Welcome back Xbox fans, geeks, retro gaming enthusiasts and all gamers from around the world!
I was born in the mid-1970s. My video gaming experience started with the arcade games. A few years later, my console gaming experience started with the Atari 2600 console (which was our first console at home) and for about five years my friends (who also had the same console in their respective homes) and I enjoyed playing games on it.
Also this year, I bought myself a physical copy of Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration to add even more retro gaming fun on my Xbox Series X and it has been an enjoyable experience so far. There is absolutely nothing like replaying the Atari 2600 games I enjoyed plus being able to play other games released on other Atari consoles I never had. I also love the fact that the collection (you can by the physical Xbox copy by clicking here) also has Atari’s own arcade games. This is truly a blast of retro gaming fun!
From my play session of the arcade version of the classic Missile Command.
Thanks to the Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration, I finally got to play the Cloak & Dagger arcade game that was featured in the 1984 movie.
Historical insight about the classic game Centipede.
Atari’s arcade game Liberator.
Content from the arcade flyer of Missile Command now viewable in high-definition!
Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is not just a collection of video games from the past. It has a stylish presentation that makes it an interactive museum which allows you to look at the arcade flyers, the print ads, the official artworks of games, historical highlights and most notably lots of videos showing interviews of surviving Atari creators/producers who reveal very important details about what they went through, what the company culture was like, and more.
Those who were interviewed include Nolan Bushnell (who established Atari, Inc.), David Crane, Jerry Jessop, Bill Rehbock, Owen Rubin, Allan Alcorn, Tod Frye, Wade Rosen, Eugene Jarvis, and Howard Scott Warshaw. These are the guys who not only established Atari as a major gaming industry leader but also laid the foundations of console gaming as a crucial part of home entertainment in general. Also discussed was Atari’s efforts of bringing their arcade games to the consoles at home.
Adding further insight to Atari’s history were video interviews of Ed Fries (a key figure behind the establishment of Xbox), Cliff Bleszinski (Gears of War trilogy) and Tim Schafer (Psychonauts games).
My physical copy of Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration which I enjoyed a lot on my Xbox Series X.
And now, something more exciting is scheduled to happen next month! In fact, it will happen in just a few more weeks’ time!
It has been announced by Team Xbox that the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase will take place on June 13, 2021! It is a digital event that will be streamed worldwide.
The official cover image of the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase!
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Xbox.com article written by Xbox Games Marketing General Manager Aaron Greenberg. Some parts in boldface…
Today, we are thrilled to announce the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase will stream on Sunday,June 13 at 10:00 a.m. PT. The show will be focused on games from Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda, and many game creators from our partners around the world.
You’ve told us how excited you are about welcoming Bethesda into the Xbox family, so we know you’re going to want a front-row seat to the Xbox & Bethesda Games showcase – a 90-minute show packed with everything you want to know about the epic gaming lineup coming out of this partnership, the incredible games coming to Xbox this holiday, upcoming releases on Xbox Game Pass, and more.
You’ll be able to watch the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase in a variety of ways. Be sure to visit any of the links below before the show starts:
Wow! That announcement by Greenberg went straight to the point! This is something to delight the many, varied fans of Xbox and Bethesda. How exactly will be organized remains to be seen and this alone is interesting because in previous years, Team Xbox and Bethesda had their own separate showcase events which drew huge audiences (both physically and online). From this point on, the suspense leading to the official announcements truly begins.
The combined powers and talents of Xbox and Bethesda will be emphasized heavily on June 13, 2021.
Speaking of announcements, I hope that the following will happen at the 90-minute Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase…
Starfield coming to Xbox consoles and PC this year (note: a 2022 release would not be surprising). Trailers and gameplay demonstration emphasizing Starfield’s concept and uniqueness would really excite the fans. Todd Howard should lead the presentation.
Halo Infinite to be shown with trailers, in-depth gameplay demonstration and a November 2021 release date. Improvements on quality and overall design should be emphasized and help gamers forget the disappointing 2020 first unveiling of the game.
Forza Horizon 5 with trailers, gameplay demonstration, the rumored Mexico setting and a 4th quarter of 2021 release date.
