Surprise! It's January, which means we're getting a shiny new Developer_Direct from Xbox.
Developer_Direct is the brand Xbox is using for its mini games showcases, spread throughout the year. For the past couple of years, we've had January shows to help set the tone for Xbox's first-party games offering, although Microsoft has also been giving the floor to promising third-party games as well in recent times. Microsoft is set to have one of its most jam-packed years for game launches in 2025, with games like Fable, South of Midnight, DOOM: The Dark Ages, Avowed, and The Outer Worlds 2 thus far confirmed.
I suspect 2025 will feature even more games than what is presently announced. Although at least for now, Microsoft is keen to put the focus on two of the year's most intriguing upcoming Xbox titles, as well as a feature from an impressive-looking debut title from Sandfall Interactive.
Detailed on Xbox Wire, the show is set to go live on Thursday, January 23rd at 1PM ET / 6PM UK. This January's Developer_Direct will offer a dive into South of Midnight, DOOM: The Dark Ages, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
"Presented by the game creators themselves, Developer_Direct offers an in-depth look at upcoming titles, how they’re being created, and who’s creating them. We’ll visit Compulsion Games in Montreal, Canada to learn more about South of Midnight, head to Montpellier, France to see Sandfall Interactive for a look at Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, stop by the legendary id Studios in Richardson, Texas to check in on DOOM: The Dark Ages, and visit a surprise location to see another studio’s brand new game."
Microsoft has detailed how DOOM: The Dark Ages is a "cinematic origin story" detailing the early days of the Doom Slayer in a "dark and sinister" medieval-styled bloodbath against the forces of Hell.
Additionally, Compulsion Games is set to offer a deeper look at southern gothic action game South of Midnight, as players take charge of Hazel to uncover her family's hidden origins. Microsoft has also given the microphone to Sandfall Interactive, whose debut game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has tasked itself to deliver a turn-based JRPG-style dark fantasy with modern AAA flair.
In the past, Microsoft has also teased additional surprises for their Developer_Direct streams. Given the "???" panel on the official graphic above, there's no reason to think this year will be any different. Microsoft itself says it'll "visit a surprise location to see another studio’s brand new game" for the fourth slot, but that could be interpreted broadly. In that vein, there are plenty of other games that could potentially make it into the fourth slot, with Avowed launching in February, The Outer Worlds 2 and Fable also slated for later in the year. It's most likely Fable will appear at the big post-June Showcase Developer_Direct, which was taken up by Call of Duty Black Ops 6 last year. There have been a broad array of rumors about a potential Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion remake in recent months, too. Beyond that, there are still some major third-party games missing from Xbox that fans have been waiting to see, many of which would make for fun surprises to drop in the final slot — but it sounds as though this fantastical new title may be something truly new, and not something previously released. We'll know for sure by January 23rd.
Update (Jan 9, 2024): Xbox marketing VP Aaron Greenberg just confirmed that the mystery fourth slot is a completely surprise unannounced new game, which eliminates the possibility of it being a remake or a port. Start your speculation engines!
Hmmmm....what could be behind that question mark?January 9, 2025
As usual, Xbox's Developer_Direct shows can be viewed on the firm's Twitch channel as well as its YouTube channel. If you can't watch live, keep it locked to Windows Central as we'll bring all the details you need right here on the site and across our socials.
