Microsoft to Celebrate Xbox 20th Anniversary with Back-to-Back Game Launches
- Paul Thurrott
- Oct 19, 2021
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To celebrate Xbox’s 20th anniversary next month, Microsoft will kick off three months of back-to-back Xbox Game Pass game launches.
“This has been a remarkable year for Team Xbox and for you, our fans,” Microsoft’s Matt Booty explains. “We welcomed Bethesda to the family, announced a new slate of games together in June, and launched Psychonauts 2 and Microsoft Flight Simulator, two of the highest-rated games of the year, into Xbox Game Pass. 25 million players have now joined us in Sea of Thieves and your passion for Series X-shaped appliances has made the ‘Mini Fridge’ a real thing. Our players are at the heart of everything we do and we couldn’t be more thankful for your incredible support.”
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To celebrate the 20th-anniversary milestone, Microsoft is kicking off what it calls “three epic months of back-to-back blockbuster game launches in Game.” Among the first titles we can expect during this time is:
October 28. Age of Empires returns with the release of Age of Empires IV on Steam and Xbox Game Pass for PC on Day One.
November 2. Minecraft joins Xbox Game Pass for PC, followed by new Minecraft Dungeons: Seasonal Adventures in December and Caves & Cliffs: Part II later in 2021.
November 9. Forza Horizon 5 heads to Mexico simultaneously on Xbox Game Pass (all versions), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PCs, and Steam.
November 18. Flight Simulator: Game of the Year Edition launches as a free update for existing customers, including Xbox Game Pass subscribers, adding five new aircraft, eight new airports, new Discovery Flights and tutorials, and DirectX 12 support on PC.
December 8. Halo Infinite finally launches after a year-long delay across Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Xbox Game Pass (all versions). There will be monthly multiplayer bonuses going forward on all platforms, including Game Pass.
“We invite you to join us on November 15 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Xbox and Halo with a fun, digital broadcast for fans around the globe,” Booty adds. “While we won’t announce any new games, this anniversary broadcast will be a special look back at 20 years of Xbox. We’ll share more details soon, so stay tuned.”