Xbox Game Showcase 2024 Delivers Blockbuster Reveals, Shocking Twist with Call of Duty Shadow Drop

Microsoft pulled out all the stops at the Xbox Game Showcase 2024, delivering a packed event filled with jaw-dropping trailers, new IPs, and one reveal that has left the gaming world buzzing: a surprise shadow drop of Call of Duty: Black Ops Gulf War.

The showcase, which aired today, opened strong with a cinematic trailer for Fable, offering the most detailed look yet at Playground Games’ whimsical RPG reboot. From there, the hits didn’t stop, with new footage from Avowed, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and the long-awaited Clockwork Revolution. But the biggest shock came when Activision took the stage to unveil a brand-new entry in the Call of Duty franchise—Black Ops Gulf War—and then immediately dropped it onto Xbox Game Pass for all subscribers.

The shadow drop marks a massive shift in strategy for the Call of Duty brand, signaling Microsoft’s growing influence after its 2023 acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Rumors had swirled for weeks about Call of Duty’s changing release plans, but few expected it to align with Xbox’s showcase so directly. Gulf War, set during the early 1990s conflict, returns to the gritty, covert style the Black Ops series is known for, placing players in the boots of CIA operatives navigating global tensions and psychological conflict.

The move to launch Call of Duty day-one on Game Pass also represents a bold statement about the future of the service. Microsoft exec Phil Spencer emphasized the company’s commitment to “day-one experiences that reward our subscribers” and hinted that more premium titles could follow suit.

Other highlights from the showcase included a closer look at Obsidian’s fantasy epic Avowed, which is now slated for an early 2025 release, and an extended gameplay segment from the Indy adventure that confirmed a 2024 holiday launch.

With the Xbox Series X|S library continuing to grow and Game Pass evolving into a must-have service, the 2024 showcase proves Microsoft is not just playing catch-up—but aiming to set the pace.