10 best games for Xbox Series X and Series S in 2024

While the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S have been around for quite some time now, they continue to entertain players of all ages with a range of rich and diverse titles in every genre. 2024 is shaping up to be a massive year for Xbox gaming, and players can look forward to the release of original titles like Star Wars Outlaws and Avowed and much-anticipated sequels like Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl.

You may not be able to play every game, so it’s worth planning ahead to get the titles you want to avoid wasting money and disappointment. We’ve made it easier to choose by compiling a list of the best upcoming Xbox Series X/S releases for 2024 — adding their trailers and release dates — so you know what they’re about and when to get them. It’s worth looking out for day-one releases if you have an Xbox Game Pass, because you’ll save money and have first access.

1 Star Wars Outlaws

Be a scoundrel in a galaxy far, far away.

Outlaws finally brings an open-world play style to the Star Wars universe where you can explore iconic planets and have epic dogfights in your ship, the Trailblazer. Play a new character, Kay Vess, assisted by her pet Nix and a droid, ND-5, as they take on missions in the shady underworld and try to stay ahead of the empire that’s hot on their tail.

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2 Avowed

Explore a new world

Avowed is a new fantasy RPG from Obsidian Entertainment in which you must solve the mystery of a plague spreading through an island called the Living Lands. Use magic, guns, and melee weapons to battle dangerous creatures as you explore the land to uncover mysteries and prevent a catastrophe.

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3 Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines 2

Which clan will you choose?

Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines 2 is an open-world action RPG set in Seattle that allows you to roam the streets as a creature of the night. It’s the long-awaited sequel to the cult classic and promises twisted characters, macabre missions, and epic battles as you level up your vampire powers and take on powerful baddies on your way up the food chain.

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4 S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

Can you survive in the zone?

Stalkers are fearless explorers who risk bandits, environmental anomalies, and mutated creatures to survive in the corrupted nuclear wasteland around Chornobyl. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl combines tense horror elements with open-ended, non-linear RPG-like gameplay, and your decisions influence the game — often with harsh consequences.

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5 Hollow Knight: Silksong

A tough new world to navigate

Hollow Knight’s fast-paced and addictive 2D sidescrolling gameplay captivated gamers and provides a challenging world of puzzles and surprises to explore. The sequel promises the same fun while upping the ante with Hornet taking over as the lead in a new story, 165 new enemies to fight, and over 100 checkpoints to explore.

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6 Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Get ready for war

Suit up, grab your chainsword, and prepare for battle with Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. The game offers intense Ultramarine fights against hordes of swarming Tyranids on distant planets, and you’ll need to use a wide range of guns and melee weapons to take them down and bring peace to the galaxy.

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7 F1 24

Start your engines

F1 24 brings the latest cars, drivers, and tracks for this year’s competition. The game is more challenging thanks to the updated “EA Sports Dynamic Handling,” which promises an authentic experience because the weather and track conditions affect cornering, braking, and other driving features. There is also an improved Career mode where you can play as any current driver on the grid and an Icons mode to drive as a racing legend.

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8 Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

The epic Viking journey continues

Senua’s epic journey through the Viking lands continues with Hellblade II, which uses the Unreal 5 Engine to deliver life-like graphics that feel real and add to the immersive experience. The game offers a unique gameplay experience with no HUD — instead, voices in your head tell you what to do as you battle enemies and try to survive a brutal world.

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9 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Play as Indiana Jones in new globe-trotting adventures

Solve puzzles, battle Nazis, and find new artifacts as Indiana Jones in this first-person action adventure from Bethesda. The game is set in 1937 and follows Indy to exotic locations like Egypt and the Vatican as he tries to uncover a mystery — with the world at stake, of course. You can use your iconic bullwhip and other weapons to attack and disarm enemies, but you’ll need nerves of steel and intelligence to overcome deadly traps on your way to victory.

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10 ARK 2

Prehistoric carnage with Vin Diesel

ARK 2 stars Vin Diesel in a prehistoric adventure as he tries to protect his daughter from dinosaurs and other creatures while unraveling the mystery of their arrival. The stunning environment has danger lurking everywhere, so you’ll need to use your wits and combat skills to withstand the challenging souls-like gameplay if you want to survive.