With a more defined vision for the Xbox brand under Phil Spencer, and Microsoft boasting the “greatest games lineup in Xbox history,” the stage is set for a big showing at this year’s E3. Taking place on June 15 at 9:30am PT / 5:30pm BST, Microsoft’s E3 briefing is sure to be filled with reveals, gameplay premieres, an indie highlight reel, and according to Spencer, a strong focus on first-party games.
Now, with that date a little over a week away, we’ve decided to comb through the list of upcoming Xbox exclusives (timed or otherwise) and highlight five of our most anticipated we expect to see on Microsoft’s stage.
Halo 5: Guardians
Let’s start with the obvious. The second entry from 343 Industries in Microsoft’s tentpole franchise, Halo 5: Guardians will almost certainly have a significant presence at E3. Set for release in just over four months, E3 is where Microsoft will likely showcase the next chapter in the Master Chief saga for the last time.
With a multiplayer beta already behind us, odds are this year’s E3 will see 343 focus more on Halo 5’s campaign. Agent Locke (voiced by Mike Colter) is set to play a big role in the story, seeing as the Spartan IV supersoldier appears alongside Master Chief on the official box art – and let’s not forget Locke even starred in last year’s Halo: Nightfall TV series. We know he’s been tasked with tracking down John-117, but a big question remains: why? While that answer continues to slowly be unveiled through 343’s Hunt the Truth podcast, there’s still so much we don’t know, including how much of the game we’ll be playing as Locke vs. the Chief.
Also, while 343 explicitly stated there won’t be another multiplayer beta, don’t be surprised if 343’s portion of the show ends the studio announcing a change of heart. Following the Master Chief Collection’s rocky launch, 343 is looking to regain the confidence of fans with Halo 5. In order to do that, Halo 5 is going to need to launch as close to problem-free as possible, and the studio may look to the public to test its performance one last time.
Rise of the Tomb Raider
Yes, it’s a timed exclusive, but you can bet Microsoft will be treating it as one of its own. Coming exclusively to Xbox One and Xbox 360 this Holiday season (and probably Windows after a year), developer Crystal Dynamics already announced Rise of the Tomb Raider gameplay will be revealed on Microsoft’s stage at E3.
With Crystal focusing solely on development for the Xbox One version, Rise of the Tomb Raider should be an exceptionally gorgeous game – even more so than the already-stunning Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition. Aside from graphical improvements, the developer has said the next entry in Lara Croft’s journey will feature more tombs than its predecessor, with a greater emphasis on puzzle solving.
With that in mind, expect Crystal to keep most story details under wraps and show us gameplay of Lara navigating one of the many tombs, complete with a bit of puzzle solving, a touch of stealth, a pinch of combat, and plenty of excessive grunting. We’ll almost certainly get a release date, as well.
Scalebound
New gameplay details, a development update, or even in-game footage(!) of Scalebound is bound to be revealed next week. (Seriously, Microsoft, we’ll take anything.)
Microsoft has been silent since announcing its collaboration with Bayonetta 2 developer Platinum Games last year at E3. With highly regarded director Hideki Kamiya at the helm, Scalebound could be the Xbox One-exclusive ace up Microsoft’s sleeve.
Still, there’s so much we want to know: Will we control the dragons, or just the humans? Is it single-player? Multiplayer? Or, like Destiny, will it be some sort of ‘shared world’?
Back in January, Microsoft’s Ken Lobb told The Inner Circle Podcast Scalebound combines “the best of what Platinum does and what we do.” It’s a rather vague quote, but up until now, it’s all we’ve heard from either company. At this time next week, we expect that to change.
Forza Motorsport 6
We already know Forza 6 gameplay will be unveiled at E3 – Turn 10 Studios Creative Director Dan Greenawalt said as much alongside the game’s announcement earlier this year.
Considering Turn 10’s new partnership with Ford, Greenawalt will likely take the stage to show off gameplay featuring the Forza 6 cover star, Ford’s GT supercar. It’s also safe to assume weather effects will be highlighted in the demo – a feature added in Forza Horizon 2 that’s yet to appear in a Forza Motorsport game.
You can bet this time will also be used to announce Porsche will be returning to the franchise. A slip up by Microsoft on YouTube last week suggested a Porsche-themed car pack for Forza Horizon 2. Expect that car pack to be announced, as well as the inclusion of Porsche enthusiast Magnus Walker’s custom 277 in Forza 6, which was recently leaked by EVO magazine.
Crackdown
Much like Scalebound, Microsoft has said next to nothing regarding Crackdown since last year’s E3 reveal. With original Crackdown creator Dave Jones and his Cloudgine company crafting the technology behind the new Crackdown, the open-world game is set to showcase how Microsoft plans on utilizing cloud computing for gaming on Xbox One. If implemented properly, Crackdown could feature large-scale, physics-based destruction unlike anything we’ve seen before.
Crackdown is likely a 2016, if not 2017, game for Microsoft, but don’t be surprised to hear some new info or see a vertical slice of in-game action during this year’s E3.
While these are just five of the exclusives we hope to see, chances are there will be plenty more. The Coalition (formerly Black Tusk Studios) recently confirmed it’ll be showing off its next Gears of War project at E3 during Xbox Daily: Live. Seeing as the announcement won’t take place during Microsoft’s media briefing, it’s safe to assume it will be confirmation of the rumored Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, rather than details on the next proper entry in the Gears franchise…but, you never know.
Fans (including us) are also hoping for an update on Remedy’s action-adventure game/TV show, Quantum Break. While it could certainly make its way onto the stage at E3, the safe money’s on Microsoft holding off until Gamescom, where Quantum Break made its gameplay debut last year.
We’ll also get a look at some of Xbox One’s upcoming indies, hopefully including release dates for Cuphead, Below, and Inside, the next game from Limbo developer Playdead. Oh, and don’t forget Rare. Whatever mystery project the studio has been working on is sure to be revealed at E3. Will it be a reboot of a classic franchise, or something new altogether? All will be revealed soon enough.
Which Xbox exclusives are you most excited to see at E3? What surprises do you think Microsoft has in store? Let us know in the comments!
Jordan Sirani was a community contributor to ICXM, writing 1 article in 2015 covering Xbox news. ICXM operated as an independent Xbox and Windows gaming outlet through the Xbox One’s first full year of post-launch coverage, including the early days of Backwards Compatibility and Windows 10 gaming, drawing from a rotating bench of editorial volunteers. They post on X as @jdsirani.