E3 2015: Microsoft / Xbox Predictions, Rumors & Expectations

E3 2015 is almost upon us! This week, GameSided staffers will be discussing what we should see, think we’ll see or hope to see out of the eight (!) separate press conferences scheduled to go live starting early next week. Our up-to-date preview schedule: 

• Rock Band 4: Jason Prott
• Bethesda: Daniel George
• Microsoft: June 9, 15:30
• EA: June 10, 10:00
• Sony: June 10, 15:30
• Ubisoft: June 11, 10:00
• Nintendo: June 11, 15:30
• Square Enix: June 12, 10:00
• PC Gaming: June 12, 15:30

Things I’m sure we’ll see at the Microsoft briefing

Halo 5 will be front and center for Microsoft. Their tent-pole shooter franchise should look to have some new single and multiplayer gameplay footage for the Haloites to wet their appetites until Fall. Thus far, Microsoft has kept much of the story of Halo 5 under wraps, but I imagine at this year’s E3 they will showcase the future of their flagship heavily. With an already announced release date and a ton of things to show, it will be no surprise for Halo to be front and center for Microsoft in their press conference.

Rise of the Tomb Raider is the next known Xbox exclusive this Fall. Tomb Raider 2013 was a critical darling that continued to pick up steam as more and more people got their hands on it. We know absolutely nothing of what this new entry looks or plays like beyond some CGI trailers. That will for sure change here at this juncture. The time is now for the Rise of the Tomb Raider gameplay trailers to begin.

There should be a release date announced here as well, which will be one of the most interesting things to watch in the press conference. For one, Rise of the Tomb Raider is unchallenged in its genre, but it is currently looking at a holiday season featuring Halo, Battlefront, Destiny, Call of Duty, and Assassin’s Creed. Most of which will be released within a week of each other. Secondly, for non-Xbox owners, the timed exclusivity clock starts from the moment the game launches. From a business and enthusiast perspective, Rise of the Tomb Raider is one of the more interesting titles in this E3 2015 scrum.

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Forza 6 information leaked out a bit early, but all signs point to the Forza series being an annualized product at this point. For racing fans, it is kind of a double edged sword. You get a more regular taste of simulation racing style games, but it might come at the cost of some performance. Forza 5 notably had sparse in-game content, alongside a boatload of downloadable content. Forza 6’s information, thus far, looks to be combatting that perception with a full-featured game. Microsoft will certainly place it on display next week to get Forza fans excited for this holiday season.

Windows 10 is going to be the big wildcard in the room. Microsoft has been holding their cards close on exactly the level of integration you would see Windows 10 have in Xbox. We have seen some of their ideas though. They have previously showcased what Xbox will look like in Windows 10, but this E3 will mark the arrival of what Windows 10 will look like on Xbox. In addition, you will be able to stream Xbox One games to Windows 10 devices. There are already some leaks about a new dashboard coming to the Xbox One. In addition to the new controller, it seems as if Microsoft will be looking to shore up the Xbox One’s weaknesses in terms of ease of use as it relates to dashboard and microphone connections. The level of integration may be something for Valve and Sony to watch carefully as Microsoft looks to push its PC brand of gaming more into the forefront than it has in the past.

Additionally, Plants Vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 should be shown on Microsoft’s stage. The big question here is the level of exclusivity Xbox One will enjoy for this title and whether there will be cross compatibility with PC. The partnership with EA has continued to provide a great service to fans of their games on Xbox One as a platform.

Next: Xbox Predictions (Including One From Yesterday That Came True Today)