Gamescom

Xbox kicked off gamescom early in a big way with an epic gamescom 2021 Xbox Stream digital event. The digital event had some news and a look at upcoming games from Xbox Game Studios and some 3rd party publishers. Without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the biggest highlights from the gamescom 2021 Xbox Stream.

New gameplay from Forza Horizon 5 shown, cover cars announced and a new limited edition Xbox wireless controller

The next entry on the Forza Horizon series launches on November 9, 2021. And, Playground Games shared an eight-minute gameplay video featuring cargo planes, an active volcano, a race to the festival under beautiful Mexican skies, and more from the game.

In addition, the team showcased Forza Horizon 5’s cover cars: the Mercedes-AMG ONE and the 2021 Ford Bronco Badlands. Then, Playground Games announced the Forza Horizon 5 Limited Edition Xbox Wireless Controller. It’s based off the powder fireworks that go off throughout the day at the in-game Horizon Festival.

Pre-order the Forza Horizon 5 Limited Edition Xbox Wireless Controller
Pre-order Forza Horizon 5 for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox One

Gamescom

New storytelling element revealed for Age of Empires IV 

Then, the Age of Empires team revealed a new storytelling element called Hands on History. These are a series of 28 videos, which can be unlocked, and gives players a deeper look into the way people lived, fought and ruled in the past.

Pre-orders for Age of empires IV are coming soon to Best Buy Canada

Cloud Gaming Comes to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One Consoles

Earlier this summer, Xbox announced that Xbox Cloud Gaming was coming to more screens. And, at gamescom 2021, Xbox Cloud Gaming was announced that it is coming to Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S this holiday. As a result, this allows Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers to stream over 100 games from the cloud on their console. This is especially important for Xbox One owners, as it allows them to experience the power of Xbox Series X powered games right from their console without having to purchase new hardware.

New update announced for Microsoft Flight Simulator at Gamescom 

On July 27, Microsoft Flight Simulator was released on Xbox Series X|S, read my review here. And, just a month later, several exciting updates have been announced for what many call the most authentic flying simulation video game to date. The first update is World Update VI, releasing on September 7, 2021. It includes new aerial imagery, high-resolution elevation maps, brand-new 3D cities and the Junkers JU-52 aircraft for Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

The second update, releasing in November 2021, is the VoloCity Air Taxi. It brings the famous STIHL National Championship Air Races, the world’s fastest motorsport, to Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Purchase Microsoft Flight Simulator for Xbox Series X|S

Fight to regain your freedom in hyper-responsive combat scenarios in Stray Blade on Xbox Series X|S in 2022

505 Games and Point Blank Games announced Stray Blade, a brand new game that blends Metroidvania elements with intense Souls-like combat. The game launches on Xbox Series X|S in 2022. Stray Blade takes place in Acrea where you fight to regain your freedom in hyper-responsive combat scenarios, explore ancient ruins for rare crafting materials and survive battles against legendary enemies.

The game’s colourful world ranges from overgrown city ruins to frozen caves and winding canyons. And, traversing the world of Stray Blade will reward you with rare crafting materials and blueprints and gives you access to secret passages through the ever-changing landscape.

Pre-orders for Stray Blade are coming soon to Best Buy Canada

Gamescom

The Gunk Re-Emerges in the Lead-Up to Launch this December

First announced in July 2020, The Gunk now has a new release date—December 2021. It comes from the makers of SteamWorld and is about two friends who run a small scavenging outfit together. They travel from one space rock to the next in search of resources that can harvest and sell.

One day, the two friends land on a planet that looks dead. However, it turns out to be unlike any other they’ve set foot on. A slimy parasite, or gunk, covers vast areas and seems to corrupt nature and wildlife. It’s clear that the two must fight this gunk to understand what’s happened and to save the dying planet. The Gunk will be available on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.

On Xbox One, The Gunk runs at 30fps. However, on Xbox Series X|S The Gunk runs at 4k with 60fps.

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Jon Scarr
Jon is the Gaming Editor and is based in Toronto. He is a proud Canadian who has a serious passion for gaming. He is a veteran of the video game and tech industry with over 20 years experience. You can often find Jon streaming the latest games on his YouTube channel. Jon loves to talk about gaming and tech, come say hi and join the conversation with Jon on Threads @4ScarrsGaming and @4Scarrsgaming on Instagram.

1 COMMENT

  1. There are some fun looking games here. Stray Blade looks amazing! Thanks Jon, I look forward to the Xbox content I’ll be reading here in the coming months!

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