assignment with Black Ops 6, delivering one of the most memorable campaigns in recent times and top-tier multiplayer experiences.
Therefore, the idea of a follow-up coming so soon was somewhat unexpected, and we were also not involved.
With our concerns out of the way, Activision “welcomes us to 2035” and is promising that Black Ops 7 will deliver the “most mind-bending action to date.”
A description for the next installment in the Black Ops franchise reads:
The year is 2035 and the world is on the brink of chaos, ravaged by conflict and psychological warfare following the narrative events of Black Ops 2 and Black Ops 6. With cutting-edge technology in hand, the Black Ops team led by David Mason must fight back against a manipulative enemy who weaponizes fear above all else.
Black Ops 7 will also feature an “innovative Co-op Campaign,” providing players with access to near-future weaponry to utilize in the popular multiplayer mode. This mode will introduce new maps and a new installment in Round-Based Zombies, set in the heart of the Dark Aether.
No release date was announced, but Xbox promises to share more information about Black Ops 7 this summer.
Microsoft Finally Unveils The ROG Xbox Ally & ROG Xbox Ally X
Source: Xbox / ROG Xbox Ally Handhelds
Microsoft is fully committed to Xbox Play Anywhere, Game Pass, Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta), Remote Play, and more, aiming to enable gamers to enjoy their favorite games anywhere, at any time.
The long-rumored Xbox handheld is on hold, but Microsoft is still collaborating with ASUS, which the company says shares its vision and has announced two new handhelds: the ROG Xbox Ally and the ROG Xbox Ally X.
Microsoft has not revealed the price for either device, but many believe it will remain in the same ballpark as other ROG Ally systems, so don’t be surprised if the Ally X costs $800 at launch.
Pricing, along with pre-orders, accessories, and other information, will be arriving soon, Microsoft says.
We also don’t have a release date, but Microsoft says we can expect them to arrive this holiday season. Additionally, gamers can be excited to learn that when they do get their hands on one of the ROG Xbox handhelds, they won’t be limited to playing only Xbox games, which can be played natively, via the cloud, or by accessing an Xbox console remotely.
You will also be able to play games via Battle.net and “other leading PC storefronts,” so that also means Steam and Ubisoft Connect, on top of Game Pass integration and support for Xbox Play Anywhere, allowing for synched progress across multiple devices.
The ROG Xbox Ally Specs
As far as specs are concerned, there is a dedicated Xbox button that brings up a Game Bar overlay, making it easier to switch between games and apps, adjust settings, and initiate chats with friends.
The handhelds both run on an optimized version of Windows 11, feature a seven-inch 1080p, 16:9 display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 500 nits of brightness, with anti-reflective and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection, plus support for FreeSync Premium.
They also each feature “HD Haptics.”
However, there are differences: the ROG Xbox Ally features Hall-effect analog triggers, while the Xbox Ally X features “impulse triggers for enhanced control.”
Under the hood, the ROG Xbox Ally features an AMD Ryzen Z2 A Processor, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage, essentially making it the Xbox Series S equivalent for handhelds.
The ROG Ally X features a slightly more powerful AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor, 24GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. But it does offer expanded storage for those worried about running out of space.
Invincible VS
Source: Skybound Entertainment / Invincible VS
Since Omni-Man’s inclusion in Mortal Kombat 1 as one of the game’s first DLC fighters, fans have been wondering why there hasn’t been a fighting game based on Robert Kirkman’s comic book series Invincible.
Well Skyboud Entertainment, through its new in-house development studio, Quarter Up, is bringing your favorite characters from those comics and putting them in their own equally as violent fighting game called Invincible VS, where players can play as either Invincible, Atom Eve, Thula, and Bulletproof and engage in three-versus-three battles that are just as bloody as the fights in the comic books and shows.
Another added touch fans will be excited about when the game arrives is that it will feature some of the voice actors from the show. In the trailer, J.K. Simmons’ voice can be heard as Omni-Man.
Invincible VS doesn’t have a firm release date, but you can expect it to arrive sometime in 2026. Honestly, we cannot wait to get our hands on this one.
Publisher Koei Tecmo and developer PlatinumGames delivered another bloody look at the next installment in the iconic Ninja Gaiden franchise, as well as dropping the game’s release date.
Ninja Gaiden 4 will slash its way onto PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC in October and will see the legendary ninja warrior “embark on a cutting-edge adventure where legacy meets innovation in a high-octane blend of style and no-holds-barred combat.”
