Xbox Shows Us What They Got
Plus, some highlights from this year's Wholesome Direct
The week of events tied into Summer Game Fest has come and gone, and we now have a slew of eye-catching titles to add to our collective wishlists. After the initial day, the most noise came out of camp Xbox, but surprisingly (at least to myself) I came away more interested in the business side of the green brand and the additional, smaller titles and showcases.
Digging into the former, I think Oli Walsh’s piece over on Polygon captured the spirit of my thoughts best with the following quote:
It’s now a publisher first, a subscription platform second, and a console hardware platform a distant third.
Xbox came out swinging with title after title, including a number of games that have seemingly been stuck in development limbo like Perfect Dark and the return of Fable. The slate they showed off is exciting, I’ll share a couple highlights in a bit, but the company is increasingly shying away from the idea of exclusives despite their recent studio acquisitions. Doom: The Dark Ages was the latest Xbox-owned game to be confirmed for PS5 when it launches next year. In contrast, as Oli points out in the article, Xbox is doubling down on Game Pass. Day one availability on the subscription service was frequently referenced during the presentation. It’s clear, this is how Microsoft wants you to play its games.
Supporting that narrative, the company is becoming less and less opaque regarding its intention to jump into the portable market. In an interview with IGN, Phil Spencer all but confirms that the team is working on a Xbox handheld in the style of a Steam Deck, as opposed to going the PlayStation Portal route.
Just to be clear, I’m excited by this idea! I agree with the notion that meeting players where they are is best for consumers. But the industry is at some sort of inflection point, and the disheartening run of layoffs over the past couple of years indicate that a change is needed. I definitely don’t have any answers, I’m just now getting fully back into the hobby myself, but I do want to take note when one of the titans of the space is taking on a new strategy.
That said, I would also like to use this space to draw attention to and drum up excitement for games from smaller studios. So while I’ve got a couple highlights out of the Microsoft presentation below, the rest are smaller titles that caught my eye particularly during this year’s Wholesome Direct.
Doom: The Dark Ages
The fast and fluid shooter gameplay of Doom looks better than ever in the next installment of the franchise. It doesn’t hurt that they’ve added some blade-covered-shield throwing, giant robot battles, and a cyber-dragon.
Gears of War E-Day
This one caught me by total surprise. The original Gears of War trilogy was a staple of my high school years, but I had fallen off of the franchise after its conclusion. The relationship between Marcus and Dom was a big reason why I enjoyed the first three entries, so I’m hoping they can recapture some of that magic by showing their dynamic develop first hand in this prequel.
Mixtape
It’s very apt that this is coming from Annapurna Interactive. The trailer is reminiscent of something the movie studio would put out. The focus on music and the cinematic framing shown off make this one to watch.
Discounty
Growing up I worked at a grocery store for 6 years (that’s still my longest tenured position), and I’ve always dreamed of opening up a small neighborhood market when I’m older. Well in Discounty I get to do just that, and it includes all the local issues you’d come to expect with a project like that.
Pine: A Story of Loss
Not a whole lot was shown for this game during the Wholesome Direct, but it was described as “an emotional hand drawn story about love, life, and letting go.” I sought out the official reveal trailer and already got teary-eyed.
Caravan SandWitch
I recently wrote about A Short Hike and finding joy in the peaceful exploration of the park. Caravan SandWitch somehow gives off that same vibe despite being set in a wasteland. Apparently this has no combat or death, so the focus will be completely on exploring the space.
Sopa
In Sopa you play as Miho who falls into a magical world after searching for potatoes in his grandmother’s pantry. The trailer shown at Wholesome Direct gives just a taste of what that world contains, but the vibrancy of the cartoon world is magnetic.