Later on today Microsoft will be kicking off its E3 2015 keynote and we’ll be there to cover it. There’s a lot of pressure on the company this year, so lets take a look at what we can expect to see.
After a disastrous E3 keynote a couple of years ago, that managed to turn fans against the company thanks to the Xbox One’s original focus on media, Microsoft seemed to have learned its lesson. Last year, the company focused solely on games, and the fans loved it. It looks like the company wants to re-create that success.
Games, Games, Games
Microsoft is finally learning from the past, and we can expect a focused approach to gaming today. There’s no doubt that the company will unveil some of the exclusive games coming to the Xbox One, as well as any big-name titles, like Fallout 4, coming later this year. Not only that, but we’re also likely to see a few titles launching next year. Expect a few surprises.
There’s also a very high likelihood of Microsoft showcasing some serious indie developers and titles. The company has always struggled when it comes to independent developers, thanks to very high entry costs and a cumbersome process to join the programs. With the launch of ID@Xbox the company improved this situation, but not enough. Today we’re likely to hear more about their future plans for this segment.
But what about actual titles? Here are some games, we expect to be showcased today:
- Fable Legends, which is currently in beta.
- Tomb Raider, which will be an Xbox One (timed) exclusive.
- Gears of War, a HD remake and/or a teaser for the game coming later this year.
- Forza 6, because cars.
- Killer Instinct Season 3, an exclusive fighting game with a respectable following on Microsoft’s console.
- On top of that, we’re also expecting all the big-name, cross-platform games we usually see at E3.
Windows 10, DirectX 12, PC gaming
It’s a very big year for Microsoft with the launch of Windows 10, happening in just over a month. But the new OS is also destined to end up on the Xbox One console at some point. We bet Microsoft will mention this and possibly even talk a bit about this move, however, we’d be very surprised if the company lingered too long on this point.
DirectX 12 will also be mentioned, thanks to the new graphics capabilities it brings to consoles and the PC. Being part of Windows 10, the new platform is expected to be available to users later this year, however Microsoft may decide to show off some titles that take advantage of the new capabilities. Again, we don’t expect this to be a major focus at the event.
PC gaming will definitely receive its share of mentions. Microsoft wants to prove to the gaming community that it’s serious about desktop games. There’s no doubt we’ll see the Xbox One to PC game streaming demo again, likely using Fable Legends as a showcase. We might even get to see other games that make good use of this capability, though that’s just an educated guess for now. One other thing we might see, is the launch of the game streaming feature on the Xbox One, albeit in beta form for now.
HoloLens, Oculus and Hardware
There were a few rumors that Microsoft might show off the HoloLens’ gaming capabilities at this keynote. Unfortunately, as exciting as a HoloLens demo is, we doubt we’ll see this. Without a launch date, price tag, or even a finished device, HoloLens may not get center stage this year.
However, the Oculus Rift is a different story. Given Microsoft’s surprise partnership with the Facebook-owned VR company, we might see a few demos of how the Oculus Rift will work with the Xbox One and its game streaming feature. Seeing as this isn’t Microsoft’s hardware, we doubt they’ll spend too long on the Oculus, but even a short demo, could prove to fans that the company is really changing for the better.
Unannounced, new hardware is very unlikely. Just like last year, Microsoft went ahead and announced all the new hardware it had in the days leading up to E3. The new controllers, as well as the new 1TB Xbox One, will likely get a mention but not much else. The company doesn’t want to use up its time talking about small upgrades, when fans are clamoring for games.
That’s about it. We expect this to be a fun show, and as mentioned above we’ll be present to cover it. Of course you’ll be able to join in, by watching the livestream, but more on that as we get closer to the keynote.
Is there anything on the list that you’re excited about? Or was there some game or piece of hardware that you were hoping would also be included in today’s event? Let us know in the comments below.