Microsoft is the second company to beat Nintendo to the punch, announcing plans to hold a January Direct conference to hype upcoming Xbox releases.
While all eyes are on Nintendo and its Switch 2 reveal, Microsoft will hold a Developer Direct to showcase some of its major new releases for 2025.
This includes a visit to a “surprise location to see another studio’s brand new game”. Needless to say, the tease has got fans speculating about what the surprise announcement could be.
The Xbox Developer Direct will take place at 6pm GMT UK time on the afternoon of January 23.
The big rumour is that Microsoft will use the Xbox Developer Direct to announce an Unreal Engine 5 remake of Bethesda title The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion.
The Elder Scrolls remake is reportedly in development at Virtuous, and will be released on Xbox, PlayStation and PC.
Speaking of Bethesda, there’s a chance we could get a look at the next mainline Elder Scrolls game, or perhaps a new Fallout release.
There’s even a slim chance Microsoft could unveil the next-gen Xbox console, which will reportedly be called Xbox Prime and launch in 2026.
A new console announcement is more likely to take place during the summer, so don’t get your hopes up.
What we do know is that Microsoft will visit Compulsion Games in Montreal, Sandfall Interactive in France, and id Studios in Texas.
Compulsion Games is currently working on South of Midnight, which is an action-adventure game set in the Deep South.
Sandfall Interactive is developing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, while id Studios is hard at work creating DOOM: The Dark Ages.
Launching in 2025, DOOM: The Dark Ages is a medieval-themed prequel to DOOM and DOOM Eternal.
Microsoft explains more: “In this third instalment of the modern DOOM series, players will step into the blood-stained boots of the Doom Slayer in this never-before-seen dark and sinister medieval war against Hell.”