Microsoft is all set to pull the veil off its next-generation Xbox console and show the gaming world the wonders it would soon add to the video gaming experience. While the potential Xbox 720 reveal date is likely to be May 21st, there are a number of exclusive, undisclosed projects in the making by a bunch of internal studios and third parties, gearing up to be launch titles. Here are top next-gen Xbox games likely to be unveiled by Microsoft alongside its new console.
Project Gotham Racing 5:
According to several rumors, one of the launch games could be the next Project Gotham Racing title - Project Gotham Racing 5. Sumo Digital's Gareth Wilson previously stated that the game is central to the new Xbox hardware's launch line-up, OXM reports. Wilson was a part of the now-closed Bizarre Creations, which had worked on Project Gotham Racing franchise.
The development rights of future PGR titles were later handed over to Lucid Games, made up of ex-Bizarre developers. Lucid Games hinted in a recent Facebook post that the title could be announced on the same day as the new Xbox.
Halo 5:
That there would be a Halo 5 is no surprise. However, the question is if the new instalment will arrive alongside the new Xbox. With Halo being one of the most popular first-party franchises, it's heavily rumored that the new game could be announced at Microsoft's pre-E3 press conference in June or during the official Xbox 720 unveiling event in May. The recent appearance of Halo 5 on Tesco's online store should also indicate a possible arrival with the next Xbox console.
Ryse:
Ryse, the first-person Roman combat game in development at Crytek, is said to be among the launch line-up for Microsoft's next Xbox. "Crytek, along with Microsoft Studios, has been rewriting the game to take advantage of its next-generation console, due later this year," The Verge reports.
Forza:
Microsoft will also introduce its next Xbox console with a new Forza that will feature "super life-like" graphics. "Sources tell us that a new Forza title with "super life-like" graphics will also be made available at launch, alongside a zombie game and a family game set on an island with Pixar movie-style graphics," The Verge reports. The family game will utilize Kinect to scan a body and generate a virtual character in the game.
Rare's New Project:
Rare had recently posted a couple of job vacancies for its mysterious new Kinect project, which is rumored to be a next generation Xbox game. The developer was apparently looking for a region design manager to assist with "the next jaw-dropping, never-been-done-before Rare project". "Experience of motion gaming, especially Kinect technology" was listed as a criteria for the job. The company was also seeking "an experienced, passionate and highly technical engineer" to help the firm to "deliver the services that will power it's next amazing product."
Rare's new FPS:
Rare is rumored to be developing a first-person shooter IP for "future consoles." "A senior product manager listing calls for a candidate with a successful history of releasing exceptional AAA games and these will ideally be in the Action/Adventure or FPS genre but this is not essential," OXM notes. A return to the days of Perfect Dark, if not the Perfect Dark license itself is a possibility.
Respawn Entertainment's First Project - Titan
Microsoft is trying to secure the first title from Respawn Entertainment to be an Xbox 720 exclusive. The studio, founded by Call of Duty series creators Vincent Zampella and Jason West, is rumored to be in the final stages of their first project which will be published by EA. "The new game from Respawn is a futuristic multiplayer-centric online shooter," a source says to Kotaku. Although, an official confirmation has yet to arrive, the game, likely named Titan, will be released along with the next-gen Xbox and is in the vein of a battle between Davids and Goliaths. "The Davids are heavily-armed foot soldiers. The Goliaths are the giant exosekeltons-Titans-that these soldiers can pilot. These Titans are big mech-style walkers that move with an agility not seen in games like Mechwarrior or Steel Battalions," Kotaku writes.
Fable 4:
Going by a Lionhead posting seeking programmers with knowledge of both current generation consoles and DirectX 11 in February, the developer appears to be looking to reveal the game in question with the next-gen Xbox. It should be noted that Xbox 360 only supports DirectX 9. Later on, the studio advertised for candidates to work on a multiplayer-centric, Unreal engine title including a services/monetisation designer. This suggests that the new game will be supported by micro-transactions. In addition, the studio was also looking for a tech director who has a working knowledge of multiplayer game systems including large scale RPG, Action Adventure and RTS genres.
Black Tusk Studios' First Game:
Black Tusk Studios is reported to be working on a space-based shooter IP that's comparable to Gears of War and Halo in scale. The studio, formerly known as Microsoft Vancouver, is expected to offer a new title for the upcoming Xbox console. "We're not working on an existing franchise, we're looking to build the next Halo here in Vancouver, for example, which is really exciting," the studio's manager Mike Crump said in an interview to OXM.
[Source: OXM]
