It’s no secret that Microsoft struggled with first-party releases in 2022, which is why even the head of Xbox is aware that upcoming Bethesda titles Starfield and Redfall are critical to the success of the platform and PC Game Pass. While we still don’t have an exact Starfield release date, the RPG game is going to be vital in supporting Microsoft, Xbox, and Game Pass whenever it launches this year.
With a Starfield showcase on the horizon and the Redfall release date finally confirmed, 2023 will be strong for PC Game Pass. This is something CEO of Xbox Phil Spencer is trepidatiously aware of, as he wants to make sure Xbox has a better 2023 across all of its ecosystems, including PC.
“Redfall and Starfield are really important games, every first-party game that we’re building is,” Spencer tells IGN. “In terms of the growth of Game Pass, it’s been steady. And as we’re adding new games and sequels to games, we see the continued growth.
With Starfield’s Game Pass release confirmed (despite no firm release date in sight) Bethesda as both a developer and publisher are going to be vital to Microsoft’s success in 2023. In fact, the recent surprise release of Tango Gameworks’ Hi-Fi Rush on Steam and Game Pass has already paid dividends.
“I’m just really encouraged by the strength that Bethesda’s going to show in our portfolio, and we’re starting to see it already in 2023, and that’s exciting,” Spencer adds.
That said, Spencer is definitely aware of the lacklustre 2022 Xbox had, and how even just this month’s Developer Direct has acted as a way for the team to show that this year will be different.
“The commitment we have to our customers to continue to deliver great games is something that I take seriously, the teams take seriously, and 2022 was too light on games,” Spencer says. “So we’re excited about getting to roll into 2023, have the Developer Direct. I felt really good about the games that we were showing. And then also knowing that Starfield is a game that we’d be able to highlight in its own show and then just start off 2023 with good momentum.”
If you’re excited about Starfield and want to play something similar in the meantime, we’ve got a list of the best open-world games and best sandbox games to scratch that itch. We even have the best games like Starfield itself as well.
