June 9 (Reuters) - Microsoft ( MSFT ) kicked off its

annual Xbox Games Showcase on Sunday, unveiling a new

all-digital version of its Xbox Series X and S consoles as well

as trailers for more than a dozen games including the next

installment of "Call of Duty."

The Games Showcase comes at a crucial time for Xbox and

Microsoft ( MSFT ) as the gaming industry faces a downturn and publishers

grapple with softer sales, layoffs and studio shutdowns.

Microsoft ( MSFT ) showed off three gaming consoles including a

disc-less version of the Xbox Series X and S consoles, and a

special edition of the Series X with 2 terabytes of storage.

The hardware refresh could help Xbox boost sales of its

consoles which compete with Sony's ( SONY ) PlayStation 5.

Among the games on display was "Doom: The Dark Ages", the

latest installment in the long-running "Doom" franchise, as well

as a sneak peak at the newest "Gears of War" title, ending a

five-year wait for one of Xbox's most popular properties.

A sizable number of games including the new "Doom" and "Call

of Duty" will be available on Xbox Game Pass on the day of

launch, indicating that Microsoft ( MSFT ) is making big bets on the

subscription service as it tries to woo consumers grappling with

a relatively softer economy.

The Games Showcase was followed by a special feature from

Activision Blizzard's studios that highlighted features,

characters and gameplay of the new "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6",

which is slated for a release in October.

Developers Treyarch and Raven software showed clips from the

campaign of the game that takes place in the early 1990s,

touting features such as a new movement system allowing players

to sprint in all directions, and a glimpse at the fan-favorite

"Zombies" mode.