Topic: The everything Xbox thread

I am perfectly fine with the PS3 version. Load times are pretty long, glitches happen sometimes, you can watch the textures clear themselves up when you start a level, and if you look around you can see surfaces that have no texture at all (assuming that isn't a problem on the eighth generation versions⁇), but the game runs at a smooth 60fps and I had fun playing it.

@gcunit I think they'll probably add it and Crackdown 2 to Backwards Compatibility around E3. Play the "Are you excited for Crackdown 3? Play the first 2 games via Backwards Compatibility now!" type trick.

@Grumblevolcano Yeh, that's what I've been hoping - though at the same time I fear they might be deliberately not doing so as to maximise sales of 3.

Finally got round to buying a vertical stand for my Xbox One S and so have just unpacked my console and turned it on for the first time (had it 5 months). 1200mb immediate system update - cheers MS!

Huh, we've come this far in the industry...

Remedy Entertainment will lose its rights to some of the tracks featured in Alan Wake, meaning that the game will be removed from the Xbox store and Steam on Monday, the 15th. Starting tomorrow, the game will be €3 on Steam and the sale will last until the game gets removed. I'm definitely going to pick this up, but man, that's weird way to see a game disappear.

I've not played Alan Wake but have been meaning to pick it up, so thanks for the heads up. But if I buy it on Steam, will I only be able to download while it's still in the store, or will a future download option be maintained.

Licensing has got a lot to answer for - so many great IPs and games lost.

@gcunit I believe it remains in your library after you've bought it, I think that's how Steam works. I wish I could get it on GOG.com, but the discount is only for Steam unfortunately.

@DarthNocturnal Indeed, they could always re-release the game in the future without those tracks. Who knows when that'll happen though...

No.

I never thought very much of Alan Wake

It had a great atmosphere, an intriguing story and a curious hook to the way the narrative was being played out however, the gameplay itself was so dull... I was (mostly) bored playing it all the way through, and waiting for an interesting gameplay mechanic to stumble along when it never did. Just the same old 'flash, flash, flash' of the torch followed by the baddie disappearing in a puff of smoke!

Still, it is a shame that it's being taken down. Timed music licenses are never a good thing.

In other news, 343i have openly come out to say that Halo 6 won't be at the Microsoft E3 presser in a months time, but they will be showing 'a little something else' instead.

Halo developer 343 Industries has confirmed the next mainline entry in Microsoft's sci-fi shooter series won't be at E3 2017.

In a post on reddit, 343i community manager Brian Jarrard tempered fans' expectations for this year's expo, saying that while the studio will have a little something to show at E3, it won't be tied to Halo 6.

I'm becoming less enthusiastic about their show by the day...

As a fan of music games I'm used to the kind of thing which is happening with Alan Wake. Sure it's more on the DLC side like how Rock Band started having some DLC removed due to relicensing issues starting with the Metallica pack in April 2013 but the principle is still the same. Songs can't be relicensed leading to that content (DLC or game featuring the songs) being removed from digital stores. Doesn't make things any less disappointing though.

As for 343, I think it'll be Halo 3 Anniversary and/or story DLC for Halo Wars 2 at E3.

I imagine they'd want a Halo game on their VR/AR system for Scorpio, so maybe that's what 343 are up to, IDK.

@Grumblevolcano The in-the-know guy on Windows Central (Jez?) says that the 'a little something else' is in fact the story DLC for Halo Wars 2, which isn't particularly exciting news for most folks.

Either Microsoft are really confident that Crackdown 3, Forza Motorsport 7, Sea of Thieves, State of Play 2 and a few of their console exclusive indies games (Ashen, Below and Cuphead) along with Scorpio is more than enough (which I'd argue that it isn't), or it's going to be a rather pedestrian and predictable show altogether.

I am simply not seeing where their current focus - and excitement - lies, and this is coming from someone who used to feel so excited during the gradual lead up to their E3 conferences back in the Xbox 360 heyday. I don't even like their 'Games as a Service' vision for the future either...

In my opinion, it is not a question of "do they have anything to show that we don't know about?" and more of a "will the announcements they do have get any type of reaction?". Honestly, that's what concerns me more because not a single thing they have tried on the new IP front has really worked out this generation.

@Peek-a-boo Given Microsoft revealed their VR controllers at their Build event a few days ago, I'm thinking they may pull a 2010 where a lengthy section of the conference is VR related (back then it was Kinect). If you need a refresher on what happened that year, here's what happened:

• Core games for ~35 mins (Black Ops, Metal Gear Rising, Gears of War 3, Halo Reach)
• Kinect for ~45 mins
• Forza Motorsport 4 and unveiling the improved Xbox 360 for the last ~10 mins

@Peek-a-boo Microsoft using Forza 7 and Crackdown 3 to show off the capabilities of the Scorpio would be one of the most predictable things ever honestly.

I think Microsoft's E3 conference may have the sequel to Rise of the Tomb Raider. If I recall correctly there was a leak sometime last year that a sequel existed and given the timings of reboot series, holiday 2017 sounds about right for release date.

Tomb Raider - 2013
Rise of the Tomb Raider - 2015

@Grumblevolcano I don't think Square is going to do another Xbox exclusive Tomb Raider after RotTR. Unless MS is willing to pay a lot more for it (but Phil Spencer said exclusives are stupid, so who knows?).

@Octane I wasn't suggesting exclusivity, rather it just being there like how there was FFXV at Microsoft's E3 2016 despite Final Fantasy being best known for Playstation.

Is MS really pushing anything first party this gen? I know I feel like the past six months have been really empty with exclusive games.

@Ryu_Niiyama You would be better off asking that question until their E3 conference has come and gone.

I share your concerns too, but I am more than happy to let them prove me wrong!

@Peek-a-boo Fair enough. I don't know which box my xbone is in anyway. I'll wait until E3 to pass judgement. I'm still looking forward to crackdown.

The final Halo Wars 2 leader before the story DLC (assuming the story DLC launches in June) is Sgt. Johnson.

Voice actor is different and playstyle looks interesting.