Insider Lists IP We Shouldn't Expect To See At Xbox's E3 2021 Showcase

Let the people dream, damn it. LOL Im so hyped for this conference. I have watched every single one.... I still remember going to ebgames and purchasing the dvds for e3 back in the day.

I’m actually a little deflated at this point. I figured Fable, Perfect Dark and Hellblade would be absent. Avowed? Ok. But no Compulsion game? No project dragon? What’s even left? I’m hoping Halo, Forza and Starfield all show well but they’re all expected. Are there any surprises at all Or is this pretty much gonna be it of the heavy hitters?

Q) Are you hoping to see any of the games and series on this list featured at the Xbox and Bethesda showcase?

A) Fable and Avowed are the two Xbox 1st Party games I'm most interested in, so it will be a real shame if neither one is present. Not a 1st party game, but the only other Microsoft systems exclusive that has my attention right now is Bright Memory: Infinite. The other exclusives are more curiosities right now (though more shown could sway me).

Hey though; maybe a new game announced will appeal to me. I'll hope so in the case that Jeff here is correct.

There better be a lot of announcements of games due this year then, because if they're not showing games they have announced (but which are still years away) then what exactly is on the near-date release schedule to look forward to?

Can i make a prediction? I think Microsoft will announce the sega purchase. With all those yakuza games being on game pass i reckon they have purchased them.

This is their time to shine! Please at least announce that Killer instinct is in the works haha

my honest expectations:
Halo, Starfield, Forza H5, Stalker 2, The Outer Worlds 2, Psychonauts 2 + some surprises + world premieres + a bunch of 3rd party game pass additions

Fable, Everwild, TES6, Avowed, Perfect Black and Ark 2 are all big budget AAA games that Xbox absolutely needs to come out proper so i would definitely not expect those until late 2022 and 2023

Let's not mess up Xbox, wow us with lots of new big games and new acquisitions

That's ok, I'm still really looking forward to seeing the new Blinx, Conker and Sabreman games.

After the Ubisoft show we can clearly see Covid has really effected things as they normally show a lot stronger and are a massive game developer company.
I think if we get an amazing Halo releasing this year and hopefully an amazing FH 5 realising this year.
Followed by a couple of other AAA for first half of next year then that’s a really good showing from Microsoft.
Anyway let’s hope you a great show later today.

Well said @Dezzy70 and completely agree

@SithThanos
Thank you.
I have a great day planned today in the UK.
Have a bbq and football, euros England playing 2pm bst kick off.
So a great afternoon at a friends.
Then back home for 6pm bst for Xbox show.
Mental day.

@Dezzy70 Myself since living in Australia it will be 2am.. So i plan to wake up get breakfast ready and watch it while having breakfast. Avoiding spoilers haha Im super excited

I'm saying it again. Keep expectations very low. It's going to be Halo + Starfield + 1 other game. That's it.

@Chaudy I doubt it when i have heard it's going to be 1 hour and 30 mins long.

Games should be announced within 2 years of release. Make it LAW.

@SithThanos
I’m keeping expectations low of the amount of AAA coming this year.
Just give me an amazing halo, looking slightly next generation as I know it’s cross generation, but if HZDFW and farcry 6 can do it so can Halo.
Will be bad if they can’t.
Also another AAA for this year say FH5.
That will do for this year.
And just make sure there is a steady stream of AAA next year.

@SithThanos
Yes I think it’s 90 minutes long.
But they will pack that out with Battlefield as they have the advertising rights.
Lots of indies.
And tell us how amazing game pass is.
That’s not a a bad thing as long as we get top end AAA next generation ish games this year and into next.

@SithThanos yeah its 90 minutes but a large chunk of that is just Battlefield. Then factor in dev interview with 343 and multiplayer demo + campaign Halo demo. That's not going to leave much for anything else.

Are these the same 'insiders' who told us we would definitely 100% see the new Switch Pro launched last week... yeah I'd hardly call them reliable sources anymore.

