With E3 2016 less than 2 days away, the Xperience crew wanted to compile a list of things we are looking to see from the E3 2016 Microsoft Press Conference. Similar to what our buddies over at SonyCentric did for their E3 2016 Sony Conference Expectations, here are what we’re looking to see from the Microsoft E3 2016 Press Conference.
So, without further ado, let’s get to it.
Keith D Mitchell (@Keithdmitchell)
Phil Spencer and Microsoft promised a lot of things during the 2015 E3 Press Conference and to be fair, they have been able to keep the majority of their promises from the event. Going into the Microsoft E3 2016 Conference, however, I’m expecting them to tap into those expectations, plus toss out a few other prizes.
Forza Motorsport 7 or Forza Horizon 3: I’m expecting a new Forza title, there’s no doubt about this. We all know there is going to be a special event that will involve Forza, we just don’t know what. We also know that there have been some rumblings regarding a possible showing / announcement for Forza Horizon 3. I touched based on that before here and I’m hoping that those predictions or leaks as I should be calling them, are correct. Forza Motorsport, as well as Forza Horizon, are two of my favorite racing series and I’ve expecting huge things from both Turn 10 Studios and Playground Studio, in this regard. However, that said I am really looking forward to Forza Horizon 3 being announced at E3 2016, FH2 was simply amazing. The only things that I felt it lacked or did wrong were the radio station selections, more focus on off-roading racing that I would have liked and that was it. If FH3 is going to be a thing, I really hope to see more a larger than life location in which the new game will take place, more exotic cars and perhaps even some motorcycles, as well as a rock-solid frame rate. In addition to this, we all know that any and all new racing games will also make an appearance on Windows 10 as well, so in that regard, I’m hoping and praying for support for 60fps, and 2k/4k resolutions.
Dead Rising 4: There’s a rumor floating around that Capcom is working on a remake of Dead Rising 1, but now takes place during Christmas. There are screenshots and a poster shot of the gaming floating around as well, of which have been confirmed as being legit by various sources. In addition, the game is supposed to include 4 player co-op and supposedly will be a Xbox One and Windows 10 Store exclusive title. There are screenshots and a poster shot of the gaming floating around as well, of which have been confirmed as being legit by various sources. Given the history of Dead Rising, it does make some sense. The original Dead Rising as well as Dead Rising 3, have all been Xbox and PC exclusive titles, with Dead Rising 2 being the only one that was available on any other system. I hope the hell this true, I loved me some Dead Rising and had been replaying through Dead Rising 3 a lot lately on the PC.
Gears of War 4: This time around, we need more than just a short video clip. We need to know everything there is to know about Gears of War 4; Gameplay modes, framerate, split-screen co-op in action, everything. Thanks to Halo 5 not turning out to be the shooter that everyone has been looking forward to, it’s up to Gears of War 4 to be that Xbox One console exclusive shooter that makes everyone drool. I also want that “It’s coming to PC” announcement, but even if that doesn’t happen I’ll still be happy to fire up my Xbox One to play this. C’mon Coalition, please do not disappoint.
Remedy: I was going into E3 2016, hoping that Remedy would be showing off or announcing the greatly awaited Alan Wake 2. Sadly, the company recently stated that they are not working on that and are instead working on two new IPs that they can not talk about yet. They also mentioned that they would be going multiplatform in the past and now that they are no working on any Microsoft properties, I’m hoping this doesn’t mean that we’re going to lose Remedy. So I’m hoping that we’ll hear something from them that are least tells us a bit about their plans and maybe even something along the lines of that the Alan Wake series isn’t dead just yet. I’m really really hoping that Remedy hasn’t written off the Xbox due to the lackluster sales of Quant
More Xbox One x Windows 10 Love: I’ve been a huge skeptic on if Microsoft could focus on both the Xbox One and PC, but the last year has been a great turnaround for the company. We’ve gotten several Xbox exclusive titles with Rise of the Tomb Raider, Gears of War: Ultimate, Quantum Break, Forza Motorsport 6 Apex, Ori and the Blind Forest and Killer Instinct. I’m hoping this continues and I really want to see the new Xbox UI that is supposedly making its way over to Windows 10.
