Xbox outlines its first-party games lineup for 2021

Microsoft published a list of confirmed first-party and exclusive games coming to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One in 2021, highlighting franchise returns and new releases set to arrive throughout the year.

Major franchises and headline releases

Among the headliners, Halo Infinite brings back Master Chief and, according to Xbox, includes “the largest campaign in the series to date.” The company also confirmed that Microsoft Flight Simulator—already a hit on PC—will be released for the new-generation consoles with its ongoing updates and DLC packs.

Notable story-driven and cooperative games

Psychonauts 2, from Double Fine Productions, continues the original Xbox-era franchise, following Razputin Aquato as he attempts to resurrect the villain Maligula to save the international psychic espionage organization. From the developers behind Warhammer: Vermintide 2 comes Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, a four-player cooperative action game that adopts a similar combat style to the studio’s 2018 bestseller.

Horror titles arriving in 2021

Likely the earliest exclusive on the list to launch in 2021, The Medium is a psychological horror game in which the protagonist—a medium—can perceive both the real world and the spirit realm. That dual vision helps her escape threats and solve puzzles inside an abandoned communist resort. Scorn offers a different horror approach: a first-person, atmospheric experience focused on isolation within a non-linear, eerie environment.

High-profile exclusives expected but not listed

The Microsoft post did not include every anticipated Xbox exclusive. Titles generating significant attention include Hellblade II, which continues Senua’s story and emphasizes immersive sound design tied to the character’s dissociative identity disorder; a new Fable reboot by the Forza Horizon team; and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, a survival-horror set in a vast representation of the Chernobyl exclusion zone where players take on the role of a bounty hunter.