Someone replied to Jeff Grubb stating their guesses for what's going to show up and he confirmed that at least these games will appear:

"Starfield
Halo Infinite
Microsoft Flight Simulator (X|S)
Psychonauts 2
Outer Worlds 2
Forza Horizon 5
12 Minutes
Battlefield 2042
Yakuza: LAD (GP)
Back 4 Blood (GP)"

Then he said: "Add a pair of unannounced games, a couple of other updates, and you pretty much have it"

That's still a very good showcase all things considered. The unannounced games could be e.g. Wolfenstein 3 and a couple of other updates could be studio acquisitions being announced. Either way, this is definitely looking promising in my opinion.

@LtSarge yeah that's much better then I thought. I like the GP additions both are solid games.

@LtSarge
That’s a good showing as long halo and Forza 5 release this year and are next generation ish, I understand cross generation limits that, but the effort to increase graphical effects etc should be made.

Not just it looks the same as last generation but runs at native 4K 60 FPS or 120fps.
There should be an enhanced super graphical mode maybe upscaled 4K and maybe a lower frame rate. If not they are just dam lazy.
Sony have a good thing with the 3 game mode setting they have started to introduce for PS5.
Microsoft have the money and the studios and had the time, so there is now excuse for anything now for my £450 series x next generation console.

I thought Kotor 1 and 2 remake was going to be shown at E3? Maybe we will see it for Microsoft conference?

Now let's speculate what those unannounced games could be? My guess it's probably a new IP but a AA game rather than AAA.

@Chaudy Well at least one of them has to be a Bethesda game, right? After all, it's a showcase of both Xbox and Bethesda games and from that list, the only Bethesda title is Starfield. Not to mention we got this rumour from a while ago: https://www.purexbox.com/news/2021/06/rumour_the_outer_worlds_2_may_be_announced_at_xboxs_e3_2021_show

So we should see Wolfenstein 3 and/or Project Typhoon from Arkane at the very least. Maybe an update on Elder Scrolls 6 as well.

@LtSarge yeah good call.

Let’s remember with have trillion dollar company that should have done better for us up to this point. Bad strategy and organisational skills have put us here.

Sony did nothing that special they just got organised and the strategy right, nothing amazing just common sense and good management.

They got half a Spider-Man game ready for launch followed by Ratchet and clank from just one in house studio.

The rest was good forward planning with other developers.
Sack boy, sumo digital, for release
Demon souls remake, blue point, for release
Godfall, gearbox, for release.
Returnal, house M, first 6 months.

Shown a well developed 14 minutes gameplay, HZDFW hopefully for this year. In house studio.

That’s all they did, they got organised and managed things correctly games release wise.

That why I’m annoyed with Microsoft, if they were at school, games wise we are looking at E minus at best since release.

Speculating is fun but when “Insiders” just tell you straight up, it kind of spoils the whole thing? Especially when the show is in like 7 hours. May as well wait!

That’s unfortunate. Most of what I’m excited about won’t be at E3 then. It looks I need to drastically lower expectations for this conference. ☹️

I'll be pretty disappointed if Hellblade 2 isn't there personally 2 years since its announcement and we've seen a CG trailer.

@Dezzy70 even a E minus is being generous. If you go back to the xbox one generation, the games they did develop in house are terrible. Take Gears 4 for example. They totally butchered it and then did the same with Halo 4 and 5. I'm honestly surprised that people are still looking forward to Halo. That franchise is long Dead. Even if you consider the gameplay shown last year for Infinite. It is absolutely nothing special at all. Take away the Halo brand from that game for a minute. Would you honestly care for it? It looks so Average like any other fps. I'm not sure why Microsoft cannot develop good first party Exclusives, do they just have bad taste in games in general? Why can't they just copy sony's strategy, create narrative driven cinematic single player games. Stop recycling Halo and Gears. Create new IPs. You have the money and the resources. Or if you love your IPs so much then recreate them like Sony did with God of War.

@Kopite Hellblade won't be there, they will probably show that in the game awards at the end of the year. Looking at the 'likely' likely list I think they are only going to show games that are releasing 2021/2022. Which makes sense.

@Chaudy I hope MS never starts creating narrative driven cinematic single player games, there no need for more of them.

@demian - there's barely any on xbox.

@demian Which ones on Xbox are you thinking of?

