While we know that Xbox is scheduled to Livestream their 1st party offering in July 2020, we still don’t know what to expect. Ok, that’s not entirely true as we do some, but there’s still a giant-sized hole as to what else Xbox is planning to show. So it’s speculation time yet again and I’ve highlighted a few things that I would get me looking forward to both the next-generation of Xbox gaming and the Xbox Series X.
That said, these are strictly my opinions and they don’t echo what everyone else here at The Outerhaven. These are mine and mine alone, so be free to agree or disagree with me in the comments below.
Ok, on to my “Wants for the July 2020 Xbox Live Stream”.
Ditch the Lockhart
I know this opinion is going to be super unpopular, so I’m starting with it – Xbox does not need the Lockhart. There, I said it. Why would Xbox need to release a console that’s less powerful as the Xbox Series X, but marginally more powerful than the Xbox One X? Can you understand just how confusing that would be? When the rumors of the Lockhart started, I was firmly against this and I still am.
Sure, a less-powerful console would be cheaper, but at what cost to the consumer? When I said that, I’m referring to having two next-generation consoles side by side, with one not as robust as the other one. That just seems like shooting yourself in the foot and could send the wrong message. Skip Lockhart, focus on the more powerful console and let the consumer play their games on the Xbox One, Xbox One X, or Windows 10 until they’re ready to upgrade, with an actual reason to upgrade. Something about too many cooks in the kitchen.
If Microsoft and Xbox are that keen to release to SKUs, then how about two different Xbox Series X, with an optical drive and the other without. So during the Xbox Livestream, I’d like to see the announcement that the Lockhart is done.
Start the Livestream with Halo Infinite
Let’s be honest, there are more loyal Halo fans than haters, and these are who Xbox needs to appeal to. So when their July 2020 Livestream starts, it needs to start with Halo Infinite. Don’t end with it, because there’s a possibility that if they don’t show enough good stuff, people will leave early. Start it off with a bang, with Halo Infinite. Start with a new trailer and then transition into some gameplay. Blow some stuff up, have Master Chief do something dramatic, and then give us a release date.
I don’t know about you, but if this happens, I’d be excited about the future of the series and Xbox Series X (and Xbox One/Window 10). They can not afford to botch this up, not when Halo is still one of the top Microsoft produced games and is still mentioned when asked “What games does Xbox have?”.
Show us Forza Motorsports 8
Ok, before I rant, I know that racing games aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. That said, when I saw Gran Turismo 7 being revealed for the first time, I lost it. It looks amazing, the attention to detail is apparent and this looks like a proper return to the series. Turn 10 and Microsoft, in my opinion, need to echo this. We know the game is in development, which is why the studio has been quiet as of late.
Traditionally we’d see a new Forza Motorsports every two years, except it’s been nearly three years since Forza Motorsports 7. Which has me wondering what exactly is happening at Turn 10 Studios. Whatever it is, I hope it generates enough Gs to rip me out of my racing harness.
Bring back Fable
I’m not even going to waste a lot of time there. Fable has been one of Xbox’s biggest games, and for multiple reasons. When Fable Legends was scaped and Lionhead Studio closed down on April 26, 2016, it signaled the end of an era. The Fable games were a fantastic combination of storytelling, action, and were loved by many. It’s one of those games that Xbox could do with again.
Now, we know that Fable 4 is in development, as Phil Spencer has spoken on this, though it was just in passing. There were/are rumors that Playground Games, the amazing developer behind Forza Horizon, is working on the title as well. I doubt we’d see this as a launch title, though it was that would be amazing, but just knowing that the game exists would do wonders for Xbox.
Show us Live Gameplay
While we saw hit after hit during the PlayStation 5 Livestream, the interaction was missing. All we got was one game trailer after another, which was fine, but it didn’t do much in terms of showing us something substantial. When Microsoft finally does their Livestream, I’d hope they’d show us a few games running on the actual hardware.
Not a disclaimer saying “Footage captured from the Xbox Series X”, but show us the game/s being played. I want to see someone playing a game or games, controller in hand. Trailers are fine, but showing us ACTUAL gameplay, with a controller in hand – that goes along way. We need to see plenty of gameplay, not just trailers. Should that gameplay just happen to showcase what the console is capable of, well that’s even better.
