At this year's E3 Microsoft kicked things off as per usual with their press conference, and used the time to focus almost solely on new titles. They've got the hardware out so they just have to prove that it will be worth it over the PS4, and so didn't reveal any new gadgets or bring out celebrities to hog the spotlight, they just showed off all of the exclusives they will be offering, sorta like Sony did last year. Even when a game isn't an exclusive Microsoft title they've generally managed to get exclusive content for the Xbox, or limited-time exclusives, at least. They even managed to show off a few indie titles!
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They even managed to make the crowd a part of the experience, handing out wristbands that glowed in sync with the trailers being shown off. A neat touch, if a tad creepy, and that's a whole lot of junk that's just going be thrown away after the conference...
But the clear crowd-pleaser was the announcement of Halo: The Master Chief Collection, which will bring every Halo game to the Xbox One. At least, most every one- all four numbered Halo titles will be made available, which means that poor Halo 3: ODST and Halo Wars will be left out in the cold. The first title will be the improved Anniversary edition that was released on the Xbox 360, and Halo 2 will be getting an Anniversary makeover as well. This is big news for fans- Halo 2 is thought by many to be the pinnacle of the series and they are promising 100% accurate and untouched multiplayer from the game. Not only that, but some of the most famous maps from Halo 2 will be remade and update with the latest Halo engine.
Halo 5 : Guardians is coming, too, and the small teaser they showed off demonstrated some arena combat, which is an interesting change of pace.
They're getting exclusive content for Dragon Age: Inquisition, although as to what it is hasn't been revealed yet. Tomb Raider, stupidly titled Rise of the Tomb Raider, will be getting some sort of exclusive as well. Lara's entrance garnered whoops from the audience.
Assassin's Creed Unity stunned the crowd with its four-player co-op, which shows four assassins weaving their way through massive crowds of people and taking out a few targets. While the inclusion of four players seems that they won't be terribly stealthy, it looks incredibly fun.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt imight be the game to beat this year, though. The new gameplay footage demoed here showed Geralt hunting down a Griffon, tracking his blood through a forest. Along the way he came across a bunch of thugs harassing a moment and took time out of his quest to chop them to pieces, showing off the fluid combat and impressive spells he is known for. The game looks absolutely stunning and the world like one you could lose yourself in, the open-world offering unlimited freedom in movement. Expect much more from this game in the months up to release- we're more excited for it than almost anything else.
Oh and there was a Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare trailer that showed scripted action sequences and future tech and things blowed up. Real big surprise there.
One thing that was suprising was that Microsoft didn't make a single mention of VR tech. With Sony undoubtedly revealing plans for Project Morpheus during their conference and the knowledge that Microsoft is working on it themselves it would have been nice to hear a single mention of it, but there was nothing.
In any case, Xbox One has demonstrated that they have a very strong year ahead of them. Is this enough of a spread of titles to change the tide for Microsoft's console? We shall see.
