5. Changes to Xbox 360 Console and Xbox LIVE Gold Subscriptions
One of the first announcements from the Microsoft Press Conference was one of the biggest yet. Microsoft unveiled a newly redesigned Xbox 360 console that is smaller, quieter and features a new design that is easily comparable to the upcoming Xbox One console. This is obviously great news for gamers can't afford to drop $499 on a new Xbox One system this holiday season but still want to look forward to some more great games from Microsoft and its partners. If that wasn't enough to get fans excited, Microsoft also announced a few details on a new Xbox LIVE Gold experience. Gamers with existing Xbox LIVE Gold memberships will be able to carry their subscriptions over to Xbox One when it arrives in November, but Xbox LIVE Gold members will begin receiving new perks for remaining loyal to Microsoft. Beginning on July 1, 2012, Xbox LIVE Gold members will be able to download copies of Halo 3 and Assassin's Creed II for free and keep the games for as long as they'd like. The new perk is obviously comparable to what the PlayStation Plus service has been giving Sony fans for years and finally gives Xbox gamers a reason to continue their subscriptions to Xbox LIVE Gold in the coming months.
4. Halo Coming to Xbox One
This announcement was inevitable and possibly the reason we couldn't get as excited about it as we should have. The legendary Halo series will be making its way to Xbox One to bring a whole new generation of exciting adventures starring the Master Chief to next generation consoles. We're not sure why Master Chief needs a Jedi jacket to travel around the desert, but it probably is pretty difficult to get sand cleaned out of that armor. We also don't know a whole lot about the upcoming release yet, but Microsoft did announce the new Halo title will be coming to Xbox One in 2014, so we can look forward to a much more informative and exciting announcement for the game at next year's E3 event where developer 343 Studios is sure to have a few surprises waiting for longtime fans of the series, and we'll have to wait and see how Spielberg will change the Halo series for the future in the upcoming television series for Xbox One as well.
3. Summer of Arcade 2013
One thing fans won't have to wait long for is Xbox LIVE's Summer of Arcade 2013. The event will begin August 7, 2013 and feature four brand new exclusives for Xbox LIVE Arcade. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows will see the return of everyone's four favorite reptilian brothers with an all new look and attitude in an all new beat 'em up title that we dare to say looks totally tubular, dude. Flashback will be an HD remake of a classic shooter platformer will all new features that looks an awful lot like another Summer of Arcade classic, Shadow Complex. An all new title named Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons stole the spotlight as an exciting new platformer that will require the cooperation of two characters to solve the game's complex puzzle design and push the narrative forward with some impressive graphics for a downloadable title. Finally, Charlie Murder looks really crazy as a mix between Castle Crashers and The Dishwasher, and we're sure this title will be up to the high quality that games featured on the Summer of Arcade promotion always are. We will have to wait and see if a fifth title is announced before August, since Summer of Arcade typically features four games plus an additional downloadable game for Kinect, and there may be a nice deal announced for gamers that pick up each of the games in the promotion, so stay tuned for more details!
2. Dead Rising 3 Exclusive Launch Title for Xbox One
One of the biggest surprises in Microsoft's entire presentation was the announcement of Dead Rising 3 as an exclusive Xbox One launch title. The game will continue the tongue in cheek humor, zombie apocalypse series from Capcom with a brand new protagonist named Nick Ramos who is just your everyday mechanic who happens to get caught in the zombie outbreak in the new city of Los Peridos, California. The game will bring back the classic combo weapon feature as evident by the sledgehammer and table saw combination seen in the trailer, and will support Xbox SmartGlass features including an ability to call in air strikes and artillery, as shown off in a different display at E3. In addition to revealing this exclusive Xbox One launch title, Microsoft also announced the game will come with exclusive day one DLC for those that preorder the all new Xbox One that is sure to please longtime Dead Rising fans with Chuck and Frank content. Look for more details on this surprising release as we get closer to the Xbox One launch!
Honorable Mentions: EA Press Conference
EA took the stage shortly after the Microsoft Press Conference was over in order to inform fans of the new games coming to Xbox One and other next generation of consoles built on their powerful new Ignite Engine as well as to show off some games coming to current generation systems. A few things stuck out in this presentation including the all new look at multiplayer in Battlefield 4. The DICE series looks better than ever running on next generation consoles and features exciting match options including up to 64 players in a single session with overwatch options to assist entire squads. EA also announced two highly anticipated PopCap titles with Peggle 2 and the new Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare that features third-person action and plenty of playable characters based on the plants and zombies from the original title. Finally, EA impressed with the all new Ignite Engine with phenomenal graphics on display in all new sports titles inlcuding Madden NFL 25 that will be coming soon to Xbox One.
1. Metal Gear Solid V Coming to Xbox One
The Metal Gear Solid series has been an exclusive series for Sony consoles for many years now, as jealous Xbox fans had to be onlookers to this highly popular franchise, but that will all change with the release of the Xbox One. Konami and Microsoft announced earlier today that Metal Gear Solid V would indeed be coming to the Xbox One in Solid Snake's newest tale. The game will feature all new firsts in the series including Dynamic Weather, Real-Time Passage of Time and brand new graphics worthy of a next generation console. Fans can be sure there will be plenty of exciting cut scenes and a wonderful narrative that will make most full feature films jealous. Fans can learn more about this exciting release by checking out the new trailer for Metal Gear Solid V below!