So, Microsoft just finished their xbox conference at E3, and there's a hell of a lot to process in this one. I might have to break this up into multiple parts to really cover everything, but we'll see how this goes. But let's start with the elephant in the room, shall we?
Microsoft hasn't done so well this year. I mentioned it in a Shitlords Unite stream. The Xbox One X was released at the worst possible time, and probably did more harm than good to Microsoft. Sea of Thieves and State of Decay 2 have had underwhelming performances, and their instant release on Xbox Game Pass could be considered a hail mary to get more people to pick up and play their software. As much of a Microsoft (and Xbox) fan as I am, this console generation has not been kind to xbox gamers. People are ignoring the green in favor of the the blue.
But this year was Microsoft's to win. They had to do something big, and they had to do it quickly. What's interesting is the acquisition of a bunch of developers. Five, to be specific. The Initiative is a new studio created from the ground up, built by Microsoft. In addition, they added Undead Labs, Ninja Theory, Compulsion Games, and Playground Games. Two of the studios, Undead Labs and Playground Games, have already built games exclusive to the Xbox: the State of Decay series and the Forza Horizon series, respectively. Compulsion Games is working on We Happy Few, which had a very, very big announcement:
Escape from a lifetime of cheerful denial.
— Xbox (@Xbox) June 10, 2018
We Happy Few launches on Xbox One August 10. pic.twitter.com/YYPIbw2nuc
Frankly, I'm a trifle worried about We Happy Few. The time spent developing the game, the change in direction midway through development, and the acquisition by Microsoft scream troubled waters for the title. I don't think that'll be an issue, but it's still a very real concern. They're really going to have to work to get the game up to expectations, which were set quite high. Here's hoping they can deliver on it...
Moving on, I personally feel like Microsoft spent more time than I would normally consider on this title: Forza Horizon 4.
I mean, it looks pretty, they're super fun, and they gave us a release date, but they spent their time in a way that felt boring, slow, and un-fun. Which is the exact opposite of a racing game you want to play with friends. We'll see how it pans out when it drops on October 2, 2018.
Speaking of release dates, they finally got off their bums and announced a release date for Crackdown 3! Took 'em long enough! We've been waiting for the game since the announcement of the Xbox One at E3 2014.
No, really. That was their 2014 trailer. I was seriously looking forward to this game from the moment it was announced. So now it's finally coming out. Finally!
Not to overstep Crackdown 3's delayed expectations, we finally have a release date for Kingdom Hearts 3! You know, that one game that was supposed to be released on the PS3 almost a decade ago? Didn't they initially target a 2008 release? Well, better late than never, I suppose... Regardless, it's coming out January 29, 2019. Take bets on how many people take that week off...
The big surprise reveal for me was the announcement of three new Gears of War games. Gears POP! (with funko pops, ugh), Gears Tactics (Think X-Com in Gears of War), and Gears of War 5. The trailer was...well, we don't know a whole lot about it. But infested DeeBees got my attention very quickly. Kat isn't that well-liked of a character, which has led to some interesting reactions on Twitter thus far. We'll see how it pans out. I just hope they nail Horde mode, though. That was always the most fun I'd have in game...
I had mentioned earlier that the Xbox Game Pass seemed like a hail mary for Microsoft, mainly as a last ditch effort to get more people to play their games. Microsoft just announced that several of their big titles will be available on launch day on the service, including Crackdown 3 and Forza Horizon 4. It's a ballsy move, and I'm not sure if it's one born out of desperation or a gambit to increase their install base. Either way, I think gamers win? It's really too soon to tell. I think we'll start seeing some very pointed questions about how Microsoft intends to stay afloat with such an endeavor...
During the show, we learned more about PUBG, a Nier Automata complete collection, an expansion for Cuphead (with a third playable character), Devil May Cry 5 (too soon to tell if awesome or terrible), Tunic (It's Zelda if Link were a fox. No, really), Sea of Thieves DLC (it badly needs it), Dying Light 2, Jump Force (A Shonen Jump mashup game that we know nothing about), Black Desert Online coming to Xbox One, Session (A new skateboarding IP), Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Set in Central America, looks like the others, which is not a bad thing), Ori and the Will of the Wisps (beautiful!), Tales of Vesperia Remaster, The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit (looks more like a movie than a game), and Just Cause 4. There was a long form trailer about The Division 2, but I'm going to be breaking that down in another post, because I f***ing love The Division. I'm super stoked about that one.
All in all, it was a solid show. But, knowing Microsoft, they always save the best for last. Of course, someone had to steal the show.
And Cyberpunk 2077 did it in GLORIOUS fashion! They faked a critical windows error, then launched into a trailer for the game. But before they did, they tossed a bunch of activation codes on the screen in rapid succession. They were gone in an instant, though. I tried. So did a couple other people!
Yep, 3 out of 4 that I tried were real and had already been redeemed, then I just gave up.
— Carlos Leituga (@CLeituga) June 10, 2018
One didn't work but I might've misread one or two characters. pic.twitter.com/lPsR2d5Q50
After a bit more sleuthing, I found out what they were for. Turns out, they were codes for full copies of The Witcher 3, plus all the DLC! Not wanting to be left completely alone through the whole thing, they left a couple easter eggs in the glitch trailer. Shannon Plante announced it on her twitter feed, mentioning some sort of "easter egg":
Freeze-frame of Cyberpunk 2077... easter egg FAQ hidden behind! oooOOO pic.twitter.com/d3NgFulOIY.jpg
— Shannon Plante (@ShannonZKiller) June 10, 2018
All in all, a fun E3 from Microsoft. I think they're figuring themselves out, they're trying to turn things around, I just hope it's not too little, too late. Time will tell, and we'll see how they perform this holiday season. If you got through to this part, you are awesome. I just wanted to let you know.
Ah! One more thing! They announced a new Battletoads game. The reaction has been... interesting...
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