For hardcore gamers, this caveat may just be the defining reason for hopping aboard the Xbox 720 bandwagon. In the coming weeks, Microsoft will be in a unique position that allows them to unveil their next-gen catalogue and to stake a claim for the gaming community’s enthusiasm – particularly those who remain undecided about PS4 or Xbox 720. Following the Sony press conference, the company has slated 17 titles for the forthcoming PS4. And while games such as Destiny, Watchdogs and Assassins Creed 4: Black Flag will be released on multiple platforms, it was still a bold statement and one that Microsoft needs to match, at the very least.
It would be foolish to argue against Sony’s clout in terms of first party studios and exclusives, just look at this year’s The Last of Us and Beyond Two Souls for proof. So at E3, Microsoft needs to bust out the triple-A titles. Bringing a Kinect shaped knife to the LA gun fight will result in a poor response at a time when the company is experiencing some industry turbulence. Studios such as 343 Industries and Turn 10 – best known for Halo and Forza, respectively – are two of the company’s heavy hitters and each of their presence at E3 will surely boot-up the next generation in style.
One of the key successes of the Xbox 360 was establishing its reputation as the go-to console for first person shooters. Tailor-made exclusives such as Halo and Gears of War – two mega-franchises in their own right – and getting the jump on additional Call of Duty content has truly crafted out a gaming audience that know what they want from Microsoft’s console. However, some of the exclusive intellectual properties that gave Xbox 360 its sense of uniqueness – namely Alan Wake and Deadlight – were lost amidst the burgeoning franchises. It all comes around to bringing back that core gaming experience for Microsoft fans. Churning out a new iteration of Forza, Gears of War and Halo won’t be as effective as introducing new titles – a fate that Nintendo are all too familiar with – so Microsoft need to pull out all the stops to vary their gaming catalogue.
The American software giant is capable of allowing triple-A titles to coexist with indie releases – 2011’s intelligent platformer Fez showed us that – the company just has to invest in ingenuity as much as it does with its flag bearing franchises in order to appease next-gen audiences. Consider the fact that there isn’t a single Xbox exclusive to look out for at E3. To name a few, Sony have Beyond Two Souls while Nintendo are poised to reveal details on Super Smash Bros. 4, but Microsoft haven’t confirmed anything, as of yet. Of course, postponing the exclusive games to coincide with a next-gen console unveil is a sound business decision and it would be naive to draw conclusions based on their silence, but the escalating hype from the Xbox community makes it clear that Microsoft have a huge gap to fill come June.
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