Starfield and Forza won’t be playable at Gamescom 2023, but tons of other Xbox games will be

Xbox Gamescom 2023 Header

Microsoft has announced what is set to be its biggest booth presence yet for Gamescom 2023, with a large number of notable games being playable by the public for the first time, including Payday 3, Stalker 2 and Towerborne. However, two of the biggest Xbox games, Starfield and Forza Motorsport, will not be playable on the show floor.

Starfield, Forza Motorsport and Ara: History Untold from Oxide Games will only be shown during “exclusive theatre presentations”, which is pretty naff when you think that Starfield is out just a couple weeks later on 6th September and Forza on 10th October.

Still, there will be over 25 games that can be played at the Xbox booth, including Jusant from DontNod, Armored Core VI by FromSoftware, CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, Under the Waves from Quantic Dreams, Persona 5 Tactica and more.

This will also be a celebration of 10 years of the ID@Xbox programme, and so Paradox’s Lamplighter’s League, Thunderful’s SteamWorld Build, Amplifier’s Lightyear Frontier, and other smaller and indie games will also be included.

All of this is being divided into three blocks within Hall 8 of the Koelnmesse, with the full line ups and features as follows:

Xbox Gamescom 2023 – Block A

  • Starfield (Theater Experience)
  • Starfield (Photo Opportunities)
  • Towerborne (Game stations)
  • Towerborne (Claw Machine)
  • Microsoft Flight Simulator (Game stations)
  • The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom (Game stations + Community Roundtables)
  • The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom (Photo Opportunity)
  • Jusant (Game stations)
  • Infinity Strash: DRAGON QUEST The Adventure of Dai (Game stations)
  • Dungeons 4 (Game stations)
  • Under the Waves (Game stations)
  • Broadcast Stage
  • PC Game Pass Challenge (Info Desk)

Xbox Gamescom 2023 – Block B

  • Ara: History Untold (Theater Experience)
  • Ara: History Untold (Photo Opportunities)
  • Sea of Thieves (Face Paint & Tattoo Spray Ons)
  • Sea of Thieves (Photo Opportunity)
  • Forza Motorsport (Theater Experience)
  • Forza Motorsport (Photo Opportunity)
  • Senua´s Saga: Hellblade II (Face Paint & Tattoo Spray Ons)
  • Senua´s Saga: Hellblade II (Photo Opportunity + Meet & Greet)
  • PayDay 3 (Game stations)

Xbox Gamescom 2023 – Block C

  • Stalker 2 (Game stations)
  • Stalker 2 (Photo Opportunity)
  • Sonic Superstars (Game stations)
  • Persona 5 Tactica (Game stations)
  • Party Animals (Game stations)
  • Immortals of Aveum (Game stations)
  • Mortal Kombat 1 (Game stations)
  • Ghostrunner 2 (Game stations)
  • Overwatch 2 (Game stations)
  • Diablo IV (Photo Opportunity)
  • ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON (Game stations)
  • Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty (Game stations)
  • Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty (Photo Opportunity)
  • Another Crab´s Treasure (ID@Xbox | Game station)
  • Headbangers (ID@Xbox | Game station)
  • Lamplighters League (ID@Xbox | Game station)
  • SteamWorld Build (ID@Xbox | Game station)
  • Worldless (ID@Xbox | Game station)
  • Lightyear Frontier (ID@Xbox | Game station)
  • Little Kitty, Big City (ID@Xbox | Game station)
  • Cocoon (ID@Xbox | Game station)
  • Dead Pets (ID@Xbox | Game station)
  • Mineko`s Night Market (ID@Xbox | Game station)
  • Naiad (ID@Xbox | Game station)
  • Botany Manor (ID@Xbox | Game station)
  • Island of Winds (ID@Xbox | Game station)
  • Stumble Guys (ID@Xbox | Game station)
  • Antstream Arcade (Game station)

The show floor will be accessible during the following times at the show:

  • Thursday, August 24 – 10:00am – 8:00pm CEST
  • Friday, August 25 – 10:00am – 8:00pm CEST
  • Saturday, August 26 – 9:00am – 8:00 pm CEST
  • Sunday, August 27 – 9:00am – 8:00pm CEST

Source: Xbox

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