Wow guys, it has been a long time since I have posted an updated like this. Seems like the forums have really quieted down here. More recently, I have been spending some time on Twitter discussing games and have had the opportunity to connect with some industry "Insiders". Needless to say, that I have heard some very interesting rumors concerning MS big E3 announcements.

If you are not up to speed regarding some of the rumors swirling MS E3 event, I will do my best to get you up to speed about what MS may reveal this year.

The Shenmue rumor: Yes this is indeed a rumor circulating around, that MS has landed the exclusive rights to Shenmue 3. This rumor is being fueled by comments made by Phil Spencer himself (click on link below for comments), and by the fact MS has landed a big 3rd party exclusive that will surprise many gamer's at E3.

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-s-phil-spencer-biggest-request-i-get-is-to-bring-back-shenmue/1100-6418687/

The 3rd Party Exclusive Rumor: Everyone remember Prince of Persia? The other rumor circulating is that MS has landed the exclusive rights, for a reboot of the Prince of Persia franchise.This rumor was further fueled by Thuways ( GAF Insider ) on twitter when he said, "Hey Guys Did Everyone Forget About Prince of Persia, Wonder whats going on with that". Other rumors regarding third party exclusives revolve around a deal between Capcom and MS. However, that is all that has been said with regards to that rumor.

More Halo Rumors: If a Halo 2 Anniversary rumor was not enough. We now have rumors circulating that we could see an HD remake of Halos 1-4! Or a Halo 2 AE with multiplayer-maps from Halos 1-4. Either way, we are getting a Halo game this fall.

What should we expect? We will definitely see some very huge announcements that are going to cause a bit of a stir. Expect three big announcements from MS, and one of them being a big third party exclusive. More Halo 5 and Halo 2 Anniversary edition news. Forza Horizons 2 announcement with use of cloud. A cloud demonstration an direct X12 update. Rare rebooting one or two of their franchises. First Gears of War trailer from Black Tusk.More Fable Legends Bethesda announcing FallOut4 on MS stage. Insomniac showing off more of Sunset Overdrive and some new IPs for Xbox One. No QB!

And this bring us to another much anticipated title that will not be at E3. Quantum Break will not be at E3 but rather be featured at Gamescom this August in Germany. With such a marquee title not at E3, many are speculating that MS has some very big announcements at this years E3. The hype is building out there for MS this year as they look to rebound from last years "DRM" debacle.

Xbox One June Update: MS will be launching another Xbox One update in June, that will introduce external storage for the Xbox One console. This will allow gamer's to store game content on an external drive connected to the Xbox One via USB. You can have two external hard drives connected allowing for up to 30TB of additional storage.

http://techcrunch.com/2014/05/21/xbox-one-june-update-patch-note

@CarnageHeart said:

@Areez said:

@Shame-usBlackley said:

@S0lidSnake said:

@Shame-usBlackley: lol i came here to gloat but you have already gloated enough for the both of us.

I think this is a step in the right direction though. Yeah, they fucked up, but they did 180 on nearly everything last year and now they've done a 180 on Kinect and XBL Gold. It's may not be enough to win the generation, but little things like offering XBL Gold refunds to those who bought it just for Netflix and other apps go a long way towards repairing the brand. If you read GAF and other gaming sites, they've already started to come around. All that's left for MS to do is have a strong outing at E3 and all will be forgotten. Just like it was with Sony last gen.

As for the analysts. The same firm, IDC, predicted this last gen. lol

I still don't think it's fair for people to conflate Sony's PS3 and Microsoft's intentions with the Xbone.

Sony made a terrible mistake and recovered from it somewhat, but only when one disregards how far they fell from the PS2. That's what Areez fails to realize -- brand damage can be tough to wash away. Sony mitigated some of the damage with the PS3, but when you compare how far they fell from the PS2, it was a bad fall for the brand.

What Microsoft did with the Xbone was not just a colossal mistake, it was a fist, intended to be rammed up the ass of the gaming community, forcing them to bend to Microsoft's will. The public told them not to do this, but they did anyway, making a myriad of other mistakes on top of the first. And then their attitude was "**** off if you don't like it." And now they're in trouble and all of a sudden, they're "listening."

