Microsoft Drops More Than 40 Game Demos for ID@Xbox Showcase

Today, Microsoft kicked off its annual ID@Xbox showcase. As it did last year, the publisher is also releasing several demos that players can play from July 11 to 17. This year, the Demo Fest includes more than 40 different games, most of which are upcoming indies. With the sheer volume of games coming to Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One, there is bound to be something for just about everyone, and several of these games will also come to Xbox Game Pass at launch. Getting the chance to check these out ahead of time should help players inform their decision about whether they're going to pick them up or not.

As mentioned, there is a giant smorgasbord of games coming as part of this year's ID@Xbox event. You can view the full list on the official site, but there are definitely some big highlights here. For starters, seven of these demos are actually newly announced games for the Xbox platform. Those games are Alchemist: The Potion Monger, Alisa, Dynacat, Knights of Braveland, Marble It Up! Ultra, Metal Mind, and The Night of the Rabbit. That last one is being made by Daedalic Entertainment which is looking for a win after the disappointing launch of Lord of the Rings: Gollum.

The other major demos currently available on Xbox platforms are Demonschool, Lies of P, Punch Club 2: Fast Forward, Sea of Stars, and WrestleQuest. Obviously, there will be several sleeper hits in there as well, but those are the names that stand out. Of course, Lies of P previously had a demo available, so you might've already played it, but it's back again for anyone that missed it. The other games have all shown well at industry events like PAX East, so they're worth giving a look if you're interested in trying out something new.

The ID@Xbox showcase kicked off today and will run through July 17. Keep in mind that these are demos of the games, so things can and likely will change before they eventually release. You'll find all 40+ demos on the Xbox home page, so make sure to hunt them down if there's something in the collection that catches your eye.