It has been well documented that Xbox has been lacking in major first party games in recent years. They have promised this year’s E3 to be the year to change all that and are even having their E3 presentation and games demoed on the show floor in another building, The Microsoft Theatre, across the street from the main building where every other publisher is. Phil Spencer has recently been tweeting about bringing exciting first party games to Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs, saying that Japanese games will be shown on their stage and that this year’s E3 will be the biggest ever for the Xbox brand. That is why I believe every game shown during Microsoft’s conference will be a full Xbox and Windows 10 exclusive coming day one to Xbox Game Pass as they’ve previously announced every exclusive will release on their monthly subscription service for £8 a month. On to my predictions.
Xbox will open the show with Phil Spencer taking to the stage welcoming everyone to their E3 briefing and talking briefly about launching Xbox One X last year and that it’s selling well and all the games that have received Xbox One X enhancements. He will say every game they show here today is a full first party exclusive and will receive huge enhancements on Xbox One X and re-iterate they are free via Xbox Game Pass.
Playground Game’s New Open World Action RPG
The first trailer showing real gameplay of Playground’s new Open World Action RPG, not Fable as rumours have suggested. A brand new IP with an awesome cast of characters and a more colourful family friendly vibe to it. Optional up to 4 player co-op play where players can play the entire game solo or with friends or any mix of the two as progress carries over whether you’re playing with friends or alone. The game will launch Holiday 2019.
Project Gotham Racing 5
Sticking with Playground Games their new racing game is not Forza Horizon 4 but a return of Project Gotham Racing. The British cars found by data miners in Forza Motorsport 7 is in fact for a promotional car pack available the same day as their E3 presentation 10 June and is announced after the trailer. An extensive gameplay demo followed by a 2018 release date around September/October time when Forza usually launches. The game will feature several new and returning prodominantly British tracks with a few from Europe and the US as well. The dynamic weather system comes across from the Forza Horizon games but tracks are set circuits not open world. The Kudos system comes back in a huge way and their are several awesome social features PGR TV comes back, photo sharing, tuning sharing, clubs players can create and join, new interactive features for streamers on Microsoft’s Mixer platform where viewers can select the player’s car and track plus things like pit strategies and other more managerial options to engage players watching others play the game.
Halo 6 & A New Spin Off Title Like ODST
343 Industries recently teased Halo fans that this year we will see new adventures but not “those” adventures. That basically rules out the next main entry Halo 6 although I do believe we will get an announcement with a brief teaser trailer and some details on the game’s story and features, maybe a Fall 2019 release window. This year we will get a new Halo game but it will be a spin off title like ODST and not a continuation of the story from Halo 5: Guardians. Perhaps a prequel story of Master Chief’s origins in the Spartan 2 programme maybe his and Blue Team’s first missions when they were fresh out of training with some as yet unseen revelations throughout the game’s story that ties into the narrative up to now in the Halo series. Release around November 2018. Full gameplay of both single player and multiplayer. Multiplayer is the usual suite of regular Halo game modes along with a lot of new maps and returning favourites. No Battle Royale mode as has been rumoured but a updated and refined Warzone 2.0 being the big new multiplayer feature. New Mixer interactive streaming features for multiplayer where viewers can help their favourite team or individuals depending on the mode. Viewers have an overhead view map they can use to help players strategise and can call in special weapons for their team to try and get in strategic spawn locations.
New Indie Exclusives Like The Last Night & Below Shown With Release Dates
The Last Night was shown for the first time last E3 so this year we will get a better look at gameplay and a Spring/Summer 2019 release window not committing to an actual date just yet. Capy Barra have said Below will finally release this year so I think we will see a lot of gameplay in a new trailer with a 2018 release date of around October. Cuphead will get new DLC released before the end of 2018. New indie title debuts with an announcement trailer.
New Exclusive Action/Adventure IP From Capcom
Capcom have a listing for an action/adveture game to be shown at E3 for Xbox One & PC but not PS4. This I think will be a brand new IP exclusive to Microsoft’s platforms in Fall 2019. A trailer with a brief look at the game along with developers taking to the stage talking about the game although not many details are shared with more news to come at Gamescom. Just a look at the game’s concept, story and some characters along with early gameplay showing some game features.
New Achievements & Avatars System
Xbox have already said there will be new features added to achievements such as some have suggested a levelling up system with in game rewards for completing milestones. They announced new and revamped Avatars coming to Xbox last year this I believe will tie into the achievements system where instead of the old micro-transactions for clothing items and props we can earn them through our in game achievements for free maybe commenting on the recent backlash against loot boxes and other micro-transactions. All Xbox exclusives will support the avatar rewards, Xbox did this in a small number of games on 360, with other publishers can include them if they so choose but it would be up to the individual publishers. Begins rolling out to Xbox Preview around September with a Fall 2018 release for everyone.
Banjo Kajooie Anniversary Collection
A collection of Banjo Kazooie, Banjo Tooie, Banjo Kazooie Nuts N Bolts and for the first time on an Xbox platform Banjo Pilot, the series’ Mario Kart esque kart racer. All fully remastered from the ground up with modern graphics akin to what we have seen with the recent Crash Bandicoot and the upcoming Spyro The Dragon remakes. In a shock partnership with Nintendo the collection will also launch on Nintendo Switch. Coming Holiday 2018 since it is Banjo’s 20th anniversary this year.
Goldeneye 007 Announced For Xbox, PC & Nintendo Switch With Cross-play
A full remake built from the ground up with fully remastered story campaign and multiplayer. All the original games maps as well as some new maps and alternative reimagining of the originals along with the originals untouched. Cross-play between Xbox, PC & Switch online as well as 4 player split screen multiplayer on all versions. No release date given just in development and Rare is developing it and will focus more fully on it after Sea Of Thieves DLC.
Vanquish 2 Exclusive To Xbox
Partnering with Sega Xbox announces Vanquish 2 which they’ve part-funded. A brief teaser trailer and some developer info. No release date just that it is in development.
Backwards Compatibility For Sega Saturn & Dreamcast
In partnership with Sega Xbox will bring Sega Saturn & Dreamcast games to the backwards compatibility programme. No release date just a brief look at a couple of games they are working on and how they plan on enhancing the titles. New Original Xbox titles announced for later this year and some 360 games that will get Xbox One X enhancements later in 2018 as well.
Perfect Dark Reboot By The Coalition
The show closes with a teaser trailer for Joanna Dark The Coalition’s reboot of the Perfect Dark series. A huge ambitious single player only game. No release date only that it is in development. Rod Ferguson takes to the stage and gives some details on the game.
So there you have it there are my predictions for Xbox at E3 2018. Also want to say I didn’t mention Crackdown or Sea Of Thieves DLC as I believe these will both be announced either before the show or directly afterwards at the E3 addition of Inside Xbox on the Monday 11th of June. Along with some other smaller announcements during that show.
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