“For us, we believe we have the greatest games lineup in Xbox history. Look forward to sharing more at E3 and then Gamescom”
That is what Microsoft’s Aaron Greenberg said on Twitter, a while back. And while that suggests that some of our Xbox hopes and dreams won’t be divulged until later this year at Gamescom, we know that there will be plenty of glorious reveals at E3. In reality, the hopes and vision I have for Xbox are too numerous to quantify in an article for you to read, but the least I could do is narrow down the list to 10 items.
These are 10 things I’d like to see from Microsoft at E3:
10. A Price Drop For The Xbox 360
We are nearly 2 years into the the next-gen phase of Xbox One and PS4, and it appears as though more and more titles are making their way to them. Arkham Knight and Assassin’s Creed Syndicate (even last year’s Assassin’s Creed Unity) are exclusively existing in the next-gen realm. On top of that, it seems that some of Xbox 360’s most popular franchises are getting remastered (Gears of War, Halo: Master Chief Collection). As this happens, it seems more likely that a Xbox 360 will have a slash in its price. Doing so would provide a nice entryway for those who are intrigued by the Xbox lineup and ecosystem.
9. Show Me Thy Hololens
When Microsoft debuted is holographic visor, Hololens, we saw an impressive 15 seconds or so of Minecraft being played in a living room, with the vast land spread out across someone’s living room. Could we get more details on this? I sure hope so. I doubt we’ll see release dates or playable demos, but I’d like to get more of a grasp of what Microsoft intends to do to connect the Hololens with the experiences of Xbox.
8. New IP
There’s no doubt that Xbox has a fantastic lineup of successful first-party franchises. But Xbox One has boasted some impressive new titles like Ryse: Son of Rome, Titanfall, and Sunset Overdrive. I’m curious to see if Microsoft will show us what other new titles are on the horizon.
7. So About Battletoads…
Battletoads. Did you know that Microsoft owns the rights to that franchise? Well it does, and after seeing the Toads appear in the recent indie game Shovel Knight, I can’t help but be excited for more from this series. Please Microsoft, give us Battletoads, and make it just as frustratingly challenging as it was back in the 90s.
6. Windows 10 and PC Love
I’m excited about the integration of Windows 10 into Xbox One. I’m intrigued that my Xbox will be able to not only be a central hub for my tv watching and gaming, but also the source of my computing. Hopefully this will pave the way for more titles to come to PC. One can hope, right?
5. 1 TB Xbox One
I ran out of space for my Xbox One and PS4 within the 1st year of owning them. There just isn’t enough space to carry all of these incredible games. As a result, a bigger built-in hard drive for the Xbox One seems imminent.
4. Fable Legends Release Date
I won’t waste your time talking about how I’m excited I am to play the latest Fable title from Lionhead Studios. This title seems to return to the light and fun dynamic that the series has slowly pulled away from, over the years. It would be great to know when this free-to-play journey commences. This way, I can clear my schedule for when “Chicken Chaser” makes his return.
3. Gears of War Remastered? And sequel?
This is the worst-kept secret of the Xbox One lineup. We’ve seen leaked footage, box art, and even Microsoft execs have let slip details of this title. What I want see for this title is: 1) Will you please just acknowledge it? and 2) will this be a remaster of GOW 1-3, or will it be exclusive to the first Gears? Furthermore, I want to know what is next in the series. Many consider Gears of War to be the fist title that made them say “next-gen has arrived” during the Xbox 360/PS3 era. I’d like to see another pioneering title in the same vain from Epic Games.
2. Lots and lots of Tomb Raider
It seems kind of obvious, right? Rise of The Tomb Raider is a timed exclusive for the Xbox One, and Microsoft will be sure to remind us of that frequently. 2013’s Tomb Raider was such a fantastic title that brought more depth and emotion to Lara Croft than ever before. We fought as Lara and we fought for Lara, and I can’t wait to do it again. I want gameplay, a plot, and a release date. And just tons of footage in general would be pretty satisfying.
1. Halo 5: Guardians for the win
There’s something special about a console brand having a flagship character. Master Chief is Microsoft’s Mario, we know Microsoft has invested it best and brightest minds at 343 Industries to create a Halo game like we’ve never seen before. Halo 4 started us down a journey that explored Master Chief’s past and his relationship with his Cortana. And although I’m a guy that loves a good story, I can’t wait to learn more about H5’s multiplayer, and how it pushes the FPS online-multiplayer experience into the next-gen reality.
Although it has flown a bit under the radar, Xbox One has boasted quite an impressive lineup of games and an even more stunning catalog of exclusive games – both first and third party. In a year where Sony has a “sparse” selection of exclusive titles for its PS4, it seems like the best time for Microsoft to present its next-gen console as the platform for gamers to spend the next several years investing their time and money into. This could be one impressive show.
What would you like to see from Microsoft at this E3? Let us know in the comments below!