Honorable Mention: Microsoft Follows Through, Wows Hardcore Gamers
This isn’t necessarily horror-related (though there’s no reason Microsoft can’t surprise us all with the reveal of a big, Xbox One horror title), but it’s important, so I felt like including it.
The Xbox One is trailing behind the PS4 by a significant margin. The latest update put detailed the Xbox One’s sales as sold-in to five million consoles (that’s sold to retailers), while the PS4 enjoys a healthy sold-through of seven million (that’s sold to customers). That’s a big deal. On top of this, Sony’s PlayStation Plus offering has consistently out-valued Microsoft’s offering. They’re beginning to up their ante with better ‘Games with Gold’ deals and a new-and-improved ‘Deals with Gold’ program that includes more discounts on digital games. They’ve also announced a cheaper Xbox One that won’t come bundled with the Kinect. It needed to be done, though as an owner of each, I’m worried about the future of my $100 peripheral.
Microsoft needs to win over “hardcore” gamers. That means they need to focus entirely on video games, including exclusives, timed-exclusives, and more proof of their courting of indie developers, because Sony has them beat there, too. They also need to make sure their messaging is clear, because last year was a mess that they cannot repeat. I hope they continue to turn it around, because I’ve enjoyed my time with my Xbox One and I’d like to know it has a bright future ahead of it.
You’ve made it through my list, now it’s your turn. Let me know in the comments below what you would like to see from this year’s E3!
