As reported via Xbox News Wire earlier this month, Xbox is planning one of the biggest booths it’s ever had at Gamescom this year. This seemingly isn’t just marketing talk either, with Insider Gaming being told by its sources that the team is going “all out” this year for the annual event.
Update – Xbox has officially confirmed that S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 and Forza Motorsport is playable in a new blog post.
It’s understood that playable games will include the likes of the highly anticipated Forza Motorsport, GSC Game World’s S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, and Towerborne. With these games being playable to attendees, we should expect to hear more details on each of the games during the event. Gamescom’s Opening Night Live is one of the most likely places for such announcements, which promises “numerous world premieres and exciting announcements.”
Hearing that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 in particular will be playable is a welcome sign after the studio has had many pushbacks with the development of the game since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In addition to the studio moving many of its developers to Prague due to the invasion, the studio has had its game allegedly targeted by Russian hackers too. In June, the studio reported that it was hacked resulting in many game materials leaking online.
The studio issued the statement, “As for now, we kindly ask stalkers and those who want to join the Zone in the future not to look at or share any leaked materials from the game. Although these materials are only used for testing purposes and are not release-ready, these leaks may ruin your experience of exploring the Zone by yourself.
Rest assured, our team remains dedicated to delivering an exceptional gaming experience. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is the game we dedicate our hearts and souls to. Despite the issue, we will continue to ensure that the game will satisfy your expectations, as we hope.“
Related – Games Take Longer To Make, Head Of Xbox Game Studios Says
Gamescom 2023 will take place on August 23 – August 27 this year.
What are you expecting to see from Xbox at this year’s Gamescom event?
For more Insider Gaming news, check out our coverage of the set photos leaked from the Fallout TV series.