Avowed with trailers and more details about its concept, game design and characters.
The Outer Worlds sequel announcement.
The rumored Hideo Kojima-Xbox partnership confirmed as real and with a game announcement.
Fable update with details about its concept, gameplay and characters.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II update with gameplay footage, and a 2022 release date.
Forza Motorsport franchise update with clarification as to what the next game could be called.
Collaboration or special projects between Team Xbox and Konami, Capcom, Sega and other game publishers to ramp up Xbox-exclusive content as well as add more games to Xbox Game Pass.
The Gunk (Xbox-exclusive) update with new gameplay footage shown. It only makes sense because the game is supposed to come out this year.
Square Enix announcing more RPGs coming to Xbox Game Pass.
Indiana Jones video game update with trailers and details about its concept and game design.
Updates about Doom, Wolfenstein and other Bethesda game franchises.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you hope to see in the June 13 games showcase of Xbox-Bethesda? Are you eager to see Starfield, Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite as the must-have Xbox exclusives for late 2021 to early 2022? Are you hoping that Starfield will be released for Xbox consoles and PC this year? Are you hoping to see Bethesda also announce sequels to Doom, Wolfenstein and Dishonored franchises? Is 2022 considered too late a release for Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II? If the rumored Hideo Kojima-Xbox partnership turned out to be real, what kind of games do you hope will be realized? Do you think the rumored projected of IO Interactive for Xbox will be revealed? Do you hope to see Konami digitally release its Suikoden RPGs on Xbox Game Pass and the Microsoft Store?
You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online. In closing this article, posted below are Xbox-related videos for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!
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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
It has finally happened. Microsoft organized this past Thursday the much-awaited digital event Xbox Games Showcase. Let me cut to the chase that, for the most part, I actually enjoyed watching. It’s not a perfect showcase of games for Xbox fans and other gamers, but it sure is a major improvement over the disappointing 3rd party games showcase of last May.
For one thing, Xbox head Phil Spencer himself confirmed that less than ten of the fifteen Xbox game studios had prepared for the showcase. This is not surprising because it takes a lot of time and work to make video games nowadays and it is a fact that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic had forced game developers (as well as countless other surviving businesses) to adapt the work-at-home model which tremendously slowed down production. Regardless, the showcase included unveilings of five new first-party games.
“What you’ll see today is how Xbox game studios are harnessing their passions to bring their dreams to life,” Phil Spencer said in his welcome message to viewers.
With those words declared, here is what I think about the games that I personally find the most interesting or the most notable (note: not all games discussed below are exclusive to Xbox Series X), and what it all means for the upcoming launch of the next-generation Xbox Series X console and the remaining life of the Xbox One.
The showcased games
Halo Infinite
Two long years since I first saw the original unveiling of Halo Infinite, the gameplay demonstration of the game (note: it actually ran on a PC, NOT the Xbox Series X itself) was actually worth the long wait even though there were some imperfections. What made it compelling to watch was the presentation of the ring world’s environment which recaptured the wonder and beauty of the original landscape first seen in 2001’s Halo: Combat Evolved (note: I’m talking about the landscape where Master Chief first crash-landed). Apart from the in-game environment, the gameplay rocked with the classic Halo formula of shooting (fast-paced and intense) which got shook up with the implementation of the grapple plus a few new animation sequences and moves seen on the Covenant. It’s classic Halo but also modernized in terms of look and gameplay.
What caught my attention was the freedom for gamers to explore an entire Halo ring confirmed by 343 Industries’ Studio Head of Halo Chris Lee. Even though the term open-world was not stated, this confirms that Halo Infinite will have a much bigger in-game environment and locations for gamers to discover. Hopefully, this also means that there will be a wide variety of activities to do on the locations very much like other open-world games. The game demonstration is only a taste of what is to come. Not only that, Lee also confirmed that the game will run at 60 frames-per-second (60FPS) which for me is the sweet spot for playing in the modern age.