Xbox Hardware Refreshes: Now, we’re hearing there will be two different Xbox One refreshes. A slimmer version that will supposedly be released before the end of 2016 and one codenamed “Scopio” that will feature an updated GPU, which is slated for sometime in 2017. Neither of which is been confirmed by Microsoft of Phil Spencer, so hopefully we’ll get the news on what’s what. I also expect to hear something regarding an updated Xbox One controller. If I had to guess, it will be a stripped-down version of the Xbox Elite controller, one without the back paddles and trigger adjustment. The Xbox Elite controller is a fantastic piece of hardware, I own one and love it, however, the price point is just too high. A stripped down version at a lower price point, however, would sell just right.
Clinton Bowman-Christie (@NavigatorBowman)
For the Microsoft E3 2016 Conference, I don’t have much in the way of expectations, but I do want to know more about the following:
Windows 10 Anniversary Update: Right now, Microsoft is currently rolling out it’\s waves of Preview updates for the New Xbox Experience, and so far it looks good. However, I want to hear a little more about how the Windows 10 Anniversary Update will not only affect Xbox but also Windows 10 as we know it. Microsoft is promising that we’ll see some unified experiences on Windows 10 and Xbox One, which includes the unification of the Windows and Xbox stores, which is currently available for preview users in the Windows Phone 10 program. As skeptical as I’ve been, I’m also pretty damn hopeful that this will prove fruitful for PC and console gamers alike.
Dead Rising 4: Dead Rising 3 was a damn good game…a REALLY GOOD GAME. With all the disappointment Capcom has been dealing out as of late, especially centering Street Fighter V, I’m full expecting a tease of DR4, at the very least. What I think will shock the most will be the potential announcement that Dead Rising 4 will be a Xbox for Windows 10 exclusive, as well as for Xbox One users. While I’m most looking forward to Phoenix Wright: Spirit of Justice for the Nintendo 3DS, another Capcom title such as Dead Rising will be on my radar if announced.
Forza Motorsport/Horizon: Let’s take a good look at the release history of the Forza games first. Forza 6 released this past September, Forza Horizon 2 in September 2014, Forza 5 upon the launch of Xbox One in 2013, Forza Horizon in 2012 and Forza 4 in 2011. So a new Forza/Forza Horizon game released every 2 years (if we follow this pattern back, Forza 3 released in 2009, Forza 2 in 2007 and Forza in 2005.) Since Forza 6 just released in 2015, we’re theoretically due for a Forza Horizon 3. This is me making a mathematical prediction based on the current pattern that is in effect from Turn 10. There will also be a Forza event sometime during E3 week, so we MAY hear something about Forza Horizon or even Forza Motorsport 6: Apex coming out of beta. Since it is known that all future Forza titles will be making their way to the Windows 10 side of things, I have no doubt that that announcement will be made.
Xbox Scorpio/Xbox One Slimline Talk: This year will NOT be the year that Xbox Scorpio will be revealed. That doesn’t mean that Spence can’t talk about it. At this point, we need to hear about what they have planned for the next 2 years, including that slimline Xbox One. While the slimline Xbox One is simply a stopgap, I feel that it is something that needs to be even mentioned as incoming. Let’s not forget that Microsoft and Oculus are pretty tight right now, and there has been talks about VR on Xbox One, so this is where the discussion must begin if Microsoft is to make any real advancements in the rat race between PS4 and Xbox One, at least in the United States.
Cuphead: The last time we heard from Cuphead was during PAX East where everyone had a chance to play a build of the game. However, we were treated to a demo of the platforming aspect of Cuphead just this past week, so there seems to be something to actually look forward to coming up. Will we finally get a release date and pricing details for Cuphead coming out of Monday’s E3 conference? Does Cuphead see a purely digital release, or will the game be getting a retail copy as well?
Remodeled Xbox One Controller: Let’s be honest. The Elite Controller is out of a LOT of people’s price range, and that isn’t a good thing. Can Microsoft find a way to bridge the gap between the current controller and the Elite, making an affordable, yet premium-feeling controller in the realm of the Xbox S controller of old?
Kinect/Cortana: Microsoft is touting that the Windows 10 Anniversary Update will bring in Kinect functionality for UWP applications. Where does that leave Kinect for Xbox One? I, for one, believe the Kinect is well due for a reboot, and I don’t mean in the physical realm. The Kinect is useful as an assistant, and with Cortana coming to Xbox One, will we finally receive a real reason to reconnect the Kinect to the Xbox One? Will Windows Hello be implemented on Xbox One, as we already have a sort-of prototype of it on the Xbox One already with Kinect sign-in?
Will anything we discuss be seen or turn out to be true? We’ll find out once the E3 2016 Microsoft Conference starts on June 13, 2016, at 9:30AM PDT / 12:30PM EDT.