For those who pre-order the game, Koei Tecmo will bless you with the Dark Dragon Desendant Yakumo skin at launch.
This game is high on our list of “must plays” this year.
For the rest of the announcements made during the Xbox Games Showcase, hit the gallery below.
1. The Outer Worlds 2 – Official Story Trailer | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
The Outer Worlds 2 is the eagerly-awaited sequel to the award-winning, first-person sci-fi RPG from Obsidian Entertainment (just look at the exciting number of dashes in this sentence!). Time to clear your calendar – get ready for an action-packed adventure with a new crew, new weapons, and new enemies in a new colony! So much newness!
As a daring and most likely good-looking Earth Directorate agent, you must uncover the source of devastating rifts threatening to destroy all of humanity. Your investigation leads to Arcadia, home of skip drive technology, where the fate of the colony, and ultimately the entire galaxy, rests on your decisions—your strengths, your flaws, your crew, and the factions you choose to trust.
2. HIGH ON LIFE 2 Official Trailer | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
COMING THIS WINTER: From Squanch Games comes High On Life 2 – WISHLIST TODAY!
An intergalactic conspiracy threatens the fate of humanity! Team up with a wide cast of talking alien guns as you shoot, stab, and skate your way through the exotic locales to take down the bad guys and save your favorite species (humans)!
3. Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy – Reveal Trailer | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
Fifteen years before A Plague Tale: Requiem, young Sophia seeks her independence as a fierce plunderer in the unforgiving world of the 14th century.
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy will be released on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC and Xbox Cloud in 2026, and will be available day one with Xbox Game Pass – Wishlist today!
4. The Blood of Dawnwalker — Game Trailer | Trapped Between Two Worlds | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
Trapped between two worlds… what will you fight for?
☼ 2026 ☽
Gameplay Reveal Event coming on June 21st, 9 PM CEST *** The Blood of Dawnwalker is the first chapter of Rebel Wolves’ brand new role-playing saga — a single-player open-world dark fantasy action-RPG with a strong focus on story and narrative. Developed on Unreal Engine 5 for Xbox X|S and Xbox PC.
You play as Coen, a young man turned into a #Dawnwalker, forever treading the line between the world of day and the realm of night. Use your skills and combine vampiric strength with human resolve as you take on a quest to save the ones you love. Face your foes – be they human, monster, or the ticking clock itself. But remember – the real evil may bask in the sun’s light, and the most loyal of allies could lurk under the cover of night.
5. Super Meat Boy 3D Announcement Trailer | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
As part of the Xbox June Showcase, Super Meat Boy, the infamous tough-as-nails platformer, was revealed, IN 3D! Coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, and Xbox Cloud.
6. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants – Official DLC Reveal | Xbox Games Showcase
Discover a breathtaking mystery long-hidden in the depths of Rome. An all new story chapter takes Indiana Jones™ to the ancient streets of Rome where forgotten catacombs twist into something far more sinister. Indy must outwit a dangerous cult and decipher puzzles designed by emperors to uncover the dark legacy of the Nephilim giants.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants™ is available September 4.
7. Beast of Reincarnation – Reveal Trailer | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
From developers GAME FREAK inc., Beast of Reincarnation launches day one with Xbox Game Pass in 2026.
Also coming to Xbox Series X|S. In post-apocalyptic Japan, a land ruined by corruption and crawling with monstrous beasts, humanity’s last hope may rest with Emma—an outcast cursed as a Blighted One—and Koo, her loyal canine companion.
Survive a journey across an ominous, ever-changing world where dangerous forests can erupt in the wasteland. As Emma and Koo push deeper into the unknown, their bond strengthens—and with it, strange powers bloom.
Explore what it means to be human in Beast of Reincarnation, an expansive one-person, one-dog action RPG built around demanding, technical combat. What awaits at journey’s end?
8. Clockwork Revolution | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
Welcome to the Tangle, the slums of Avalon and home to you, Morgan Vanette, and your gang the Rotten Row Hooligans. After discovering that the ruthless Lady Ironwood has altered history—using time travel to enrich herself while keeping Avalon’s people poor and powerless—you’re thrust into an adventure across time to turn back the clock and right Ironwood’s wrongs—however you see fit.
9. Grounded 2 – Announce Trailer | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
Ride together, survive together.
