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Xbox Games Showcase is an event that Microsoft holds to show off upcoming games and trailers that will be available on Xbox consoles. Similar to Nintendo Direct or PlayStation State of Play, the games showcase will highlight both first-party developed games and third-party partners. The company also plans to give an extended preview of Outer Worlds 2, returning to the dual-feature format of the past. The last Xbox showcase took place in June of 2024, so it will have been nearly a year between presentations.
Xbox Games Showcase Backed By Hype
Given the normal layoff between presentations, the announcement of the upcoming Xbox games showcase predictably has fans excited. As is typical, Microsoft holds a once-a-year showcase each June, and it is set this year to be live-streamed on Sunday, June 8, starting at 10 am PST, 1 pm EST, in the same week as the Summer Games Fest. The showcase will feature upcoming games as well as a longer look at The Outer Worlds 2. The second part of the presentation will air immediately following the first.
In the The Outer Worlds 2 portion of the presentation, Xbox says to expect, “The Outer Worlds 2 Direct will bring you inside the walls of Obsidian Entertainment, revealing new gameplay, details, and developer insights, straight from the people making the sequel to the award-winning, first-person sci-fi RPG.” This is similar to the last two years, when Starfield and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 got a feature, respectively.
Beyond that, there is no clear expectation for what other games may be given trailers or deeper looks. Fans have begun speculating, though. Among the most rumored or hoped-for titles include Fable, Clockwork Revolution, Ninja Gaiden 4, Gears of War E-Day, Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, Elder Scrolls 6, State of Decay 3, and Wuchang: Fallen Feathers. They could even reveal a next-generation console or handheld. Unfortunately, without any more information, it is simply a guessing game, but that guesswork is enough to keep fans engaged and wishful.
Final Thoughts
As with every year, the Xbox Games Showcase should deliver excitement and anticipation for some upcoming titles across any genre. Each fan will have something to be drawn to. With the console wars dying down a bit, most games will not be exclusive to Xbox. Rather, the presentation will showcase the best that gaming has to offer, and the experience should get gamers hyped for what is to come in the industry. Timing it with the Summer Games Fest again will give fans something to talk about for weeks to come.
More must-reads:
- Packers starter hits back at Matt LaFleur, calls for 'bus fine'
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Packers starter hits back at Matt LaFleur, calls for 'bus fine'
Matt LaFleur is earning the ire of several of his Green Bay Packers players early in training camp. On Tuesday, LaFleur punished offensive tackle Rasheed Walker for his altercation with defensive end Kingsley Enagbare. However, the most interesting interaction of the day came between LaFleur and tight end Tucker Kraft. Per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, LaFleur called out Kraft for two questionable fumbles during the first week of practice. Both "fumbles" came after the play was over or when the ball fell out of bounds. "Certainly, we all know what kind of player Tucker Kraft is and can be," LaFleur said. "He can’t allow Evan Williams to reach around and punch a ball out, so it is challenging everybody and hopefully that makes us that much better.” The third-year tight end took issue with LaFleur calling him out in front of the media and blamed the coaching staff for implementing practice rules that made it easy for offensive players to fumble. "I’d say a lot of the times — there’s certain rules you play with in practice, like just letting the defense punch repeatedly," Kraft said. "You’re not allowed to stiff-arm. I guess all I have are excuses. Yes, I am working on not fumbling the ball in practice." Schneidman said Kraft answered the question with a tone of sarcasm. Kraft was frustrated that he couldn't defend the ball by stiff-arming a defender trying to poke the ball from his undefended arm. Kraft acknowledged that during practice, he has to "play by the rules" LaFleur makes and is trying to work on having a "yes sir, no sir" attitude with his head coach. He then made a vague reference about a "bus fine" and accused LaFleur of throwing him under the bus in front of the media. Schneidman believes the tight end might be calling for Green Bay to fine LaFleur after his discouraging quote Tuesday morning. "So yes, the Packers’ third-year tight end might be calling for his head coach to be fined — not by the league, of course, but by the team — for what he perceived as throwing him under the bus," Schneidman wrote. "Is Kraft being serious about fining LaFleur? "Probably not. Is he peeved LaFleur called him out? It sure seems like it." LaFleur might do better to have a conversation with Kraft before dragging his name into news conferences with reporters. It's clear Tucker doesn't see eye-to-eye with LaFleur about fumbles. This is a good reminder to those getting overly excited or nervous reading practice reports that what happens at practice should be taken with a grain of salt. Most likely, Tucker is going to be fine.