@Chaudy
I’m not sure why management etc but I know one thing games sell things, be it consoles or game pass, though consoles can lead to a game pass sale.
It’s why they are getting bashed already in console sales by the other two. And in UK consoles are sitting on shelves.
They need an amazing E3 and not old games on games pass, they need their R&C, their spider man, their HZDFW, the list goes on.
Their Mario kart, their Mario odyssey, their Zelda.
Anyway let’s see what happens. I will probably leave Xbox if the show is bad, remembering I was there for the original Xbox Halo days and the glory xbox360 gears of war etc days. And Xbox one.
Over the last few years they just seem to have less and less for me. As where Nintendo have had more along with Sony.
I love new games new experiences, not old ones I have already played.

@themightyant
Think I will be at bit warm in the sun cooking on the bbq at friends for them.
After the England game. 😂

@Chaudy
At the moment there’s nothing much new on Xbox
Let alone a story driven game.

@Dezzy70 All Sony have done so far is lie repeatedly about 'generations' and next gen exclusive games...
Sorry but Microsoft's strategy is much better, honest, more consumer focussed. And lining up to have the best games of any generation.

@Dezzy70 Another miss truth, in the U.K. you cannot buy a Series X as they are ALL sold out in minutes of any restock, you seem to be trolling here.

@Dezzy70 Hmm funny I was playing Resident Evil 8 just last month, and I also enjoyed The Medium not so long ago and it was new. You really seem to be confused with your comments here, Sony has not launched a single new IP this year and that's a fact.

@Skedaddle I loved SoD 2! I can’t believe that one slipped my mind!

And I didn’t know about Typhoon and Omen. Those pique my interest for sure! Thank you! I’m less deflated now lol

@Dezzy70 You mean apart from Covid shutting the globe down for a year... that event seems to have delayed rather a lot of games and films.

@S1ayeR74 I’ve seen a lot of comments about they lying thing from Sony but ultimately people want games and that’s what Sony is doing. People who frequent video game website commend sections may be upset about the generations thing but outside of that super hardcore audience I would wager a guess people would have no clue what you’re talking about.

Returnal is a new IP launched this year as well.

If the games not being shown at E3 are true, Xbox will be solid in 2-3 years but until then Sony is kicking the crap out of them with games. I have to wonder if Microsoft is mismanaging things horribly. I want them to pull it together badly but so far no results.

@S1ayeR74
Not gonna get into a debate it’s Microsoft’s E3 day today and I hope it brings new AAA in house studio games that realise this year.
As for console sales.
There are 1300 series s sitting on Symths UK shops shelves right now.
As for series x last night there was in store stock at Game UK shops stock, it has been there all week but hopefully sold now.
When series x stock drops you can get a good 5 days plus to get one.
Basically it has slowed right down.
And for a new generation consoles at this stage is not good.
No games no consoles sold simple as that.

@FatalBubbles
Could not agree more.
I have a series x but Xbox fan boys on here just don’t like the truth.
PS5 is out selling Xbox series 3:1 in Europe
And also just beating them each week even in the USA.
It’s only the USA keeping the Series console a float.
It’s all down to games. Give people amazing exclusive games and they will buy your console.
Sony has done a good job so far be it in house exclusive or 2nd part developer exclusives be it cross generation or not.
We just want great games Microsoft simple as that.

This guy is all over the place. 5hrs to go here in nyc.

@Dezzy70
Xbox isn't about the pure console sales anymore though.
You have to factor in PC to the mix and even Cloud gaming.
They want those Game Pass subs.
Officially they were at 18m in Jan 2021, unofficially at over 23m as of April 2021.
What do you think those numbers are going to hit end of the year with when big first party and 3rd party games hit the service?
Then you have xCloud coming to Smart TVs, web browsers and a streaming stick with server blades upgraded to Series X.

@blinx01
I agree but consoles sell game pass as well.
But it’s no excuse for miss management and terrible launch and first 7 months games wise.

Being honest I’m not sure what Microsoft are up to with Xbox, but time will tell.

If you don’t produce amazing AAA games you might even sell many game pass subscriptions.
I’m talking tens and hundreds of millions.

At the moment they almost give alway subscriptions and also Microsoft in a cheeky way when series x was hard to get hold of only sold it on All Access only which forced 2 years GPU subscription.

They are not in a great place, don’t get me wrong
It could change with management of their developers releasing AAA exclusive games.

