Microsoft is not exactly prioritising exclusives this generation as it’s hoping to bring its games to both Xbox Series consoles, and PC via the Microsoft Store and Steam. However, we will be seeing a few console exclusive games coming from the first-party studios that it has acquired in recent years.
While it may be a long time before we see Xbox exclusives from Bethesda after its acquisition in 2020, its other studios are all working hard on games for the new generation. Games from 343 Studios, Obsidian Entertainment, Rare, Playground Games, and Turn 10 Studios are all in the works and should be at some point next year.
It must be said however that no new-gen full-on exclusives were among the Xbox Series X launch titles, but Microsoft is certainly making up for that fact now. Most – if not all – of these games will be available on the Xbox Game Pass when they’re released, so keep an eye on on the full list of Xbox Game Pass games for updates. There’s also the potential that some of the names below eventually make our best Xbox Series X games list.
Here are the Xbox Series X exclusives in 2021:
- Adios
- The Anacrusis
- The Artful Escape
- The Ascent
- As Dusk Falls
- Avowed
- The Big Con
- CrossfireX
- Dead Static Drive
- Echo Generation
- Everwild
- Exo Mecha
- Exo One
- Fable
- Forza Horizon 5
- The Gunk
- Halo Infinite
- Lake
- The Last Stop
- Little Witch in the Woods
- The Medium
- Microsoft Flight Simulator
- Redfall
- RPG Time
- Sable
- Scorn
- Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
- She Dreams Elsewhere
- Shredders
- Song of Iron
- Stalker 2
- Starfield
- State of Decay 3
- Tunic
- Twelve Minutes
- Unexplored 2: The Wayfarer’s Legacy
- Warhammer 40K: Dartide
- Way to the Woods
- The Wild at Heart
As you can see, there’s a fairly healthy amount of Xbox exclusives coming in the near future. While the definition of exclusive has certainly changed in the last couple of years to accommodate for subscription services, there’s still plenty to be excited about if you’re a Microsoft stan.
Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 5 are by far the biggest names on the list, but the likes of Starfield and Stalker 2 are certainly turning heads too. There are also a few smaller games on the list. The likes of Twelve Minutes, Sable, Scorn, and more, might not be your go-to game from the Xbox Series X exclusives, but each has the potential to be a game of the year candidate.
It’s also worth noting that due to the ongoing global pandemic and the sheer scale of some of these games, that the production of some of these Xbox Series X exclusives have been delayed. They’re still coming to the new-gen console, but we might have to wait a little longer to get our hands on them.
Still, there’s plenty of games for us to sink our teeth into in the mean time. Check out our best Xbox Game Pass games for some inspiration.