Please Xbox, if you do one thing out of everything I’ve listed, do this.
What has The Initiative been working on?
Games, Games, Games, it’s all about the games. This has been the biggest want from Xbox gamers for a while now and while the Xbox One simply didn’t have the games that a vast majority of gamers wanted, this is changing for the better. Over the past year, Microsoft has acquired several gaming studios, all of which are working on games for the Xbox platform, but there’s one in particular that I have my eyes on; The Initiative.
Why? Well, have you seen all the talent that’s packed into this group? You have creative talent from several studios, many of which are ex-employees from Bioware, Rockstar Games, Insomniac Games, Crystal Dynamics, Respawn, and several others. To me, that’s like building the dream team of a gaming studio and that’s exciting. What are they working on? That’s a good question and one that no one outside of Xbox knows, as they want this to be a surprise.
I’m all for surprises but right now isn’t when they should be quiet. At the very least, a tidbit here and there to let us know that whatever is being worked on is still coming. The only thing we can go off of is that Microsoft said this studio would be working on something both “New and Old”, so take it as you may. They could be working on older series and either rebooting or remastering it, while at the same time working on a brand new IP (which Xbox sorely needs) would be nice.
So far rumors have been making the rounds, from Perfect Dark being rebooted to an Uncharted-like title. To be perfectly honest, I don’t care what it is, just as long as it’s shown and whatever it ends up being is available when the Xbox Series X launches.
The Return of Classics
The house of Xbox wasn’t built overnight, there were lots of titles that paved the way. Sadly, many of these games haven’t been touched and I feel it’s time that changed. We already saw Battletoads ever so briefly, Playgrounds Games is working on Fable (hopefully), while Perfect Dark is rumored to get a reboot, but what about the others?
Kameo, Lost Odyssey, MechAssault, Crimson Skies, Project Gotham Racing, Ninja Gaiden, just a name a few at one point were pinnacle games for Xbox. Why not revisit those? Work with the developers and reboot a few of them, and return with a blast from the past. If anything, work with Koei Tecmo and get Ninja Gaiden running on the Xbox Series X, and then you’ll have something to rival Demon’s Souls.
New IPs
This! This is as blunt as I can be -Xbox needs new IPs. Yes, Halo, Forza, Gears of War, I get it. But that isn’t enough, not by a long shot. It wasn’t enough for the Xbox One and it won’t be enough for the next-gen. I enjoy those games, but for Microsoft to gain more traction they’re going to need to bring new properties to the Xbox platform. Look at the PlayStation and how many unique and interesting games that platform has. This s what Xbox needs to do if they don’t want a repeat of the Xbox One vs PlayStation 4.
That’s not to say they won’t have them. Japanese support has gotten better, and the management over at Xbox is adamant they want more games on the platform. We’ve already seen the talent and a number of studio acquisitions. Now we just need to see the fruits from those. A prime example is the Xbox 360, it has lots of genres, some risky, some bland, but they were there. Somehow along the way, Xbox lost that spark and it is sorely needed back.
Come this Livestream, they need to just pile it on. Game, after game, after game. Take risks, do something quirky. This used to work fine for them and it can again.
There’s so much more that I’d like to see during Xbox’s July 2020 Livestream, but these points that I’ve listed are my main wants. Will we see any of those? Likely, yes, we’ll see most of these. The question remains in what capacity will we see it in. Xbox needs to hammer home why gamers will want an Xbox Series X, and this event can be that chance. If done correctly that is.
Just Give Us A Price Already
What’s the dang price, Xbox? PlayStation already went and we didn’t get a price tag from them as they’re playing the same game of chicken that you are. I know you don’t want to go first again, but it looks like you’re going to have to. Just bit the bullet and let us know how much this thing is going to cost us. It’s time to just drop that price, ok?
Are you looking forward to either the event or the Xbox Series X? Let us know in the comments! Then we’ll see you all in July when we’ll Livestream the event just like we did for the PlayStation 5 Livestream.