But Microsoft are so trillion dollar rich it’s probably one big experiment and a bit of fun to them, saves paying more taxes.

@Dezzy70
The future of gaming is evolving and MS have their finger on the pulse with Xbox.
Look at their recent video interviews with Phil Spencer and Satya Nadella. They know consoles at their absolute peak can reach maybe 150m users.
Take into account a study last year found there are just over 3 billion people gaming worldwide. Only 8% of that is on consoles. 48% is on PC and 44% on mobile.
If you don't think Xbox is in a good place right now with a strategy looking at the bigger picture and having 23 studios, with more being added, then you don't have a clear grasp on the bigger picture.

@blinx01
Maybe I don’t, but just give us some AAA next generation type games. I know cross generation in house studio games. It’s been 7 months and a new console release.

Please don’t have Halo look last generation and say it’s native 4k 60 to 120fps on series x
Have different graphical modes like Sony have started doing, make some dam effort for those of us that have purchased your series x console.

Anyway bbq and Euros football time now.
Will be back for 6pm BST to watch.

@Benjamin i'm an old guy, so i remember games being announced a year or less before they dropped. i MUCH preferred that. i honestly don't like hearing about games 2-3 years before they come out lol.

@FatalBubbles Sony really isn’t “doing Games” either. Horizon might not even launch this year. So what exact games does Sony have after Ratchet? Assuming Horizon does launch you’ve got-

Miles, Demon Souls, Sackboy, Returnal, Ratchet, HFW

Assume a few things on MS’s side you’ve got

Gears Tactics, FH5, Psychonauts 2, MS Flight Sim, Halo Infinite

I’m not sure how those list as so massively larger or even more diverse?

I mean Covid has literally messed both companies up.

@mousieone Not to mention how the situation is going to look like after 2022 when Horizon and God of War have released. Sony Bend released its game in 2019, Sucker Punch and Naughty Dog released their games in 2020, Insomniac released its games in 2020 and 2021 and let's say that Guerrilla and Santa Monica are releasing theirs in 2022. Now, most of these games take 4-5 years to make. How is 2023 and 2024 going to look like for PS5 users in terms of AAA first-party content? They're definitely going to experience a drought eventually. Meanwhile, Microsoft is looking to release first-party titles more consistently without any droughts.

Just because a company is performing well in the beginning doesn't mean that it will continue to do so throughout the entire generation. Look at Nintendo, the first few years of the Switch were absolutely phenomenal and now AAA first-party releases are slowing down a lot. Microsoft's strategy, while not that great in the beginning, will yield better and more consistent results compared to the other two companies.

@LtSarge
We shall at 6pm bst. I hope you are right.
We have all been patient the first 7 months etc.
So now is they time to deliver.
I want Xbox to bring it as much as anybody does.
Even if I was a fanboy, competition keeps the others on the ball.

@mousieone I wouldn’t consider those lists equal in anything but quantity. Isn’t Psychonauts 2 on PS4/5?

They have Ghostwire Tokyo, Deathloop also. Not sure what else.

@LtSarge This is more of the issue I think. Insomniac will have the new Spider-Man in 2023, we will see Grab Turismo in 2022?, Final Fantasy 16 in 2022?

But I agree, I think Microsoft will have more games more frequently but it’s yet to be seen if they will be good.

@Dezzy70
I don't disagree with some of your criticisms, but I don't really think it's fair to say they are having fun and experimenting when Microsoft has been in the console market for 20 years.
In the end they need more games to make me purchase a series X, but Sony really hasn't moved the needle for me either. Returnal is the only game out that interests me currently, but not enough to buy a console.

Okay, we've read the insiders (depression inducing, glass half empty) predictions.

Now, we know what we're hoping and wishing for so let's be enthusiastic gamers again and put the crazy fun back into this thing....
If your dreams came true what would they announce...?

Incredible live gameplay of 'Banjo Kazooie, Halo Fable and Forza'. They've bought SEGA and KONAMI, Microsoft's Halo launches on Friday 3rd December with a new 'Sonic' outfit for Gamepass subscribers.

Anyone else....?

@Akimi
I was there at the start 20 years ago.
HALO, jet set radio and dead or alive.
Seems like a life time ago.
Let’s hope it’s a good E3 not long now.

