Microsoft is pulling back the curtain on their successor to the Xbox 360 in just a few weeks at the Xbox Reveal event on May 21st. While there's no doubt that the company will be holding quite a few surprises for E3, there's reason to hope that there will be at least a few games shown off to get fans excited.
As such, we here at GR have taken it upon ourselves to cook up a list of exclusive titles that could very well make an appearance at either the event later this month or E3, and be ready in time for the console's launch. Since third-party titles, like Destiny, Assassin's Creed IV, Watch Dogs, Call of Duty: Ghosts, Battlefield 4, etc., are all basically givens at this point, we're limiting it to potential exclusives. Note: This list is merely conjecture mixed with a dash of hope.
Forza Motorsport 5
There's no doubt that Turn 10 Studios is working on a new entry in the Forza Motorsport series, and considering how important it is to launch a console with at least one racing title, it's safe to say we'll probably get a fifth proper entry in the franchise at launch. Sure, Forza Horizon launched just last year, but the bulk of that work was handled by Playground Games, freeing up Turn 10 to prep Forza 5 for launch alongside the next Xbox. We've heard rumors in support of it, so racing fans ought to keep their fingers crossed.
6. Ryse
Interestingly enough, it has also been rumored that Crytek's motion-based Kinect title will be coming to the next Xbox in time for launch. Ryse was teased a while back at E3 2011, and we haven't heard about it since. Perhaps Microsoft and Crytek opted to push it back in favor of taking advantage of the next Kinect that will allegedly launch with the new Xbox? It sure would be wise for the console to have a game that demonstrates the power of the new tech right out of the gate.
5. Fable 4/MMO
Sure, Fable III was a bit disappointing, and yes, Peter Molyneux is no longer running things over at Lionhead, but that doesn't change the fact that the studio is one of Microsoft's few first-party teams that is capable of making a quality next-gen game. If the rumors are true and Microsoft is pushing the boundaries of online gaming, perhaps we'll see a full-fledged Fable MMO that revolutionizes the genre on consoles. Yeah, that may be stretching things a bit, but one can dream, right?
4. Respawn Title
Yet another rumor leads us to believe that Respawn Entertainment's first game will be an exclusive title for the next Xbox. After parting ways with Activision and practically dismantling Infinity Ward, the brilliant minds behind Call of Duty started up their own project, one that we still know very little about. Considering their pedigree, it's only safe to assume that there will be plenty of shooting. Aside from Halo and Gears of War, there are very few exclusives Microsoft has going for it. As such, a partnership with Respawn would be a major win for the company.
3. Killer Instinct 3
Fighting game fans have been clamoring for a new Killer Instinct for years and years and years. Now that Microsoft has resolved the trademark issue with Fox, there's no reason why they can't release a third entry in the series. Fans want it so badly that having it among the launch lineup could very well sell gamers on the new Xbox. Sure, Rare doesn't have the development talent it once did, but I'm sure Microsoft could pull together a solid team to make this happen. Hopefully they already have and the game is nearing completion. Is it a long shot? Yes. Impossible? No.
2. Alan Wake 2
Remedy Entertainment is working on something, and we really hope it's a sequel to Alan Wake. There was nothing else quite like this dark and eerie action adventure title on the Xbox 360, and it serves as one of the platform's greatest exclusives. It'd be a real shame if we didn't get a chance to see more of this flashlight-wielding writer in the next generation, and seriously, what better way to show off the next Xbox's killer lighting technology than with a horror game that relies heavily on dark and light mechanics? Please, Remedy, make this happen.
1. Halo 2 HD
While it is far more likely that we'll see this during the holiday season of 2014 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Halo 2, it sure would be awesome to have a Halo game ready for launch alongside the new Xbox. There's absolutely no chance that Halo 5 will be ready this holiday season, let alone holiday 2014, so some sort of entry in Microsoft's number one franchise, even if it is simply a remake, would be a good idea. We're probably looking at a 2015 release for 343 Industries' next major title, so there's got to be something to tide fans over. One can only hope that it's Halo 2 and that it's ready at the console's launch. It sure would make me a happy camper.
What exclusive content do you hope to see in time for the console's launch?
