* The next generation of Xbox and PlayStation consoles are in the works, and both are scheduled to arrive this holiday season.
* With new consoles come new games, and we know of at least one huge launch title for Microsoft's next console: "Halo Infinite."
* But "Halo" is far from the only game we know that's coming to next-gen game consoles — from "Fortnite" to "Assasin's Creed" to this year's "Madden" entry, here's the full rundown!
* Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
Sony's PlayStation 5 and Microsoft's Xbox Series X, the next Xbox, are scheduled to arrive next fall.
But who cares about new game consoles if there's nothing to play on them?
Good news: We know a surprising amount about the games planned for "next-generation" game consoles from Sony and Microsoft. Some, like "Assassin's Creed Valhalla," have even been outright announced!
Here's what we know so far:
1. "Halo Infinite"
The legendary "Halo" franchise helped make Microsoft's Xbox a household name in 2001. In 2020, the next game in the series — "Halo Infinite" — will help launch the next-generation Xbox.
You'll be able to play "Halo Infinite" on the new console on day one.
The game stars the usual super-soldier hero, Master Chief, and his friendly artificial-intelligence helper, Cortana, and it appears to take place on a new halo ring.
More than just a new "Halo" game, "Infinite" represents a reboot of sorts for the franchise. That it's launching alongside the new Xbox is certainly a statement unto itself as well.
Check it out in action right here:
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2. "Assassin's Creed Valhalla"
The next major "Assassin's Creed" game arrives this holiday as a launch title for Sony and Microsoft's next-generation game consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
"Assassin's Creed: Valhalla," as it's known, is the first game in the series to feature Vikings. It's set in Norway and England in the 8th century, and has players controlling a new protagonist. It's also the first game in the series for the next-generation game consoles from Sony and Microsoft — the third generation of consoles that "Assassin's Creed" games have appeared on.
Though "Assassin's Creed Valhalla" is headed to next-gen, the game will also launch on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, and Google Stadia at some point this holiday season.
Check it out in action right here:
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3. "Fortnite"
"Fortnite" is coming to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X at launch, Epic Games said on May 13.
Moreover, the game will be enhanced to "take full advantage" of the increased horsepower available on the next-gen PlayStation and Xbox. Broadly speaking: "Fortnite" will get "performance and visuals" upgrades on next-gen.
You'll still be able to play with friends on other platforms — so-called "cross-platform" multiplayer — who don't have next-gen consoles. Also, anything you've purchased or unlocked from playing the game will move forward with you.
4. "Madden NFL 21" (and every other major annual sports franchise)
Yes, as always, you can fully expect the 2020 iteration of every major annual sports franchise to arrive on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
"Madden NFL" is prime among them, and the next major game in the franchise is headed to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X this holiday. Another unsurprising fact: This year's game is named "Madden NFL 21."
We've yet to hear about what major changes, if any, are coming to this year's "Madden" game, but rest assured it's far from the only major sports franchise headed to next-gen consoles: You can bet your bottom dollar that every annual sports franchise is being produced in some form or another, from "NBA 2K" to "FIFA."
Check it out in action right here:
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5. This year's "Call of Duty" game.
Like "Madden" in August and "FIFA" in September, such is the "Call of Duty" franchise to annualized holiday launches. It is very likely that a new "Call of Duty" game will arrive this holiday season as well, just as they have for the last 10-plus years, and it's equally likely that it'll be available for the launch of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
Simply put: Barring any precedent-changing shifts in strategy, it's a pretty fair bet that the "Call of Duty" game coming in 2020 is coming to the next PlayStation and Xbox consoles.
That said, Activision has yet to officially reveal the next major "Call of Duty" entry.
6. "Dirt 5"
It wouldn't be a next-generation console launch without a flashy new racing game to showcase the kind of graphical prowess Microsoft and Sony are touting. "Dirt 5" is just that — a visual demonstration of what the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 can do.
Though Microsoft is likely to produce its own racing entry from the "Forza" series, and Sony is likely to produce its own racing entry from the "Gran Turismo" series, "Dirt 5" will be available at launch on both new consoles.
As the name implies, "Dirt 5" is the latest entry in a racing series that's foundationally tied to the world of rallycross. Though there are other types of racing in the "Dirt" games, you're certain to do some mud-splattered rally racing along the way.
Check it out in action right here:
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7. "Yakuza: Like a Dragon"
For fans of the long-running "Yakuza" series, it'll be a shock to hear that the next entry is headed to the Xbox Series X as a next-gen exclusive — the game has yet to be announced as coming to the PlayStation 5. That's particularly surprising given the "Yakuza" series' long association with Sony's PlayStation.
That said, the new game is a departure from the main series — it features a new main character, and is set in a new location — so perhaps this is the perfect moment for a precedent-breaking change in platform.
Changes aside, "Yakuza: Like a Dragon" is still a third-person action game set in Japan, and it looks exactly as silly (and potentially even sillier) than previous games in the series.
Check it out in action right here:
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