There’s still hope for Banjo-Kazooie to be announced today right?

@LtSarge I think ports/remasters/remakes will fill in gaps given Sony didn't put much effort into backwards compatibility so most of their large back catalog isn't on the PS5. Nintendo has managed to sail smoothly by with the Switch taking advantage of their back catalog.

Microsoft has a unique situation as because they focused so much on backwards compatibility from 2015 onwards, their old library is mostly already playable on XB1/Series X|S so they only have new games to create their lineup which is why you see so many droughts.

@FatalBubbles so what if Psychonauts 2 is multi? Like I don’t understand the argument. This is about what both companies are putting out this year. But I did forget MLB because it’s a sports game so I’ll add that back in look now you can’t use the multi argument against Psychonauts. Which is childish.

My entire point which you decided to go down the “exclusives” route which next thing you know we’ll be down the metacritic route that Sony’s output has been hindered as well. This idea that Sony is pumping out games and Ms isn’t when MS has a bunch games due out in the second half the year and Sony only has HFW?

@FatalBubbles I meant on sony's side, not on Xbox.
It's better for xbox to not copy Sony. I would personally prefer (open world) rpgs rather than story driven games

@mousieone I’m very confused now. You made a list of games. The Xbox ones aren’t as good. Sony has put out good games and Microsoft hasn’t so far. What are we debating here?

@FatalBubbles okay and now we are on the metacritic route argument.That didn’t take long. Are you going to stick with a single argument or keep moving a goalpost? It’s awfully difficult to have a conversation with someone like that.

I never changed my point, which was output, but you’ve flipped twice nice try.

@mousieone Dude, you need to calm down! Lol.

I assumed it would be implied you’d want good games put out, but I was wrong apparently. Just putting out games isn’t useful if they aren’t good ones people want to play.

My point was Sony has put out good games and Xbox needs to get on that because they aren’t doing it. Sorry if you misinterpreted that.

@FatalBubbles Calm down interesting choice of words.

No you didn’t “assume” because that would have been your first counter argument to me and not “Psychonauts 2 was multiplat”.

But whatever have lovely day.

@mousieone You’re so passive aggressive, that’s why I calm down.

Also, you’re right, you know my thoughts better then me!

I just hope it isnt all Bethesda games. Its a huge purchase so bound to be most of the showcase but want to see more from other studios too. Wonder what Moon Studios is up to.

@LtSarge Nintendo though has a ton of anniversary’s so they most likely planned on all these smaller releases and rereleases to go with all the events. If BoTW2 doesn’t hit this year, it will next year along with Arceus, Mario+Rabbids 2, Splatoon 3 like you said though Cycles etc make for slow gap years but like @Grumblevolcano these are usually filled with remasters to plug the holes. MS has Gamepass and FPS boost making remasters not something as easily sold on the system.

Jeff Grubb was quite ambiguous and still didn't get it totally right so I wonder if he really has access to secret information or he just guesses.

@FatalBubbles Now that's one salty Sony fanboy comment. Are you a confused hypocrite? I mean I don't see Sony 'kicking' the crap out of anyone I'm afraid.
Microsoft has a vast array of different games styles, and the majority of them are on Game Pass, that makes it THE best value in gaming bar none. Don't see ANY of that from Sony...

@FatalBubbles Why don't you go away and stop trolling, your obviously doing so. As I said your a confused hypocrite.

@Dezzy70 Prove it, I bet you can't, I cannot go onto a single U.K. website and buy an Xbox Series X fact! You have zero proof that some random store somewhere has some stock of Xbox's. And you won't know the exact numbers either, unless you work for a games store. So I call you out as a Sony fan come here to troll that has zero credible proof.
You must be another confused hypocrite.

@S1ayeR74 Wow, thats super aggressive of you.

I’ll address your coherent point first. GamePass is 100% the best value in gaming, without a question.

And now to your fanboy rant. What would I be salty about? Xbox showed a ton of games coming to GamePass but very few interested me. Diablo 2 coming to GamePass would have redeemed it for me. Why does that upset you?

I’m not much into FPS or co-op games. So a lot of what they showed yesterday just doesn’t appeal to me which is OK. They’ve got the games I want coming in 2023/2024 based on them being a no show at the event. E3 2022 show for Xbox will br the one that gets me hyped.