Grounded 2 is coming to Game Preview on July 29, 2025 Shrunk again, but the world is much larger.
In this open-world, single-player or co-op survival adventure, craft weapons and armor, build your base, and traverse the playground on your buggy. But something else is out there—and it hasn’t forgotten you.
10. Cronos: The New Dawn – Survive the Nest | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
Watch the Official Gameplay showcase for Cronos: The New Dawn, a pulse-pounding, third-person survival horror game by Bloober Team!
In the time-warped nightmare of the future, monsters known as Orphans stalk the land. Emerging from the downfall of mankind, these grotesque creatures can fuse together to create even deadlier foes.
In this gameplay showcase, you will witness the Traveler descending into an Orphan nest, confronting the twisted creatures that inhabit its depths.
11. The Elder Scrolls Online – Tales of Tamriel | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
Discover your next big adventure in The Elder Scrolls Online. Explore a diverse fantasy world, experience rich stories and unforgettable characters, and forge your own path in the legendary setting of the Elder Scrolls—you belong here!
The Elder Scrolls Online is available on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. Purchase the 2025 Content Pass for access to the game and the all-new Seasons of the Worm Cult adventure. Purchase the 2025 Premium Edition for access to the game, the all-new Seasons of the Worm Cult story, and ALL previous ESO adventures. We’ll see you in Tamriel!
12. Aphelion | Reveal Trailer | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
Aphelion is a narrative-driven sci-fi adventure game developed and published by DON’T NOD.
Coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, and Game Pass in 2026. Wishlist today on Xbox.
About the game:
By 2060, Earth will be uninhabitable. The discovery of a 9th planet – Persephone – at the edge of the Solar System, is humanity’s best hope. The European Space Agency is dispatching the Hope 01 scientific mission, consisting of 2 accomplished astronauts, Ariane and Thomas. Their mission: to survey the planet and determine whether humanity can prosper anew here.
Stranded on a frozen planet, astronaut Ariane must brave rugged landscapes and shifting realities to rescue her wounded partner, Thomas. This story-rich sci-fi adventure blends exploration, traversal, and tense stealth gameplay.
13. No Ghosts At The Grand – Reveal Trailer | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
In this spooky, cozy, musical mystery, you’ll become the reluctant heir to a dilapidated hotel that was once renowned for its charm and hospitality. As you go room-to-room solving restoration puzzles, you’ll also end up uncovering some surreal, supernatural secrets of the hotel’s past. Welcome to The Grand.
14. Age of Mythology: Retold – Heavenly Spear – Announce Trailer | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
Coming Fall 2025: A Divine Weapon. A Mortal Hero. A New Pantheon Awakens.
Heavenly Spear brings an all-new Japanese pantheon to Age of Mythology: Retold, introducing 12 new gods, each with unique god powers, divine technologies, and myth units drawn from centuries of legend.
Embark on a 12-mission campaign following Yasuko, a humble farmer’s daughter who discovers a magical spear and is swept into a mythic war. As she uncovers the spear’s secrets, she must battle the cunning spider Yokai Magumo, the power-hungry warlord, Kagemasa, and ultimately face the monstrous Yamata no Orochi, the Titan of the Japanese Pantheon.
Command new units drawn from Japanese mythology including famed Kitsune foxes, the deadly Jorogumo spider, and the mighty, club-wielding Oni. Elite Samurai and shadowy Shinobi join your armies to add new layers of strategy and deception.
Do you truly believe your opinions to be yours, and yours alone? Maybe you do, or just wish that you did.
MUDANG: Two Hearts is a new stealth action thriller set in modern-day South Korea.
In the not-too-distant future, the divided nations of South and North Korea are on the verge of reunification. On the day when the historic bill was set to pass, a mystery terrorist group attacks the South Korean National Assembly, throwing the entire nation into chaos.
Sent to uncover the truth, a North Korean soldier stumbles upon a K-Pop star and is given a new mission: protect the girl who can unravel it all. As their stories intertwine, a chilling truth begins to take shape on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, and Xbox Cloud in 2026.
16. Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf Announcement Trailer | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
Wishlist Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf on Xbox Store.
The saga continues. Their home saved, a deeper journey begins. Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf is an ambitious cinematic puzzle adventure that doubles the size and scope of the original. Launching on Xbox X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, and Xbox One in 2026 and day one with Game Pass, this highly anticipated sequel revisits Lana and Mui’s profound bond as they navigate Novo’s changed world after the robot invasion.
