Ubisoft Forward took place earlier today, offering first looks, release dates, and more for upcoming games like Star Wars Outlaws, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, among many others. If you missed the show, we’ve rounded up the biggest announcements and trailers to get you in the loop.
Star Wars Outlaws
The first look at Star Wars Outlaws gameplay debuted during Ubisoft Forward, giving us a brand-new look at cunning scoundrel Kay Vess and her companion Nix taking on a high-risk, high-reward mission. The two must infiltrate a secret location, use stealth, fight with a blaster, and steal valuable goods.
Announced during the Xbox Games Showcase on June 11, 2023, Star Wars Outlaws, the first-ever open-world Star Wars game, invites you to pull off one of the greatest heists the Outer Rim has ever seen as cunning scoundrel Kay Vess. Set between the events of “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” and “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi”, Star Wars Outlaws takes place in a time when the Galactic Empire relentlessly pursues the final defeat of the Rebel Alliance, and the criminal underworld is thriving. Seeking the means to start a new life, Kay and her companion Nix will fight, steal, and outwit their way through the galaxy’s crime syndicates and join the galaxy’s most wanted. Star Wars Outlaws is coming to Xbox Series X|S in 2024.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage
Assassin’s Creed Mirage launches on October 12, 2023, for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One, taking players to ninth-century Baghdad, where a young Basim starts his journey to become a Hidden One. Haunted by visions, Basim begins as a common street thief, but with guidance from Fuladh and Roshan (voiced by Shohreh Aghdashloo), he will grow to become a master assassin. An homage to the first Assassin’s Creed, Mirage will emphasize classic stealth gameplay, with tools that include throwing knives and smoke bombs, as well as new abilities like Assassin’s Focus – which lets Basim take down multiple enemies in rapid succession. Additionally, Assassin’s Creed Mirage will be fully localized in Arabic, allowing players across the world to experience the story in Basim’s native language.
For a closer look at Assassin’s Creed Mirage, check out the gameplay trailer breakdown with the Creative Director and Art Director of the game.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, a stand-alone adventure set within the Avatar universe, will launch on December 7, 2023, as announced at Ubisoft Forward today. In a world premiere trailer, we were introduced to the player character, a Na’vi who awakens in a never-before-seen region of Pandora, the Western Frontier, years after being abducted as a child and raised by a human militaristic corporation known as the RDA. Now a stranger in your own birthplace, it’s up to you to rid Pandora of a newly formed RDA and learn what it means to be N’avi.
The first Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora gameplay also debuted, showing off Na’vi customization, combat that allows you to wield specialized human weapons built for the Na’vai plus stealthier, more traditional N’avi weapons, and breathless arial combat on the back of your very own customizable banshee, or ikran. We also got our first look at crafting, where new and valuable resources enable you to craft the best gear and weapons for your playstyle.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora will launch on Xbox Series X|S. For more on Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, visit avatarfrontiersofpandora.com.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown will launch on January 18, 2024, for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. A new platformer inspired by Persian mythology, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown centers on a new hero named Sargon, with Metroidvania-inspired gameplay. Ubisoft Forward debuted an anime-style narrative trailer as well as a gameplay walkthrough.
A member of the legendary Immortals, Sargon and his allies travel to the mythical Mount Qaf in pursuit of a kidnapped prince – only to find themselves tangled in a mystery that has unraveled time and turned the mountain into a maze of monsters and traps. Created by the studio behind Rayman Legends, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown will challenge players to platform their way through hazard-filled environments and battle immense creatures with fast, fluid combat and divinely granted superpowers.
The Crew Motorfest
The Crew Motorfest is coming to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One on September 14, 2023, and is available now for pre-order. Set on the island of O’ahu in the Hawaiian archipelago, The Crew Motorfest is designed to be a celebration of car culture, offering players a lush playground full of diverse driving options fueled by a fleet of vehicles. You’ll be able to race through the streets of Honolulu, speed down the side of a volcano, trek deep into the rainforest, or take a relaxing drive on winding mountain roads and sandy beaches.
Playlists are a significant part of The Crew Motorfest, letting you choose your own path through a selection of campaigns themed around different car-culture experiences and driving styles, including American muscle cars, Japanese night racing, electric supercars, and more. The game will have more than 610 vehicles at launch, and you’ll get to choose and customize your car from models including the Lamborghini Revuelto, the first in-game high-performance hybrid vehicle and The Crew Motorfest’s cover car. The Crew 2 players will also be able to import most of their collection of vehicles into The Crew Motorfest for free.
XDefiant
XDefiant, the free-to-play arcade shooter, is coming later this summer to Xbox Series X|S. Executive Producer Mark Rubin spoke about the game during Ubisoft Forward and revealed its Year 1 roadmap, which detailed everything players can expect for the game’s first four seasons (which include 12 new maps, 12 new weapons, and new game modes).
Earlier this year, XDefiant had a successful closed beta, and the team showed a community-reactions trailer that highlighted some of the top moments from the testing phase. It was also announced that XDefiant would have an Open Session from June 21-23, 2023, which will allow players a chance to test out the game’s brand new netcode and ensure server stability before the game launches. Register at playxdefiant.com or follow @playxdefiant on Twitter for updates on all things XDefiant.
Brawlhalla
The Master Chief and the Arbiter are coming to Brawlhalla! The new Epic Crossover, called Brawlhalla: Combat Evolved, will kick off on July 12, 2023, bringing heroes who have inspired generations of players to the free-to-play fighting game. The Master Chief, a Spartan super-soldier who is an Epic Crossover for Isaiah, will wield the SPNKr Rocker Launcher and Magnum Pistols in combat, and his signature attacks will feature Guilty Spark. The Arbiter, a legendary alien warrior known for his unyielding tenacity, will use the Fuel Rod Cannon and Energy Sword, and will be an Epic Crossover for Sidra. Brawlhalla is available to play for free on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.
Just Dance 2024 Edition
Just Dance 2024 Edition will launch on October 24, 2023, for Xbox Series X|S, bringing 40 new songs to the franchise. It will also introduce a new feature that lets you play tracks online with friends who own Just Dance 2023 Edition. Plus, to celebrate Just Dance 2024 Edition’s announcement, Just Dance 2023 Edition players get early access to “Sail” by AWOLNation starting today until June 20. Check out a list of some of the new songs here:
- “How You Like That” by BlackPink
- “Tití Me Preguntó” By Bad Bunny
- “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” by Whitney Houston
- “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus
- “Sail” by AWOLNation
- “My Name Is” by D Billions
