Somehow, it’s already June. Microsoft is ready to kick off E3 this coming Sunday. For Xbox One fans, this is fantastic news. After a somewhat lackluster 2016 (sure, there were quality third-party releases, but I struggled to recall key exclusives other than Gears of War and Forza Horizon 3), E3 is arriving just in time. We will finally see the release of games such as Cuphead and Sea of Thieves. We’ll hopefully learn more about Crackdown 3. Plus, you can’t forget any and all surprises that will come out of E3 week. So what in particular am I looking for when Microsoft’s E3 press conference kicks things off Sunday afternoon?
Exclusives
I need a reason to own an Xbox One. All of the amazing third-party multi-platform releases are great, but I can play those anywhere. Why am I playing them on an Xbox? What else am I picking up that warrants me owning an Xbox? I’m not talking about timed DLC releases or bonus content, either. I want to know about games that are coming out only on Xbox One. Microsoft has had a recent habit of highlighting these during their press conferences and, with the upcoming launch of Project Scorpio, expect that to continue as they look to push their newest console.
Project Scorpio
Speaking of Project Scorpio, I’m hoping I’m sold on buying one. This time last year, I was going to pick one up regardless because I’m a crazy person, but as I begin life after 30, I’ve matured more.
By that I mean I’m spending my gaming money elsewhere, of course.
Seriously, though. I already own an Xbox One, a PlayStation 4, a Nintendo Switch, and a capable PC and laptop for gaming. Why do I need something else? Is this going to be an essential gaming experience? Don’t forget the fact that the last time Microsoft launched a console, they abandoned a key feature of it within a year (Kinect).
Keeping up with the Competition
Nintendo launched the Switch this year, as well as game of the year frontrunner Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Sony saw the release of another game of the year frontrunner in Horizon: Zero Dawn. What has Microsoft done in 2017?
Well, they finally released a sequel to Halo Wars.
In terms of flash, 2017 hasn’t been a good year for Microsoft thus far. E3 can change all of that in a heartbeat. Look, I love my Xbox One. I’ve always been a fan of the Xbox brand. Something has to give, though. Microsoft is in danger of falling behind the competition, a competition that includes 1.) a company that is in danger of falling to their hubris and 2.) a company that for every step forward makes a million steps back. Will Microsoft simply sit back and go “hey, we have the best hardware so play all of your games with us” or can they compete with the high profile exclusives Sony and Nintendo have already released this year.
Microsoft has a lot to prove this year at E3. They’ll be a force to be reckoned with for sure, but they always have the peculiar position of being the first press conference out of the “big three.” They’ll need to deliver to make sure their message resonates well enough to stick around all week long.