New York Mets land closer Ryan Helsley in shocker of a mega trade
The New York Mets have responded. Less than an hour after the NL East rival Philadelphia Phillies acquired Minnesota Twins All-Star closer Jhoan Duran, the Mets landed St. Louis Cardinals All-Star closer Ryan Helsley. The Mets sent a trio of prospects to the Cardinals in exchange for Helsley, including Jesus Baez, Nate Dohm and Frank Elissalt. MLB insider Jon Heyman of The New York Post was first on the deal and the return. Helsley was one of the best relievers on the market and he is now headed to Queens. Helsley, 30, will be a free agent after the season concludes. In 36 appearances this year, Helsley has a 3.00 ERA, a 1.39 WHIP, 41 strikeouts and is 21 for 26 on save chances. Last season, the right-hander was the NL Reliever of the Year and led baseball with 49 saves. Helsley posted a 2.04 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP and 79 strikeouts in 66.1 innings. The expectation is that Helsley will serve as the Mets' eighth inning setup man to elite closer Edwin Diaz in the ninth. The Mets now have an elite bullpen that features: Diaz, Helsley, Ryne Stanek, Tyler Rogers, Reed Garrett, Brooks Raley, Gregory Soto and Rico Garcia. The Mets also acquired Rogers from the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday in exchange for Jose Butto, Drew Gilbert and Blade Tidwell. Rogers is a unique submarine pitcher and has an astounding 1.80 ERA and 0.86 WHIP this season. The Mets landed Soto, the southpaw, from the Baltimore Orioles last Friday for two minor league pitching prospects. Bullpen has been an area of weakness for the Mets this year. As a result, president of baseball operations David Stearns has now gone out and acquired three high-leverage arms, two of which have been All-Stars in the past in Helsley and Soto.
You won't believe what ESPN projects Patrick Mahomes is worth in trade
The Kansas City Chiefs aren't going to place Patrick Mahomes on the trade block. However, what would they receive for the superstar quarterback if they did? ESPN's Bill Barnwell aimed to answer that question in a story published Wednesday. The analyst structured NFL contracts like those in the NBA, which have far more blockbuster trades. He also eliminated a rule that allows teams to trade for picks only within the next three draft cycles. Barnwell then determined players who could land at least one first-round pick in a trade from each team. Mahomes would fetch seven first-rounders, the most in the league. This further illustrates how the three-time Super Bowl champion has separated himself from other elite QBs. Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen, 2024 league MVP, would be worth five first-round picks. It would cost four first-rounders for Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson. It would take four first-rounders and more to land Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow. "[Mahomes] has been a walking trip to the AFC Championship Game and has taken the Chiefs to five Super Bowls in seven seasons as a starter," wrote Barnwell. "He could do this for another decade if not longer." Mahomes, who turns 30 on Sept. 17, is still in his prime and hasn't had durability issues throughout his career. He has missed just two regular-season games because of injury. These came during the 2019 season when he dislocated his right kneecap. With that in mind, he should keep adding to his Hall of Fame-worthy résumé. The Chiefs star is expected to contend for his third MVP this season. As of Wednesday, FanDuel Sportsbook gives Mahomes the fourth-best odds (+650) to win the award, behind Burrow, Allen and Jackson. Barnwell's exercise should make the Chiefs feel even luckier. They have the league's most coveted player. "If any team actually had a shot at acquiring him, no star player or draft pick would be off the table," wrote Barnwell. "Mahomes is on a different level than anybody else, even his fellow top quarterbacks."
Red Sox Rumors Explained: Boston Targeting Two Star Pitchers
It sounds like the Boston Red Sox are making a serious run at two of the most interesting starting pitchers on the trade block. Over the last few weeks, there's been plenty of speculation about what the Red Sox could do. Now, some of that speculation is leading to actual, concrete reports. With rumors out there that the Red Sox are targeting high-end starting pitching, the Arizona Diamondbacks have been spoken about as a potential trade partner. The reason for this is that the Diamondbacks don't have just one option on the trade block, but two. Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen are two of the top starting pitchers on the trade block and Boston reportedly has spoken to Arizona about both, per WEEI's Rob Bradford. "Per source, the Red Sox have shown some interest in both Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen," Bradford said. Kelly would be the better addition of the two. He has made 22 starts this season and has a 3.22 ERA and 121-to-38 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 128 2/3 innings pitched. He's leading Arizona with 3.3 wins above replacement. Gallen is a former All-Star, but is having a tough season. In 22 starts, Gallen has pitched to a 5.60 ERA. If the season were to end today, it would be his highest ERA of his career to this point. The Diamondbacks are open for business and already have made deals. There are other starters out there on the block as well, but this is an interesting update at the very least.
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