2021 is nearly at an end, and out of all the major gaming publishers, it’s been an especially good year forXbox. Microsoft is establishing its footing in the next-generation space with the successful Xbox Series S and X consoles, plus the company has continued to expand into the PC and mobile gaming markets. Not only that, but the Xbox Game Pass subscription service had easily its best year yet, withXboxdelivering some of the highest-rated games to release in all of 2021 to the service.
There are numerous reasons why 2021 was Xbox’s year, from the success of Xbox Game Pass to thesurprise launch ofHalo InfiniteMultiplayer. There is some serious momentum behind Xbox, as its studio acquisitions are starting to pay off in serious ways. 2022 is shaping up to be just as big for Xbox and it will be interesting to see how it all shakes out, but in the meantime, it’s worth exploring how 2021 has been a standout year for the green brand.
Here is why 2021 has been Xbox’s year.
Xbox Game Pass Has Been Huge in 2021
Theday one Xbox Game Pass releasesin 2021 were many, and included some big budget, triple-A gaming releases likeOutridersearlier in the year andBack 4 Bloodin October. Xbox itself bolstered the Xbox Game Pass lineup with a string of new games, with some notable titles including the critically-acclaimedPsychonauts 2, the popular PC-onlyAge of Empires 4, and the wildly successful open world racing gameForza Horizon 5, which stands out as the highest-rated game of the year so far.
When it comes to new video game releases for 2021, Xbox clearly had the highest-rated games. In fact,thehighest-rated new video game release of 2021 wasForza Horizon 5, with Playground Games' latest earning widespread praise from fans and critics alike. Hot on its heels isDouble Fine’sPsychonauts 2, which is technically multiplatform, but is still an Xbox-published game thanks to Microsoft’s acquisition of Double Fine.
And that’s just the Xbox-published games. Most of the highly-rated multiplatform game releases of 2021 were readily available on Xbox One and the next-generation Xbox Series X and S consoles, ensuring that gamers had plenty of high-quality games to play in the Xbox ecosystem.
Halo Infinite Surprise Multiplayer Launch
2021 marks 20 years of Xbox, as well as 20 years ofHalo. Microsoft made sure to celebrate the Xbox’s 20th anniversary with a big surprise, launchingHalo Infinite’s Multiplayer a full month early, letting anyone with a PC, Xbox One, or next-generation Xbox console jump in and battle it out ahead of the game’s official launch in December. TheHalo InfiniteMultiplayer beta has had some growing pains, particularly when it comes to theBattle Pass and progression, but it has otherwise been very well-received by fans.
Xbox Bethesda Acquisition
While Xbox announced its intention to acquire Bethesda in 2021, the acquisition wasn’t finalized until 2021.Xbox’s acquisition of Bethesdais huge because it resulted in an instant influx of Bethesda games for Xbox Game Pass, plus it secured plenty of future exclusives for Xbox consoles. Notably, this includesStarfieldin 2022, as well asThe Elder Scrolls 6, whenever that game releases.
Xbox’s Future is Looking Bright
2021 has been a big year for the Xbox brand, but the future is looking just as bright. For example,Deathloopwas one of 2021’s highest-rated games, and while it’s a PlayStation console exclusive, it’s virtually guaranteed to be hitting Xbox Game Pass as a day one release next year thanks to Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda. We already knowDeathloopis a high quality game, and so Xbox fans have something to look forward to next year, even though PlayStation gamers were able to get their hands on it first.
2022 will undoubtedly see the debut of many more Xbox Game Pass games, and it’s been teased that there could be more huge Xbox studio acquisitions taking place next year as well. So while 2021 was a massive year for the Xbox brand, it’s looking like 2022 will be pretty great for Xbox gamers as well.
