How to watch the Xbox Developer Direct 2025 showcase and what to expect
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As widely expected, Xbox has announced a new Developer Direct presentation for January dedicated to some of its biggest upcoming games. This time round, the focus will be on titles that you can play this year on Xbox consoles and Game Pass, plus a massive surprise that fans are convinced is a remake of a classic RPG.
Here’s how to watch the Developer Direct livestream and what to expect during the show. The presentation kicks off at 6pm in the UK on Thursday, January 23. The Direct will follow the usual pre-recorded format, with developers talking about their big releases on location from their studios.
The show will feature four games in total: Doom: The Dark Ages, South of Midnight, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and a mystery fourth title. What could it be? Some gamers have their fingers crossed for that long-rumoured Oblivion remake or remaster. The last we heard, Virtuos Games, the studio behind major ports like The Outer Worlds for Nintendo Switch and Horizon Zero Dawn for PC, was reportedly working on the game alongside its subsidiary, Black Shamrock.
The remake is said to use both Unreal Engine 5 and the original Oblivion engine in a pairing system, bringing its visuals up to date while retaining its core gameplay mechanics. It could make for a tasty little appetiser before the main course, Elder Scrolls 6, arrives in 2026.
As for the other three titles confirmed for the Direct, the biggest is arguably Doom: The Dark Ages. The prequel to Doom (2016) charts the origins of the Doom Slayer, the game’s gruff protagonist, during a medieval-inspired conflict between humanity and hell. A trailer for the game memorably features the armour-clad beefcake riding a cybernetic dragon.
