Microsoft Announces Xbox Partner Preview Broadcast Event But No Activision Blizzard News Expected

On October 23, 2023, Microsoft revealed plans for an Xbox Partner Preview broadcast event, slated for October 25 at 10am PST / 1pm EST / 6pm UK time. The 30-minute presentation is designed to provide glimpses into games for Xbox, Windows PC, and Game Pass, specifically from Xbox’s third-party partners, as per Microsoft. The lineup includes in-game activities for Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio's Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, a launch trailer for Remedy Entertainment’s Alan Wake 2, first gameplay for Studio Wildcard’s Ark: Survival Ascended, and an in-depth exploration of Microbird Games’ Dungeons of Hinterberg. Viewers should prepare for over 20 minutes of trailers and gameplay footage.

In a note to the press, Microsoft emphasized that the Xbox Partner Preview will exclude any further news, game reveals, or Game Pass updates pertaining to the company’s recent acquisition of Activision Blizzard King, which was valued at $69 billion. Xbox CEO Phil Spencer previously informed fans that they shouldn't anticipate games such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Diablo 4 to appear on Game Pass any earlier than 2024. Furthermore, it's unlikely that Microsoft will take advantage of this event to announce any new Xbox hardware. A major Xbox leak in September uncovered potentially obsolete plans to debut a mid-gen Xbox refresh without a disc drive in 2024, followed by a next-gen Xbox in 2028.

This information was provided by Wesley Yin-Poole, the UK News Editor for IGN, who can be reached at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or secretively at wyp100@proton.me.

Alan Wake II by Remedy is rated Mature by ESRB and will be available on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC from October 27, 2023.n