Games comming to Xbox Series X: The Xbox Game Event Roundup

The hype for next-gen consols erupted when Microsoft announced their next-gen Xbox series X consols in E3 2019 as 'Project Scarlet' and since then it never decreased by even a margin.

It is mainly because the console/consols is/are getting a respectable performance improvement.

A month ago Xbox showcased the major titles in a live event in Youtube that will be available to play in Xbox Series X. We are going to take a look at those games but before that here are few things about the Console.

About the Console 

Image Credit: Xbox.com

As per Microsoft's revel, the console will be shaped like a tall cuboid with a mesh or air vents at the top. It can be oriented in both horizontal or vertical ways, however, the design seems to prefer the vertical standing position in terms of cooling. The console will be equipped with only one fan to dissipate the heat and minimize the noise at the same time. 

As for the specs, the console will be equipped custom made AMD CPU and GPU based on AMD's latest 7nm Architectures. It will also support Ray-Tracing and those who are wondering, Yes, it will be powered by the AMD GPU and not Nvidia counterparts. 

The processor is a customized AMD Zen 2 CPU with eight cores and 16 threads, with a peak speed of 3.8GHz, and a base speed of 3.6GHz.

However, these frequencies aren’t completely locked, which suggests the Xbox Series X could adjust the power of the CPU based on workload and thermals. So, if you’re playing a game that needs a lot of processing power, the Xbox Series X can give its CPU a boost, and then slow it down when you don’t need it.

Meanwhile, the GPU of the Xbox Series X is revealed as a custom design with 12 teraflops of computing performance, with 3328 shaders allocated to 52 compute units, and runs at a locked 1,825 MHz. Interestingly, there are no boost clocks for the GPU. It will always run at that speed.

The Xbox Series X also gets 16GB of GDDR6 memory – an upgrade from the Xbox One X’s 12GB GDDR5. That won’t all be used in games, however. Games will get a total of 13.5GB – 10GB of GPU optimal memory and 3.5GB of standard memory, while the remaining 2.5GB is reserved for the operating system. Along with that, it will get a very fast NVMe SSD for incredibly fast loading times. 

Microsoft is aiming to get Xbox Series X games to run at 60 FPS in 4K, calling the challenge a "design goal". The console will support up to 120 FPS too but in lower resolutions I guess. Microsoft also said that the Xbox Series X will have 8K capabilities.

The Xbox Series X will also feature Variable Rate Shading, which prioritizes effects on different in-game characters and objects for a "more stable frame rate and higher resolution", according to Microsoft.

Microsoft also aims to improve latency through features such as Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR).  According to Microsoft, "ALLM allows Xbox One and Xbox Series X to automatically set the connected display to its lowest latency mode". While "VRR synchronizes the display’s refresh rate to the game’s frame rate, maintaining smooth visuals without tearing". These features aim to minimize lag and make gaming more responsive.

Specifications of Xbox Series X

• CPU: 8x Zen 2 Cores at 3.8GHz (3.6GHz with SMT) 7nm
• GPU: 12 TFLOPs, 52 CUs at 1.825GHz, Custom RDNA 2
• Memory: 16GB GDDR6
• Storage: 1TB custom NVMe SSD
• Optical drive: 4K UHD Blu-ray
• Ports: HDMI 2.1 output, 3x USB 3.2, networking port, expanded storage slot, power input
• 120 fps support
• Potential 8K resolutions
• Ray-tracing technology 
• Variable Rate Shading for more stable frame rates
• Compatible with Xbox One accessories 
• Smart Delivery

About the games coming to Xbox Series X

BRIGHT MEMORY: INFINITE

When hobbies meet dedication and hard work, incredible things are created. Bright Memory: Infinite is a fast FPS and action game created by Chinese independent developer FYQD Personal Studio by just one person named Zeng Xiancheng in Unreal Engine 4. 

Bright Memory: Infinite is set in a sprawling, futuristic metropolis in the year 2036. A strange phenomenon for which scientists can find no explanation has occurred in the skies around the world. The Supernatural Science Research Organization (SRO) has sent agents out to various regions to investigate this phenomenon. Protagonist Shelia is tasked by the Science Research Organization (SRO) for which she works to prevent SAI, a military organization, from acquiring a legendary ancient power that can reawaken the dead. The game takes place in a "Land of Sky" located above the Arctic consisting of levitating landmasses which are home to ancient creatures.

This title's predecessor - Bright Memory: Episode 1 was released in steam as a demo to the original title.

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DIRT 5

Image Credit: RealSports101

Dirt 5 is an upcoming racing video game developed by Codemasters. It is the fourteenth game in the Colin McRae Rally series and the eighth game to carry the Dirt title. The game is scheduled to be released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X in October 2020, and Stadia in 2021. 

Dirt 5 is a racing game focused on off-road racing. Disciplines within the game include rallycross, ice racing, stadium super trucks and off-road buggies. Players can compete in events in a wide range of locations including Arizona, Brazil, China, Italy, New York City and Norway. The game includes a dynamic weather system and seasons, which affect the racing; for example, the player can only compete in ice racing events in New York during winter months. A four-player split-screen system is also introduced into the game.