Sony made a dumb move, Microsoft tried to kill video gaming as we know it. If some people are willing to let a hundred dollars make them forget that, then they deserve what they get. I don't care if they give the fucking thing away at $5 car washes, I wouldn't buy one. It was a device born of ill-intentions and bad ideas. Now it's a less powerful, slightly cheaper, slightly less-offensive collection of bad ideas.

When you mention the fall from PS2 to PS3 you forgot to mention other important factors. First, price hurt the PS3, second Nintendo sold ridiculous amounts of Wiis, three MS cut into Sonys market share with the Xbox 360. Sony considerably faced more competition last generation then they did with PS2.

And this whole idea that MS was trying ram their fist up the gaming communities rear, is so childish. I mean really? The gaming community seems to do more bitching and whining than they do gaming. And the crying is inconsistent as MS is held to another standard. Where was the crying when Sony implemented DRM for DriveClub? Sure they eventually reversed it, but I didn't see anyone crying about it? Where was the out rage when Sony lied, by advertising online that Watch Dogs was 1080p 60fps.

It amazes me, how gamers somehow believe that they know the motivations behind a company. To say MS tried to kill video gaming as we know it, is a thoughtless comment. MS to an extent tried to implement new ideas, with how we interact with games socially and consume them. The marketing behind those ideas was terrible and they did not do an effective job communicating them.

So here we are stuck, because many gamers lack the ability to think big picture. By the way, everyone should read this article :

http://www.cnet.com/news/why-the-death-of-microsoft-xbox-one-vision-means-we-all-lose/

Guys like you are satisfied with next gen game consoles being defined by a simple power upgrade. Improved graphics is just not going to cut it. And if game consoles continue to only offer power has an upgrade each generation, than consoles will eventually become obsolete. While I do not see that happening, I do see consoles becoming an all inclusive entertainment device, and do see a time where consoles will no longer use discs. DRM is coming Shame-Us, digital content is coming soon. It is a better business model for developers and console makers to do so. What are you going to do when Sony and MS eliminate discs and go full digital? MS gave you a preview of the future, perhaps much earlier than what people were comfortable with.

I will leave you with this last quote from the article I linked above.. which reminds me of you and everything wrong with gamers...

"Ultimately, the end result of the widespread pressure for uniformity in the industry will be a perpetuation of the more malignant undercurrents entrenching console gaming in its bloated, risk-adverse traditions. Instead of fresh takes that incorporate new technologies and take bold chances, we're now likely to get more of the same: more cycles of selling sequels and turning riffs on established game genres into franchises, all for what have become overly marketed PCs that just happen to be plugged into our TVs.

The fight for the living room, for fully realized next-generation entertainment that transcends gaming, has been reduced to the same tired squabbles that render console war discussions vapid and self-defeating. More choice for consumers has become Microsoft's forced doublespeak for an offering that closely resembles that of its competitor, a decision made solely to boost sales and keep fanboys from foaming at the mouth."

Areez, gaming is a luxury. Gaming companies are not in a position to dictate to consumers. They can change our minds about stuff by offering us value (nods towards Sony offering digital copies of games to PS Plus subscribers every month) but they can't just say 'I know you think you don't want this, but we're going to force it on anyway!'.

Anyone fool enough to force digital and/or DRM upon consumers without offering them value (read: selling the digital game at a discount) is going to be abandoned by consumers. Personally, I prefer digital, but a recent NPD survey made it clear that most avid gamers feel differently.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-05-14-three-out-of-four-us-gamers-prefer-physical-games-npd

Digital distribution is becoming an increasingly accepted way of buying games, but the clear majority of gamers still prefer to get something tangible for their money. According to the NPD Group's Core Gaming 2014 report, 74 percent of core gamers in the US would choose a physical copy of a game over digital, assuming both were the same price.

Despite the preference for physical formats, acceptance of digital games is growing. The 26 percent of gamers who said they preferred digital copies of games is up 5 percent year-over-year.

The report comes from a survey of more than 7,900 core gamers ages 9 and up conducted in March. The research firm defined "core gamer" as anyone who plays five hours or more on Microsoft or Sony consoles, PC, or Mac, and plays in certain genres (action, adventure, fighting, flight, MMOs, racing, real-time strategy, RPGs, shooters, or sports games) on those platforms.

