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Kinetic Publishing held its first showcase, during which it presented five new indie games headed to Xbox. Among the announced titles were both tranquil games about wizards and building your own town, and far more unsettling horror games. The biggest draw was PRECOGNITION, the new game from Sam Barlow, the creator of Her Story, Telling Lies and Immortality. Horror director Brandon Cronenberg is also involved in the project, which could promise a particularly unusual experience. All announced titles are set to arrive on Xbox Series X|S and PC, and thanks to Xbox Play Anywhere a single purchase will let you play on both platforms at no extra cost.
Five new games from Kinetic Publishing
The first of the showcased titles is Contact Protocol, a science fiction horror set aboard the spaceship Pale Horse. The player will be responsible for checking information about encountered ships and comparing it to the company's documents. The problem is that every suspicious situation may require making an extremely difficult decision. In extreme cases the player will be able to fire a torpedo and destroy the other ship, saving their own crew at the cost of other people's lives. The game is designed to gradually ramp up the pressure and force the player to make increasingly harder choices. Contact Protocol will debut on Xbox Series X|S and PC in spring 2027. The second offering is Crescent County, which presents a completely different vibe and blends an open world with magic, racing, and parcel delivery. The player will take on the role of a techno-witch who can travel on a flying broom, take on jobs, compete in races, and develop relationships with other characters. The game will also strongly emphasize queer themes and witchcraft. Crescent County will arrive on Xbox Series X|S and PC in summer 2027. Meanwhile, Shellbound will take players to a world located on the back of a giant snail, where they will play as a parasite capable of taking control of enemies and NPCs. The release of this unusual metroidvania is planned for summer 2028.
Sam Barlow's new game could be the biggest surprise
The next title is Aether Wizard Life, a very expansive game combining elements of action RPG, platforming, exploration, city-building, farming, dating and running your own shop. The Vonder Games production will also offer a crime storyline about a mysterious group abducting wizards. The whole thing will feature a distinctive, colourful art style inspired in part by the work of Studio Ghibli. The game is set to arrive on Xbox Series X|S and PC in autumn 2028. The biggest announcement of the whole event, however, is PRECOGNITION, Sam Barlow's new project. The creator previously worked on Her Story, Telling Lies and Immortality, so his latest project may particularly interest fans of narrative FMV games. PRECOGNITION is a science-fiction horror being developed in collaboration with Brandon Cronenberg. The story will focus on time travel, predicting the future and the consequences of interfering with the course of events. Like Barlow's earlier games, the production will reward players who pay attention to the smallest details and try to piece together all elements of the story themselves. The creators even suggest preparing a notebook and pencil while playing, which shows how much PRECOGNITION emphasises analysing information. The game is being developed by Half Mermaid Productions, and its release is scheduled for spring 2028. All announced titles will support Xbox Play Anywhere, allowing players to continue playing on console and PC without having to purchase a second version of the game.
Kinetic Publishing showcased five very different games that will hit Xbox in 2027 and 2028. From cosmic horror and Metroidvania to a magical open world and expansive RPGs, the publisher’s lineup is exceptionally varied. The biggest highlight, however, is Sam Barlow’s PRECOGNITION, which could be one of the most interesting narrative sci-fi games coming to Xbox. Notably, all of the titles were also announced for PC and will support Xbox Play Anywhere.
source: Xbox
