When compared to both Nintendo and Sony, Microsoft is often third best when it comes to the exclusive games arriving on their console. That’s not to say that the Xbox doesn’t have a card or two tucked up their sleeves however. In fact, the Xbox has 8 upcoming console exclusives that we know about. So let’s take a look at what Microsoft has in store for 2019 and beyond.
You can also listen to us chat about the games and Xbox’s future in podcast form below!
Crackdown 3
The only game on our list with a solid release date, and it’s arriving quite soon! On February 15th Crackdown will grace us with its bombastic approach to gameplay and its large and destructible open world.
The game puts you in control of a Super Agent who will use an arsenal of weaponry and powers to traverse a futuristic city riddled with crime. You’ll need to take out a variety of kingpins and crime bosses to bring the organisations down from the top. Crackdown 3 is looking like a boisterous and rowdy approach to the open world formula. It sticks to the mantra of ‘go big or go home’ and you can tell the game was designed to be, above all else, fun. With Terry Crews on board to bring life to Commander Jaxon, we’re about to see the arrival of a game that’s not afraid to be big and loud.
Battletoads
The first Battletoads game in over 20 years is coming at some point in 2019. We don’t have any gameplay, we don’t have any footage, and we have no idea what this game is going to be. But the idea that Battletoads will be getting rebooted into the modern gaming era is exciting indeed.
Battletoads is a game that originally released back in 1991. It was a beat ’em up featuring anthropomorphic toads that got a reputation for being super challenging. It’s also a game by Rare, who most recently released Sea of Thieves to a lukewarm reception. It will certainly be interesting to see how Rare recovers, and what kind of project they have lined up for us next. It will also be interesting to see what kind of a reboot Battletoads will be. It’s no secret that the beat ’em up genre is a much less lucrative market than it was back in 1991. Perhaps we will be seeing an entirely different kind of game altogether?
Gears 5
Gears of War has been a staple of Xbox’s identity ever since inception. It’s a massively popular franchise that has single-handedly helped Microsoft sell consoles and stay in relevancy. The next iteration is Gears 5 and it looks to be changing things up a little.
One of the main reasons the Gears of War franchise has received criticism is because the game had a very masculine focus that could be perceived as quite immature. It’s therefore quite interesting to see Gears 5 embrace a female protagonist for their next game, a move that could disappoint some fans but will hopefully bring in new ones. Things won’t change too much though, and no do we really want it to. Gears 5 will feature the same bombastic and violent third-person combat we’ve all learned to love and embrace.
Halo Infinite
One of the most beloved and most popular franchises is returning with Halo Infinite. If you’re an Xbox fan, you’ll undoubtedly be excited for this one. It was E3 2018 when we first learned about the return of Master Chief and Xbox fans have been salivating for more juicy details ever since.
Unfortunately Halo Infinite still remains somewhat of an elusive beast. We don’t know too much about this title other than it’s coming and that Master Chief will be present. Halo is one of Microsoft’s most loved flagship franchises, if not the most! So you know they are going to do everything in their power to maintain that legacy and deliver what is hopefully a defining game for the Xbox One.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
I challenge any gamer to watch footage of Ori and the Will of the Wisps without being blown away by its beauty and vibrancy. This is the sequel to a much loved 2015 title that seemingly came out of nowhere to knock our collective socks off.
Ori is a challenging platformer / Metroidvania title. It puts the player in control of the titular character where you progress through a maze-like map, unlock new abilities, backtrack to previous areas, and continue om your magical journey. We got a chance to play Will of the Wisps recently and it feels exactly like what we wanted. It controls beautifully, runs smoothly, and has the ability to evoke emotion as well! This little title will be sure to bring a lot of happiness and possibly rage when it releases in the (hopefully) not too distant future.
Session
Do you remember the heyday of skateboarding video games? It was a simpler time when Tony Hawk and Skate were two of the biggest franchises going around. Unfortunately the development of these kinds of games slowed down, but fans were still eager for something new. In rolls Session.
Session was an incredibly popular Kickstarter campaign that is set to release for PC and Xbox. The game is reminiscent of the Skate franchise, so much so that trailers of the game have fooled viewers into believing they were watching the announcement of a new Skate game. Session will take the finesse of pulling off sick tricks and focus on ramping things up to the next radical level. It’s the kind of game ready to rebuild the nostalgia of those classic games and we genuinely hope it’s up for the task!
Tunic
There aren’t many games on the horizon that are as adorable as Tunic. Playing as an anthropomorphic fox, Tunic will have you explore a bright and colourful world from an isometric perspective. The game has Legend of Zelda influences written all over it and that’s certainly not a bad thing.
Exploring the world, breaking open pots, fighting enemies, uncovering secrets and opening up chests. Tunic wants to tap into the nostalgia of the games we grew up playing, although it’s doing so with a modern polish. We don’t quite know when this one is due out, although I’m already very excited. Everything we have seen so far looks undoubtedly adorable but also really endearing and fun.
Void Bastards
The final game on our list is a very intriguing looking title. Void Bastards looks like a comic book transported directly into a video game world, complete with cell-shading and sound effects written on screen. It’s a mix between first-person shooting and strategy, where you navigate your group of misfit prisoners to safety.
Void Bastards looks like a whole lot of fun. It’s inspired by classics like the Bioshock and System Shock games and you can see that influence pretty clearly. It’s the strategy elements that make this game unique and it will be exciting to see them in action and see whether or not they can perform as effectively as they appear to. Whilst a lot of games on this list are being a bit mysterious, Void Bastards is going for the opposite approach. There is plenty of gameplay footage out there and things are looking pretty damn intriguing.
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With those 8 games out of the way, it’s hard not to be at least a little bit excited as an Xbox fan. Perhaps even more exciting is the fact that Microsoft appears to be going on a purchasing spree, recently snapping up a whole bunch of studios and tucking them safely under Microsoft’s wing. So if you’re not all that impressed by Microsoft’s current string of upcoming titles, it would be fairly safe to assume that there’s a lot more that are set to arrive in the coming years.
What game has you the most excited from Xbox?
About the Author
Elliot Attard
He/Him
Beer aficionado, PC gamer, TV show binge-watcher, music lover, and elite member of high society - Elliot possesses all of the qualities needed to project his word thoughts straight into your eye holes.
