Xbox has ‘more unannounced games than we know what to do with’

Xbox currently has “more [unannounced] games than we know what to do with” and 2020 will be “one of the most exciting line-ups we’ve had,” according to the company’s studios boss.

Speaking to media at X019 on Thursday, first-party studios head Matt Booty claimed the announcements made in London were “the tip of the iceberg” in terms of future game reveals Microsoft has planned.

Xbox will make more game announcements before the end of 2019, Booty said.

“Really in some ways this is the tip of the iceberg for us,” the exec said at a X019 media briefing, attended by VGC.

“We’re going to show you some amazing things [at X019], but before the end of the year we will show you even more games and then as we go into 2020, I think you will see one of the most exciting line-ups that we’ve had from Xbox Game Studios in as long as I can remember.”

He continued: “We’re going to round up the end of the year showing you even more games and then as we head into 2020 and into spring, I really want you to be on the lookout for the games that we’re going to be announcing heading into that stretch.

“It’s really exciting. For the first time ever we’ve in a way got more games than we know what to do with in terms of when they’re going to be announced. We’re feeling really good about that.”

Eight of Xbox’s 15 first-party studios showed new content at X019.

Rare announced its new IP Everwild, while Obsidian unveiled survival co-op game Grounded.

343 showcased Halo Reach for PC, Mojang showed Minecraft Earth and Dungeons, InXile showed Wasteland 3 and Ninja Theory had a playable build of Bleeding Edge, which received a release date at the event. Age of Empires 4 and Flight Simulator also appeared.

Xbox has moved to significantly expand its portfolio of first-party studios ahead of the launch of its next-gen console, Project Scarlett, in 2020.

As well as setting up The Initiative and a new Age of Empires studio, Xbox has acquired the likes of Ninja Theory (Hellblade), Playground (Forza Horizon), Obsidian (Fallout: New Vegas), InXile (Wasteland 3) and Double Fine (Psychonauts 2) over the last few years.