Xbox’s annual game showcase, coinciding with Summer Game Fest, is once again making a return, this time joined by an exclusive look at Gears of War E-Day.
Announced on Twitter by the new EVP and CEO of Microsoft Gaming, Asha Sharma, the showcase will take place on Sunday, June 7, at 10 am PT. Immediately following that show will be the Gears of War E-Day Direct, taking a deep dive into the new prequel. Here’s how Xbox Wire describes the two,
“We’ll begin the day with our annual Xbox Games Showcase, including first gameplay looks and huge news on upcoming titles from our first-party studios across the Xbox family, as well as our third-party partners around the globe – from the biggest franchises to soon-to-be indie darlings.
Immediately following Showcase, we’ll go even deeper on one of the games coming later this year, directly from the team behind the Gears franchise, The Coalition Studio. Gears of War: E-Day Direct will take players into the start of Emergence Day, offering new details, gameplay, and insights about the hugely anticipated origin story to the Gears of War saga.”
On top of this, Xbox has announced that it’s bringing back Xbox FanFest at Showcase, giving fans the chance to watch the presentation in a live audience. You can find out more about FanFest at the official website and enter to win free tickets. This year’s show should promise to be a big one, even just based on the already announced first-party games we know about — Fable, Blade, and Clockwork Revolution.
Apart from the showcase and tying in with the company’s new identity, a new report from Windows Central says Sharma’s first act as the new head of Xbox was to shut down the maligned “This is an Xbox” marketing campaign. In a statement provided to Windows Central, Xbox states
“Asha retired ‘This is an Xbox’ because it didn’t feel like Xbox. She is personally leading a reset of how we show up as a brand.”
When Sharma started, she stated there were three core commitments the company had to take to ensure future success: great games, the “return of Xbox,” and the “future of play.”
