Microsoft sets up livestream event for new indie games on Xbox Game Pass

Microsoft is going to set up a recurring event for indie games in its ID@Xbox program coming to Xbox Game Pass. The debut of the so-called ID@Xbox Game Pass event is on March 26. It can be followed via a live stream on YouTube.

According to Microsoft, the event will include “new revelations, highlights shown and discussions with developers”. However, it is not entirely clear from the text whether there are disclosures of completely new indie games or of indie games that are newly added to the Xbox Game Pass.

Microsoft states that in any case Afterparty, Void Bastards and Supermarket Shriek will be featured on the first edition of ID@Xbox Game Pass. There is also a look behind the scenes at Night School Studio, the makers of Afterparty.

While Microsoft puts both games from large and small studios in the spotlight at events such as E3 and its own X018 event, ID@Xbox Game Pass is only intended for games from the ID@Xbox program. That’s the program developers can use if they want Microsoft to take on the role of publisher. The developer then makes the game and Microsoft takes care of distribution through the Xbox Store. They also provide things like SDKs, devkits and documentation.

The announcement of this presentation follows very shortly after the announcement of Sony’s first-ever State of Play livestream which will take place the day before, on March 25. That stream is apparently serving as a replacement for Sony’s press conference at the E3 games show, which it skips this year. EA is also skipping E3 this year and doing its own event. Microsoft is still present with Xbox at E3 with a press conference.