Last year, Xbox decided to limit the content it showed off at 2022's Summer Showcase to games that were set to release within 12 months. While the move was clearly an attempt to deliver on showing more complete titles, it didn't really pay off due to multiple delays - with projects like Starfield and Forza Motorsport shifting to later on in 2023.
Well, it's looking like Xbox may have learnt its lesson with this year's Games Showcase. According to Jez Corden of Windows Central, "Microsoft is ditching the 12-month thing for this showcase", as discussed on a recent episode of The Xbox Two podcast.
Corden did go on to say that his claim was mostly speculation - it's based on the games he's heard will be at the showcase. Basically, he suspects Microsoft is planning on showing off certain titles that are likely to be well over a year away from launching. Here's the explanation in his own words:
"I will say that there are some things slated for the Showcase which are a bit further out."
"[I'm 75% sure]. Some of the games that I've heard that are going to be at the Showcase are surely further out than 12 months. So, unless some of these games are launching sooner than expected..."
We've heard nothing on the format of the show directly from Microsoft yet - aside from the fact that the Starfield Direct livestream will take place right after the main Xbox Games Showcase concludes. It goes without saying that we should all take Corden's words as rumour for now, even if the Windows Central journalist has a decent track record all told.
During a recent interview on the Kinda Funny XCast, Xbox's Phil Spencer did reel off a bunch of upcoming games he's been checking out internally ahead of the show. The boss mentioned Starfield, Forza Motorsport, Hellblade 2, Avowed and even "collections of games", and we'd expect most of these to appear at the show in some fashion.