The xbox developer_direct swings for the fences: quick take #11
On January 23rd, Xbox held their annual Developer_Direct event, an in depth presentation aimed to showcase their upcoming slate of games. Within the showcase, developers, artists, creative directors, and more provide an in-depth look into their development processes with the hope that it’ll drum up as much excitement as possible for their game. This relatively new format for Xbox has been a welcome breath of fresh air from the typical cycle of cinematic and gameplay trailers. Though, I’m not suggesting that trailers are bad, as they’re a very necessary tool for a game’s marketing process – it’s just nice to have a consistent platform that uses deep dives into development as part of that process. More importantly, with all the recent news about Xbox’s massive shift in platform distribution, this presentation serves as an important way to keep the focus on what’s most important: the games! So, how effectively did this year’s Developer_Direct set the stage for Xbox’s 2025 slate of games?
Xbox came out of the gate swinging with news that everyone was hoping to hear: every game showcased in the presentation would be available as a day 1 Game Pass title. Talk about adding hype to the presentation before it even starts! It changed my thought process going in with the perspective that I don’t have to pick and prod at every little thing each developer says about their game to see if it’ll be worth the investment. This allowed me to just sit back and experience each title for what it is and for what the developers want it to be, and in my opinion, that’s the best way to look at games. As it turns out, however, the presentation was so good that I hardly needed any convincing.
The showcase highlighted four studios: Team Ninja, Compulsion Games, Sandfall Interactive, and id Software. In each presentation, we heard from a variety of disciplines showcasing concept art, combat systems, music, visual design and more. What I loved most about this presentation is how the developers themselves were showcased, as they were given ample spotlight to tell their stories, share their influence, and impart their hopes on us. Hearing the story of how the team at Sandfall Interactive came together through a shared passion of wanting to create something genuinely unique with Clair Obscure Expedition 33 made me feel more connected with their bold vision for their reactive turn based combat system. Learning about Compulsion Games’ process for adapting folklore from the American deep south really opened my eyes to how unique this game will be. id Software’s line about how Doom 2016 was about running and gunning, Doom Eternal was about jumping and shooting, and how Doom The Dark Ages would be about standing and fighting sent chills down my spine and made me want to finally crack open the other games. (I haven’t played them yet…unfortunately..). Hearing how passionate the Team Ninja developers were about the insanely precise and fast paced combat system of Ninja Gaiden 4 was infectious and had me burning to jump into battle. Thankfully I won’t have to wait, thanks to their shadow drop of Ninja Gaiden II Black!
It’s this kind of touch, one that goes beyond just showcasing the game in a trailer, that I hope becomes the standard in how games are marketed in the months leading up to their releases. I also think it changes the narrative for how people view these kinds of deep dives, because sure, not everyone is going to want to go that deep into the process but Xbox is making the case that people should do so if they're at all interested in a game. In any case, the Developer_Direct did its job, and it did it well. I feel that Xbox’s desire to invest in studios with boundless creativity paired with this engaging showcase format and commitment to Game Pass support is a winning success for both them and the teams under their umbrella. Xbox’s 2025 is looking powerful!