If you’re an Xbox Series fan, you may or may not have kept up with the debate regarding developing for the less-powerful Series S. The console is, according to developers, making development on Microsoft’s ecosystem difficult; devs say they don’t want the Series S to be an additional requirement if they’re making next-gen games for the flagship Series X.
Despite this, Microsoft has shown no indication that it’s dropping support for Series S or introducing Series X-exclusive games, so if you’re one of the lucky owners of the adorable little white box, you’re safe for now. March 2023 is shaping up to be another great month for both consoles, so let’s take a look at the biggest Xbox Series X/S games to drop in March.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty (March 3rd)
If you’re an Xbox owner and you’re disappointed that you haven’t been able to check out the Nioh series until now, you’ll be pleased to know that Team Ninja’s Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is effectively a spiritual successor to that franchise. Unlike Nioh, Wo Long takes place in classical China rather than Japan, but it’ll offer the same mashup of mythology and history with Soulslike combat. This time around, though, there’s a jump button to facilitate better exploration, as well as a reduced emphasis on loot.
Clash: Artifacts of Chaos (March 9th)
The last Clash game was released all the way back in 2013 in the form of Zeno Clash 2, so we wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve forgotten this series. Happily, though, developer Ace Team certainly hasn’t, and Clash: Artifacts of Chaos is bringing a third instalment to the franchise. It’ll still revolve around crunchy melee combat, although in third-person this time. Rather than the usual series of disconnected maps, Artifacts of Chaos takes place in a Bloodborne-inspired interconnected world, too.
Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse (March 9th)
In our modern era, there really is no excuse for games remaining exclusive to certain regions. That’s hopefully the logic behind this remaster of Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse, a 2008 Wii-exclusive entry in the long-running photographic horror series that’s finally making its way to modern platforms. Although it’ll boast improved graphics and new unlockable costumes, Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is, in every other regard, the same classic Wii horror game, which you should enjoy if you’re a fan of the franchise.
Monster Energy Supercross 6 (March 9th)
There are some developers who have so utterly cornered their markets that it’s pretty much impossible to wrest control away from them. Milestone is one such developer when it comes to racing games, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that another entry in its successful Monster Energy Supercross series is coming. Once again, it’ll offer a faithful recreation of motocross in all its glory, and with an expanded career mode, you can take part in the action, too.
Anno 1800 (March 16th)
The fact that bringing strategy and city-builder games to consoles is quite difficult is probably why it’s taken Anno 1800 so long to arrive on Xbox. Still, in March, we’re finally getting Ubisoft and Blue Byte’s much-loved game of trading and diplomacy. Taking place across both the Old World and the New World, you’ll have to ferry goods between locations, making sure that you’re building adequate trade routes to keep your burgeoning empire happy.
WWE 2K23 (March 17th)
Yes, it’s that time again. Visual Concepts and 2K are coming through with another WWE game in March, and hopefully, this one will be more WWE 2K22 than WWE 2K20. If you’re not familiar with the difference, WWE 2K20 was a broken, buggy mess, while WWE 2K22 was a vast improvement that finally felt closer to the wrestling game fans deserve. This time, John Cena takes centre stage in the career mode, and you’ll have to play as his rivals as they plot to take him down across his storied time in the WWE.
EA Sports PGA Tour (March 24th)
Golf fans haven’t been particularly well-served by the world of video games recently, and EA is hoping to correct that with EA Sports PGA Tour, its return to the classic PGA Tour golfing franchise. This one will have lots of licensed golfers and courses, as well as new gameplay improvements that should hopefully make the golf action feel more authentic and realistic. If you love golf and gaming, then you owe it to yourself to check this one out, since EA has historically been the king of sports games.
Resident Evil 4 Remake (March 24th)
Hot on the heels of the recent Dead Space remake comes this reimagining of one of Capcom’s greatest horror games. Resident Evil 4 defined a generation of over-the-shoulder shooting, and its ingenious inventory system has proved far less influential than it should have done given how great it is. The remake will retain that system, but will focus more on the story’s horror elements, so think less ridiculous B-movie camp this time around.
Crime Boss: Rockay City (March 28th)
We have to wonder how that name made it past a first draft, but still, there’s a lot of promise on display in this one. Crime Boss: Rockay City is a sort of Payday-style first-person heist shooter starring some of the biggest names in crime cinema; it boasts the likes of Danny Trejo, Chuck Norris, and Vanilla Ice in its cast list, and plenty more besides. You can play this one on your own or alongside your friends, so let’s hope it’s just as fun either way.