@S1ayeR74
GAME UK UXBRIDGE
Has store stock, if you can navigate around the website you will find it.
It now says right now Low Stock but they have them.
It’s easy if you bothered to check.
Use postcode UB96EZ.
They just sold a few at the weekend for a change.
Just like Smyths Toys UK have around 1300 series in shop stock. Again check the website it’s easy.
You Xbox fan boys always in denial.
You are getting trashed around 3:1 ratio in Europe as a whole. And not even out selling in the USA.

@Dezzy70 And thus you show your true trolling colours, you most definitely are a confused hypocrite. Try posting links next time too, simply telling people to look themselves makes your argument look even weaker. But I think we all know you've made it all up anyway, welcome to my ignore list.

@S1ayeR74
You carry on being in denial.
Welcome to my ignore list Mr Denial.
Anyway shall not be on here anymore after that pathetic show case. Series x now sold for what I purchased it for. So that was handy.
Though I will be over on push square if you want to say hello.

On a serious note it’s been cool chatting and enjoy gaming most of all.

@FatalBubbles That’s how you came across with your comments. Also what about Frazer Horizon then? That’s not an FPS game.

@S1ayeR74 Notice how I didn’t say “all”, I said a lot. Obviously Forza isn’t a FPS.

If someone is confused here it be you....

@FatalBubbles No, reading your trolling comments, continuously criticising Xbox, claiming it has no games, claiming Sony are 'kicking the crap out of them' with games, I definitely think you are a confused hypocrite. And you still haven't said if you liked Forza, or any of the other games shown that weren't shooters, and there were some that aren't.
By the end of this year Xbox will easily surpass Sony in exclusive games titles that you can buy, not that are coming out. And yet the Sony brigade will continue to embarrass themselves claiming Xbox has no games.. yawn it's getting boring now.

@S1ayeR74 This is the last time I will reply to any of your comments here because you’re delusional.

First, it’s a fact that up until this fall, Xbox has had no exclusive games, let alone any good exclusive games. So, yes, Sony has been mopping the floor with them in that department, even people like Ryan M at IGN have agreed with this and he’s as big of an Xbox fan as there is.

You’re really hung up on Forza here I see. I played FH4 and it was pretty to look at for sure, I’m just not really into racing games. The games that I am interested in playing from that showcase would be Halo, Starfield, Diablo 2, Psychonauts 2 and Plague Tale 2. I’ll probably try out FH5 on GamePass just because it won’t cost me any money. Two of those will be Xbox only this year.

Xbox has a great thing going with GamePass but most of the games on there aren’t for me right. Like I mentioned in a previous comment and you chose to ignore, Xbox will really have value for me starting in 2023 and I’m really excited for that. At that point they will start putting out exclusives that I’m really into and if they’re good (🤞🏻) will be very competitive with Sony on that front.

For right now, Xbox is basically Netflix, you get a ton of games to play on GamePass, some of which are good. So great value for your money. Sony is more like Disney, they don’t put out as many games but their exclusives are almost always bangers.

It’s OK to like and or criticize both companies. For instance, I absolutely abhor the fact that Sony raised their exclusive game prices to $70. I also think they’re less consumer friendly than Xbox. People typically criticize things they are passionate about. In this case, I really want the game types I like to be released by Xbox, so yes I’m criticizing their show for not having that. Not everyone has to fall in line with your thoughts. I’ll be singing their praises when they get rolling, it’s just not to that point yet for me.

@FatalBubbles Your first paragraph is false, Gears 5 happened fact. As did Forza Horizon 4. But you seem to be implying they haven't had any exclusives for years.
And no, people criticise things they hate in the gaming world. From what I've seen.
As I said your a confused hypocrite, like your comment of Sony's games 'always being banners' TLOU2 certainly was not a 'banner', I'm not expecting anyone to think like me, but I'll call out people when they are talking rubbish like yourself.
In fact one would question if you actually own an Xbox? I don't know anyone who spends £450 for something they don't use because it doesn't have anything on it they like..

@S1ayeR74 You are now ignored.

@FatalBubbles 🤣😂🤣😂 likewise, think I called out another troll. You should state facts which is no exclusive games YOU like have been launched, not none at all have been.