Xbox Partner Showcase: Date, Time & What to Expect | Mashable

Xbox will hold a Partner Showcase livestream on Thursday, March 26, at 1 p.m. Eastern Time, focusing on third-party game releases, the company announced this morning.

The showcase arrives amid a period of significant upheaval for the gaming division of Microsoft. Just last month, both Xbox CEO Phil Spencer and President Sarah Bond departed the company, with former AI executive Asha Sharma subsequently appointed to lead Xbox, according to reports from Mashable and CBR.

The livestream will feature updates on several upcoming titles, including RGG Studio’s Stranger Than Heaven, Owlcat Games’ The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, and new content for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, as confirmed by GameRant and GameSpot. Microsoft emphasized that the showcase will not focus on first-party Xbox Game Studios productions.

The timing of the showcase follows a challenging period for Xbox, marked by financial difficulties and reputational concerns. Acquisitions of major studios like Bethesda and Activision Blizzard have not yet translated into a substantial increase in first-party game releases, even as hardware sales have lagged behind competitors. The company has also faced criticism related to its operate with the Israeli military, leading some players to boycott Xbox products.

Xbox has announced plans for its next console, currently known as Project Helix, but details remain limited. The Partner Showcase will be streamed on YouTube and Twitch, and Microsoft has promised “brand-new reveals” during the event, according to CBR.