What to Expect From the 2024 Xbox Developer Direct

The 2024 Developer Direct is just around the corner and we are so pumped. The first one was a major hit, with the shadow-drop of critically acclaimed Hi-Fi Rush taking the cake. Now, anticipation is through the roof for this year’s edition. Xbox was smart to outline what games they were going to cover during the stream. But that doesn’t mean we can still throw some predictions now does it? Here are LOGNET’s takes on what we expect to go down during the 2024 Developer Direct.

Indiana Jones to Lead the Charge! – Robert Kellett, Writer

With Xbox once again holding a Developer Direct, the biggest surprise for me was Machine Games’ Indiana Jones title getting such a huge showcase. Gameplay, developers talking, and potentially a release date? That’s a lot more than I was expecting, considering I always felt the game was a 2025 release with how quiet Xbox and Bethesda were on the game up until this point.

I’m personally hoping for it to channel Uncharted and be a third-person adventure, as that’s something Xbox has been lacking in recent years. But if Xbox also has a surprise shadow drop ala 2023’s Hi-Fi Rush, I wouldn’t be against that either. For what the shadow drop could potentially be… I’m split between Towerborne and a smaller project from Double Fine.

Avowed to Steal the Show – Chris Jones, Senior Writer

When it comes to the Developer Direct, we obviously know what they plan to show. If we take it a step further we can go into a little more detail. One thing I’ll focus on is Avowed. I believe they are going to show off some spells or spell-like abilities. They will probably sprinkle in a little interactions with the world it takes place in. All this is obviously to entice fans and to get them foaming at the mouth for a “potential” 2024 release. That is my Developer Direct prediction!

Maybe An Appearance from Double Fine or The Coalition – Joe Repko, Associate Editor

Concerning the Developer Direct, I think Xbox has properly set expectations for what they’re showing. Despite having a little bit of everything for people to look forward to, this has still sparked some rumors regarding a shadow drop. It would be awesome to have a shadow drop of another title, considering the amazing reception Hi-Fi Rush received.

But when it comes to who may shadow drop what? I think the best bet would be one of the studios that has been in the shadows, namely Double Fine, or The Coalition. What they could drop I cannot imagine. But making the shadow drops into a ritual would be great for the community at large especially if this showcase gives us a lot of meaningful gameplay and release dates for the titles listed. Just do not expect them to shadow-drop anything, it may have been a one-off.

No Shadow Drop During the Developer Direct, But Expect a Surprise! – Mahmood Ghaffar, Editor-in-Chief

Let’s get this out of the way, I don’t believe there will be a shadow-drop this year. I feel that it will create an expectation that Xbox may or not may commit to going forward. It seems that Xbox has been a little bit mindful of its messaging in the past 12 months, especially with Tina Amini coming in and being responsible for shows now. So they will likely try to kill that expectation with this year’s Developer Direct. However, I do believe Xbox will throw fans a bone and release Towerborne sometime before the end of February.

Now, as far as the games that they did announce, I believe Ara: History Untold will launch first during Q1 of 2024. The game was delayed out of 2023, so it’s most likely the closest to being ready. Then Avowed will be Xbox’s Q2 game, launching around May ahead of the E3/summer period. I expect Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 to be released in September. This will lead the charge for the usual hectic fall period of video game releases.

Lastly, the year will cap off with the release of Machine Games’ Indiana Jones. I feel that the Disney tie-in will stipulate that Xbox market the game heavily. Also, Indiana Jones has the most brand recognition out of all the titles that will feature in this year’s Developer Direct, which means that it could be a holiday push for the Xbox platform.

And there you have it, those are our takes for the Developer Direct. Do you have any of your own? Sound off in the comment section below.

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