E3 is right around the corner, so it is time to start with my E3 predictions. Last year, my predictions were actually pretty spot on, predicting the existence of Dance Central 2 and YouTube on Xbox 360. As usual, Microsoft is keeping its 2012 and 2013 lineups a bit of a secret. At this point, nobody has a clue as to what is in store. All I know is they will focus more on stuff releasing in 2012 and there will be a major focus on the Xbox 360 as an entertainment machine, the ultimate set top box. As of right now, here are the big games coming to Xbox 360 from Microsoft:
Xbox 360:
- Halo 4
- Forza Horizon
Kinect:
- Fable: The Journey
- Ryse
- Kinect TV (Sesame Street, National Geographic)
Extremely likely:
- Microsoft will open the show with a live demo of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 courtesy of Activision and Treyarch
- More information on Halo 4 will be shared, including a live demo
- More information on Fable: The Journey will be shared, including a second live demo
- Fable: The Journey will have at least its release window announced, probably it will be Holiday 2012
- More information on Forza Horizon will be shared
- A new dashboard update will be revealed
- More information on Kinect TV services will be revealed, including launch details and the return of annoying child actors on Microsoft’s stage
- More media services and apps will be announced for Xbox 360, all utilizing Kinect as is required
- At least 2 new hardcore retail games from Microsoft Studios will make their debut
- More than 3 new Kinect games from Microsoft Studios will make their debut
Pretty Likely:
- A Grand Theft Auto V related announcement will make its way into the show
- Internet Explorer for Xbox 360 will be revealed, probably launching with a new dashboard update
- VideoKinect will be re branded as Skype for Xbox 360, will use both Skype contacts and Xbox Live gamertags
- New music service from Microsoft will be revealed, Zune doesn’t cut it anymore
- Microsoft will talk more of their plans to make the subsidized Xbox 360 with Kinect and two years of Xbox Live Gold available to retailers other than the Microsoft Store
- Microsoft will announce plans to bundle a Kinect sensor with every Xbox 360 console sold
Not Likely at All:
- Microsoft will talk about its plans to enter the next generation of consoles
As you can see, there is a lot of focus on media and apps. Games will unfortunately only be half the story of Microsoft’s E3 press conference. Are my predictions correct? Find out by watching Microsoft’s E3 2012 press conference on June 4th at 9:30 am PST. You can watch the press conference live on Spike TV, Gametrailers.com, or even on Xbox Live via your Xbox 360. And if you can’t watch, follow @LevelSave on Twitter, keep watching the site, and follow me, @AdamShear for up to the minute live updates.
“At least 2 new hardcore retail games from Microsoft Studios will make their debut”
your giving MGS(Microsoft Game Studios) too much credit, the focus will be on Kinet, MSG concentration in first Hardcore games only extend to Halo, they are counting on 3rd Party support for Hardcore games
More Kinect and Kudo Tsunada and less games or anything anyone really cares about are my predictions.
Live demo of Halo 4 would be nice to see. Also some new and hopefully exciting exclusives would great.
no way in hell anyone can know what might happen unless inside info has been leaked out.
That’s absolutely true. That is why these are predictions.
this do not sound like any kind of PREDICTION more like inside job info address as a prediction.
this sounds exactly like what was talked about on the bonus round lol
I think many people’s predictions will collide as some things do remain obvious.
I wonder if Microsoft will make any design changes to the Kinect itself. Maybe a 2nd version to come out? I mean MS has had 2 years of R&D to make it better and more responsive