When it comes to imperfections, I saw some pop-in during some sequences of the demo and there also seemed to be some slight dips in the frame rate during the most intense sequences. Right now, 343 Industries still has months left to optimize the game not only for Xbox Series X but also the aging Xbox One. Now I wonder how the developers will be able to get good enough performance from the basic Xbox One (which I own) and the slightly upgraded Xbox One S to play Halo Infinite. One last thing…I should express my disappointment over the revelation that the demo did NOT run on the Xbox Series X hardware itself.
To Microsoft and 343 Industries, please, please make the best you can with Halo Infinite using real Xbox Series X hardware! Also, please at least try to include ray tracing at launch, not after launch. Disappointments aside, I know you guys can do better and I still am looking forward to this game. The ball of time is on your side of the court, Microsoft and 343 Industries. You still have time!
Everwild
Everwild is a brand, new game developed by Rare (Sea of Thieves, Perfect Dark games) mainly for Xbox Series X and Windows 10 PCs. First unveiled months ago, the new video of the game at the Xbox Games Showcase showed a lot more of the game with what looks like a wide-open world to explore with lots of wildlife and creatures that are out of this world. The animation also looks great. My only problem here is that the new trailer had scenes done in a cinematic fashion and left no clear sign as to HOW THE GAME WILL PLAY. Will it be a single-player game or an online-multiplayer game? Will it have a good combat system? What is the story if any? Please, Microsoft and Rare, do explain if Everwild will be fun to play. Enough with the beauty and take time to really define the game. Thanks.
As Dusk Falls
This new game by Int./Night and Microsoft is easily the most intriguing of the Xbox Games Showcase. It’s described as an interactive drama that will follow and explore the lives of two families across thirty years starting with a robbery in Arizona. Players will determine the fate of the characters by making choices (kinda like the Choose Your Own Adventure pocket books in concept). At least in this game’s trailer, there is a clever mix of 3D polygons with 2D art. If I were you gamers, don’t just ignore this game. If you are already an Xbox Game Pass subscriber, As Dusk Falls will launch on Day One on the said service.
Avowed
The rumors turned out to be true and I’m very happy to say that the RPG specialists Obsidian Entertainment is working on a brand new, fantasy role-playing game (RPG) titled Avowed. Set in the fantasy world of Eora, Avowed is a first-person view RPG. Having played Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Elders Scrolls V: Skyrim on Xbox 360 long ago plus last year’s The Outer Worlds (by Obsidian) on Xbox One, I really am looking forward to this new game and I have full trust in Obsidian’s, dedication, legacy and specialty on making RPGs that are fun and compelling.
To say the least, Avowed will mark the beginning of a new fantasy RPG property (soon to be a franchise…) for the Xbox ecosystem as a whole adding variety for Xbox fans who love fantasy RPGs alongside the already established Fable.
Speaking of Fable…
Fable
The long-time rumor is also true! Fable is being revived and the new game is being produced by Playground Games, the very same studio behind the best-selling and highly acclaimed Forza Horizon series! While the above trailer is purely cinematic and carried nothing to suggest gameplay, at the very least the Fable franchise is on its way back after years of being dormant. What I hope to see next time is real-time gameplay complete with how the Playground employees can present the fantasy world in this new generation of console gaming. I personally enjoyed playing the original Fable and still managed to get some fun from the disappointing Fable III. For the future of Fable, things are looking promising.
Forza Motorsport
While this one is too short and lacked gameplay sequences, the Forza Motorsport official video composed of real-time graphics (note the Footage Captured In-Engine posted on the lower-left corner of the video) is very impressive and the future of next-generation simulation racing looks very bright. I know the experts of Turn 10 are working hard with the new Xbox Series X technology as I write this and in terms of presentation of the Xbox Games Showcase, this extremely short look of things to come from the Forza Motorsport franchise is ironically one of the best (and most transparent) presentations from Microsoft. Too bad Halo Infinite was used with a PC and lacked transparency on its presentation which Microsoft knew. More on the game, I wonder if Forza Motorsport will be the definitive title of the next-generation sim race from Turn 10 following 2017’s Forza Motorsport 7. Gamers expected Forza Motorsport 8 as the title. The video presentation’s shortness is a missed opportunity for Microsoft and the developers to show a lot more of what simulation would look and feel like on Xbox Series X. An additional sixty seconds of in-game footage with some gameplay sequences (like driver’s seat view with steering wheel) would have made the Forza Motorsport video even greater and more engaging. Now that the Xbox Games Showcase is over, we can only wait as to what MS and Turn 10 can update us with. Right now, I am passionate with simulation racing thanks to the Forza Motorsport franchise and I am confident that the next entry coming out on Xbox Series X will be worth the wait.
