Xbox Series X holding major exclusives event to battle PS5

Xbox Series X
(Image credit: 343 Industries)

Since Microsoft doesn't have to cram all of its Xbox Series X announcements into a single event like E3, it’s going to space them out over the course of the next few months instead. The ongoing showcase is called Xbox 20/20, and in July, it’ll showcase all of Microsoft’s upcoming first-party titles, including Halo Infinite.

Information comes from Jerret West, Microsoft’s CVP of gaming marketing, in a blog post on the official Xbox Wire blog. He explained that the year 2020, so far, has thrown a the gaming industry a lot of curveballs, and that Microsoft needed to adopt a novel approach to keep its news cycle on track. The company’s solution is Xbox 20/20, in which Microsoft will host a livestream each month. Each one will focus on a different aspect of Xbox technology.

“These monthly moments will take place throughout the rest of the year and will be a way for us to engage, connect and celebrate with you about what’s in store for the next generation of gaming, including what’s next for Xbox Series X, Xbox Game Studios, Xbox Game Pass and Project xCloud,” West wrote. “Every month will bring something different. Stay tuned to Xbox Wire for more details.”

We already know about the first Xbox 20/20 update, which will take place on May 7, and showcase third-party Xbox Series X titles. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will headline the event, but Microsoft has promised that other third-party titles will be on display as well. The above teaser for the May 7 event also reveals the new Xbox Series X boot screen and sound, which is quite serene sounding compared to that of the Xbox One.

While we don’t know what the June Xbox 20/20 will be about, West did share details about the July outing:

“In July, we will dedicate time to focus on the incredible games coming from Xbox Game Studios,” he wrote. “A number of our studio teams are looking forward to sharing first looks at new gameplay, insights from development teams being optimized for Xbox Series X, and brand-new game announcements.”

In other words, if you were wondering when you’ll get to see Microsoft’s first-party titles, it’ll be in July. While West didn’t give us an exact list, he mentioned Halo Infinite, Wasteland 3, Minecraft Dungeons and Microsoft Flight Simulator earlier in the post, so those seem like good candidates. It will also be a good opportunity for Microsoft’s first-party studios to reveal their new projects. There are 15 studios altogether, so we could hear about as many as 15 new games.

Xbox 20/20 won’t be hard to find, either. You can watch it on the official Xbox channels on Mixer, Twitch, Facebook, Twitter or YouTube. (YouTube is the only platform in which Xbox 20/20 will stream in 4K, if that’s of interest to you.) The first one will air on May 7 at 11 AM ET, so mark your calendar if you want to learn about Assassin’s Creed and other third-party titles.

Marshall Honorof

Marshall Honorof is a senior editor for Tom's Guide, overseeing the site's coverage of gaming hardware and software. He comes from a science writing background, having studied paleomammalogy, biological anthropology, and the history of science and technology. After hours, you can find him practicing taekwondo or doing deep dives on classic sci-fi.