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SCORN

Image Credit: news.xbox.com

Scorn is an upcoming first-person shooter horror game developed by Ebb Software for Microsoft Windows and Xbox Series X. The game is directly inspired by the works of H. R. Giger and Zdzisław Beksiński.

The player controls a strange skinless humanoid, lost in a nightmarish world filled with odd creatures and macabre tapestry, resembling a living techno-organic structure composed of steel, flesh, and bone. The player will explore different interconnected regions in a non-linear fashion, searching for answers that will explain more about the game's world.

The game, thus far, presents two main weapons: a pistol and a shotgun. The player starts with the pistol, a 6-shot weapon dealing mild damage to the in-game enemies. It appears to be completely organic, beginning with the mouth-looking base for the weapon which can be opened to let the pistol itself be removed and exchanged for the shotgun. The shotgun is a 3-shot weapon that deals considerable damage to enemies close-up, but the damage drops at long distances. The shotgun is composed of the same materials as the pistol, appearing to be made from organic matter.

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CHORVS

Image Credit: impulsegamer.com

Chorvs is a Sci-Fi action-adventure shooter developed by Deep Silver Fishlabs.

Lead Nara, an ace pilot facing her haunted past, and Forsaken, her sentient ship. Their quest for redemption will take them across the galaxy and beyond the boundaries of reality, as they fight to unite resistance forces against the Circle and their leader, the Great Prophet, at all costs.

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MADDEN NFL 21

Image Credit: epingi.com

Madden NFL 21 is an upcoming American football video game based on the National Football League (NFL), being developed by EA Tiburon and will be published by Electronic Arts. It is the upcoming instalment in the long-running Madden NFL series. It will be released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, then will be available on upcoming consoles PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X upon their releases planned for the holiday season; a release for Google's Stadia cloud game service is also planned. It will feature Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson as the cover athlete. Jackson revealed he will be the cover star for the game on April 21, 2020. The game was officially announced on May 7, 2020.

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VAMPIRE: THE MASQUERADE – BLOODLINES 2

Image Credit: nvidia.com

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is an upcoming action role-playing video game developed by Hardsuit Labs and published by Paradox Interactive. Set in White Wolf Publishing's World of Darkness, the game is based on White Wolf's tabletop role-playing game Vampire: The Masquerade and is the sequel to the 2004 video game Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines. The story follows a human in 21st-century Seattle, who is killed and revived as a thin blood vampire with relatively weak vampiric abilities.

Bloodlines 2 is mainly played in a first-person perspective, alternating to third-person for contextual activities. The player assigns their character one of three thin blood disciplines—unique and upgradable powers—before later joining one of five Full-blood clans. The game is planned for release in 2020 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.

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CALL OF THE SEA

Image credit: Xbox.com

Call of the Sea is a first-person adventure puzzle game set in the 1930s that tells the story of Norah, a woman on the trail of her missing husband's expedition. The search takes place on a strange but beautiful island in the South Pacific, filled with secrets waiting to be unearthed.

The game will be published by Raw Fury and will be released for Xbox Series X, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows.

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THE ASCENT

Image Credit: Xbox.com

The Ascent is a solo and co-op action RPG set in a cyberpunk world. The mega corporation that owns you and everyone, The Ascent Group, has just collapsed. Confusion and chaos ensue, security and order are in disarray, and without protection, everyone is left to fend for themselves. 

The game will be published by Curve Digital and will be released for Xbox Series X, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows.

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THE MEDIUM

Image Credit: Xbox.com

The Medium is an upcoming psychological horror video game developed by Bloober Team. The Medium is a psychological horror game played in third-person as Marianne, a medium who can travel into the spirit realm.

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SCARLET NEXUS

Image Credit: Xbox.com

Scarlet nexus is an anime-styled action RPG developed by Bandai Namco. This game will be released for Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Playstation 4, Microsoft Windows.

Using psycho-kinetic abilities, the world around you becomes your greatest weapon. Lift, break and throw pieces of your environment to build your attack combos and lay waste to your enemies. 

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SECOND EXTINCTION

Image Credit: steam.com

Second Extinction is an intense 3 player online co-op FPS, where you work as a team to take down large groups of savage mutated dinosaurs. Fight through a maelstrom of bullets, bombs, teeth, claws and gore, it's up to you to reclaim Earth! 

This game is developed by Sytemic Reaction and Avalanche Studio Group and will be released for Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Microsoft Windows.

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YAKUZA: LIKE A DRAGON

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a role-playing video game developed and published by Sega. It is the eighth main release in the Yakuza series and was released in Japan for PlayStation 4 on January 16, 2020. It is scheduled for a worldwide release later in the year for PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, Linux , macOS, Xbox One and Xbox Series X; the latter will be a launch title for the console.

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ASSASSIN'S CREED VALHALLA

Image Credit: wccftech.com

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is an upcoming action role-playing video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It is the twelfth major instalment and the twenty-second release in the Assassin's Creed series, and a successor to the 2018 game Assassin's Creed Odyssey. Set in 873 AD, the game recounts an alternative history to the Viking invasion of Britain. The player controls Eivor, a Viking raider who becomes embroiled in the conflict between the Brotherhood of Assassins and the Templar Order.

The game is scheduled to be released in late 2020 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Stadia. It will also be Ubisoft's launch title for the ninth generation of gaming consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.

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