Tell Me Why
Here’s another new Microsoft-published game that surprised me. Tell Me Why is developed by DONTNOD, the same team behind Capcom’s Remember Me and Square Enix’s Life is Strange. Given the French game developer’s dedication on making original, narrative-driven games, Tell Me Why follows twins Alyson and Tyler and players will get to use their unique bond to unravel mysteries in their lives. Visually, it does not have the next-generation look as the game itself was made specifically for Xbox One and Windows 10. How it will look on Xbox Series X remains to be seen. This should attract the attention of gamers who enjoyed Life is Strange games.
Psychonauts 2
This multi-platform game made by Double Fine will be released sometime next year and I should say that what was shown during the Xbox Games Showcase made me confident about it. For the newcomers reading this, Psychonauts 2 is the sequel to the award-winning 2005 game Psychonauts (then published by Majesco Entertainment) and as a platforming game this one could stand out in the modern age for its artistry, creativity and promised fun gameplay. Microsoft promised that the game will be optimized for Xbox Series X.
Honorable mentions
The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon
I love Obsidian Entertainment’s work in The Outer World which is easily one of the best RPGs I’ve ever played in this current console generation. As such, the revelation of the previously announced story downloadable content (DLC) is something I find very delighting and it sure gives me another reason to replay The Outer Worlds on my Xbox One. The Peril on Gorgon DLC’s description is as follows: A severed arm and a mysterious message lead the crew of the Unreliable to the Gorgon Asteroid, formerly the site of one of Halcyon’s most ambitious and disastrous scientific undertakings – now a lawless den of monsters and marauders. Wealthy recluse Minnie Ambrose tasks the crew with finding answers about Dr. Olivia Ambrose, her mother and the doomed project’s disgraced director, but they are soon ensnared in an intrigue that will change the colony forever.
The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon will be released on September 9, 2020.
Destiny 2: Beyond Light
It’s kinda weird to see Destiny 2: Beyond Light part of Xbox Games Showcase, the same event highlighted by Halo Infinite. This is because Bungie created Halo on its own before they got involved with Microsoft and played a major role in the respective success of the original Xbox and Xbox 360 consoles with several acclaimed Halo games that sold a lot. Now that it is no longer involved with Activision, Bungie is now a standalone developer and publisher, and the Destiny games franchise is what they are carrying now. The above video presentation looks good and energetic.
Conclusion
Overall, the Xbox Games Showcase was good, not great. The efforts to showcase the 1st party games and the potential of next-generation gaming Xbox Series X were made but felt uneven here and there. Halo Infinite had a good presentation but there were shortcomings that prevented it from being great which is too bad because the game was supposed to highlight Xbox Series X and prove that there is a promising future of fun and engagement with the Halo franchise. Ironically, the very solid but short video presentations of Forza Motorsport and Avowed proved to be better efforts on selling Xbox Series X than Halo Infinite. When it comes to disappointments, I should point to the complete lack of new stuff regarding Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II.
While imperfect, the Xbox Games Showcase still had nice surprises that kept me interested enough to finish it. At the very least, Xbox Games Showcase was a big improvement over the disappointing showcase of 3rd party games last May.
Now that the Xbox Games Showcase is over, Microsoft and its Xbox teams still have time left to improve their efforts to sell their games and prove that Xbox Series X will be worth buying for the next several years of home entertainment. They also still have time to emphasize how the optimization of games on Xbox Series X and how the Smart Delivery can be beneficial to gamers.
In ending this, watch Colteastwood’s interview with Xbox’s Major Nelson.
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
Author Carlo Carrasco 