Unravel a deeper sci-fi story where Lana confronts her own demons and a new threat tests their unbreakable bond.
17. Fallout 76: Gone Fission Launch Trailer | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
Kick back and cast away with the new fishing feature, where you can fish anywhere you can swim! To get started, head on over to Fisherman’s Rest to unlock your first Fishing Rod. Combine different types of baits and mod your Rod to lure over thirty types of fish, including some elusive Local Legends.
Host a wasteland cookout to share new recipes, display your trophies at your C.A.M.P. or feed the enigmatic Linda Lee for Legendary rewards.
18. Solo Leveling: ARISE OVERDRIVE | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
Based on the hit webtoon, Solo Leveling: ARISE OVERDRIVE brings the ultimate action RPG to Xbox with new mechanics and 4-player real-time co-op!
19. Aniimo Reveal Trailer | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
Welcome to Aniimo, the new free-to-play, next-gen creature-catching open-world ARPG coming to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox PC in 2026.
As a Pathfinder, you’ll begin your journey in Idyll, a dynamic, interactive and expansive open world! There, you can collect, evolve, and twine with magical creatures called Aniimo.
Get ready to explore uncharted landscapes and mysterious dungeons, battle in real-time PvE and PvP combat, solve ancient puzzles, and master a truly dynamic gameplay experience.
20. Tony Hawk's™ Pro Skater™ 3 + 4 – Launch Gameplay Trailer | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
Pre-Purchase Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™ 3 + 4 and receive access to the Foundry Demo – available now!
Shred across Foundry and College parks as Tony Hawk or Rayssa Leal, alongside a selection of eardrum-shattering songs. Digital Deluxe Edition purchasers will also get to skate as The Doom Slayer.
Demo Includes:
2 playable Skaters
2 playable Parks
Limited In-Game Soundtrack
The Doom Slayer playable skater (Digital Deluxe Edition only)
21. At Fate's End Announcement Trailer – 4K | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
At Fate’s End is an action-adventure game where you fight the ones you love. Coming in 2026 to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC and with Xbox Game Pass.
22. Gears of War: Reloaded – Gameplay Trailer – 4K | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
Gears of War: Reloaded is a celebration of one of gaming’s most iconic franchises—rebuilt with 4K resolution, up to120 FPS support, and fully modernized multiplayer. Featuring cross-play and cross-progression across platforms, this is the definitive way to experience the game that started it all.
Coming August 26th, 2025. Play it day one with Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass.
Pre-order now for access to the Exclusive Multiplayer Beta as well as the Adam Fenix and Anya Stroud Character Skins for use in multiplayer. https://www.xbox.com/games/store/gear…
23. Persona 4 Revival – Teaser Trailer | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
The chances of your screen turning into a portal to another world are low, but never zero… 📺
Persona 4 Revival is officially announced for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, and Xbox Game Pass!
24. Smugglers' Tide – Official Sea of Thieves Season 17 Announce Trailer | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
A new gang of nefarious troublemakers have infiltrated the Sea of Thieves!
Known as The Smuggler’s League, they’re recruiting pirates willing to deal with dangers others’ are afraid to handle, including weapons and some of the most perilously powerful explosives ever seen on the seas. Crews that think they’re up to the challenge can embark on new Smuggler’s Voyages to salvage — or steal — these hot properties and see them safely into the wrong hands, but one false move could spell disaster. Sparks are sure to fly when Season 17: Smugglers’ Tide launches in August, free for all players.
25. FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE – Coming to Xbox | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
The critically acclaimed FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE is coming to Xbox consoles, Xbox PC, and Cloud this winter.
FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE retells the original story of FINAL FANTASY VII up to the escape from Midgar with unforgettable characters, breathtaking visuals and epic battles, which mixes traditional command-based combat and real-time action. It also includes FF7R EPISODE INTERmission, an additional story starring Yuffie Kisaragi that offers a fresh perspective running in parallel to Cloud’s journey.
27. Keeper – Official Announce Trailer | Xbox Games Showcase 2025
THE KEEPER SHALL AWAKEN.
From Lee Petty and Double Fine Productions, Keeper is a story told without words in which a long-forgotten lighthouse is awakened and, joined by a spirited seabird, embarks upon a heartening tale of unlikely companionship and an unexpected journey into realms beyond understanding.
