The latest video game showcase from Microsoft, the Xbox Partner Preview, was livestreamed on October 17. The event received decent viewership numbers on YouTube thanks to a multitude of reveals from an event that was labeled as 'no-fluff, all-games' by the organizers.
Interestingly, whatever fans got to see came from Microsoft's external partner, keeping Xbox's internal studios out of the loop. Nevertheless, the broadcast of the event hit 44.7K Peak Viewers on the official YouTube channel, adding a further 14.2K concurrent viewers from its Twitch stream.
Coming to what was disclosed to fans, some titles they got updates for were Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, Blindfire, and Wuchang: Fallen Feathers. This meant the presence of a few major publishers like Remedy Entertainment, Sega, and 505 Games.
Followers of horror games would have been highly satisfied with the broadcast, which included several offerings from the genre, including Phasmophobia, Chronos: The New Dawn, Subnautica 2, and Alan Wake 2: The Lake House. The segment has had some major releases recently, and whether these titles succeed or fall by the wayside remains to be seen.
There was also some exciting news that fans got right at the end: the reveal of a co-op shooter set in the Control universe, titled FBC: Firebreak. It is a multiplayer first-person shooter that will be released for Windows and Xbox Series X next year.
Channels from all over the world were on hand to check out what Microsoft and Xbox had in store. Some of the top handles to cover the showcase were REVENANT, Flow Games, and BaityBait, when looking at the watch time, with the official IGN channel emerging as the most popular after reaching 23K Peak Viewers.
Set in Control's Federal Bureau of Control, this three-player cooperative shooter will witness 'deadly,' 'otherworldly forces' lay siege to the headquarters. With Microsoft confirming that it'll be on Game Pass, fans will be salivating at the prospect of jumping into another offering from Remedy Entertainment when it comes out in 2025.
Any video game showcase involving Alan Wake also warrants a mention of its own. The upcoming DLC, The Lake House, will carry a darker tone and the series' classic horror elements, with many predicting that it could end up as the scariest chapter yet in the Alan Wake saga. The expansion is set for an October 22, 2024, arrival.
Phasmophobia, which became a huge sensation among content creators during the COVID-19 lockdown era, also had news for fans. Until now a PC-only offering, the four-player, online co-op, psychological horror game will finally arrive on consoles later this month, with the crossplay function also available.
Overall, this was a live stream for players and fans who are more hardcore in their love for video gaming. While the line-up of titles may not have contained the biggest names, there were quite a few crucial updates that will whet their appetites till bigger events come along.