The article you linked to is ridiculous. I'm a longtime gamer who welcomes innovation but who frankly doesn't understand why people think that game innovation can or should be hardware led. Making a console which has an expensive gimmick or draconian DRM isn't innovative and doesn't encourage innovation (look at the Wii U, whose tablet/control hybrid has just resulted in a string of Yet Another Marios). Meaningful innovation isn't a function of hardware, it comes from developers who have either new ideas or are approaching the familiar in different way (famously innovative games like Minecraft, DMC, GTA3 and The Sims all used traditional controls).

Gaming is a business. This idea of forcing things on someone is not what is happening. We have choices to purchase or not purchase what we want as consumers. It is hilarious how gamers misconstrued new ideas as forced concepts. Digital is coming and it is not a forced concept as it is an evolution in how we interact with games.

I am also a longtime gamer, I have been gaming for more then three decades now. The commonality in every new console generation has been improved graphics. Not until the Xbox and the advent of online console gaming has that trend been bucked some what.

How can developers innovate without having the hardware to do so? Here is the problem, and you just highlighted it. You said "new ideas or are approaching the familiar in different way". The familiar, the familiar does not lead to innovation, it leads to status-quo and the eventual death of an industry. Gaming is not just about using a controller and two thumb sticks anymore to experience a game (Insert Project Morpheus here). It is also about how, in new ways we interact with that game, how we interact with others in a specific game and how we consume games. How we manipulate the internet and new technologies to provide new experiences. So no, that article is not ridiculous, it only highlights that gamers such as yourself are stuck and find it hard to think outside of the box.

If Steve Jobs had your attitude and perspective, we would never have had the home PC, iPhone or iPad. Do you know that everyone said, that the average consumer did not want a home computer? This was IBMs attitude prior to the first Apple PCs launching to consumers. Do you know how long touch technology was around before the iPhone launched? Years. Had that technology not existed, we would not have had the iPhone. Technology is not always as simple as, its here today and it is an immediate hit. Technology can take time to evolve and catch on. You call into question the WiiU. So it not outselling the competition, but I applaud Nintendo's effort to try something new and who knows perhaps their innovation leads to something else that benefits us down the road.

Take what you know about the current cell phones we have today. Pretend that you know nothing of what these devices do today. Lets go back a decade and I say to you, here is a camera attached to your cell phone. My guess is that your attitude would have been "what the hell do I need this for, I have a camera for pictures and phones are meant for calling people". Look at what the inclusion of cameras has done for cell phones and not just phones themselves, but with how we interact with others from a social media perspective. The impact has been huge, and yet it was frowned upon when included by many. You can only go the water well yet so many times before it dries up. That is the point of the article.

So a company who invests billions in R&D, is under a ton of backlash prior to launch. Their competitor is also launching at the same time and they run the risk of taking huge financial losses if they do not take a new course of action. I guess you expect businesses to fail rather than making corrections to drive growth and profit. Do you think MS is the first company to change its course or direction?

You seem to be someone who does not care to give money to business that lie. Are you giving money to Sony still? Last week they lied about Watch Dogs running at 1080p 60fps on their website. They implemented DRM with Drive Club, even though they said they would never do so. They did reverse their decision with Drive Club after some heat from gamers. Sony also said they would never charge for online gaming. And now, they are charging for online play. Are you still giving your money to Sony?

DRM is coming hs consoles will leverage the net to provide digital entertainment. It is a cheaper business model for them and one that can benefit consumers, ie, lower game prices. 30% of game purchases are now digital and that is expected to grow this generation. And as far as class action law suits go, that is the craziest mis-informed comment I have ever seen from you. Almost as bad as your cell-phone comment last year. I am sorry how many law suits been raised against Valve?

And this idea of arrogance is hilarious. People these companies, Microsoft and Sony are BUSINESSES. They are in business to drive profit. SMH.

@Shame-usBlackley said:

@S0lidSnake said:

@Shame-usBlackley: lol i came here to gloat but you have already gloated enough for the both of us.

I think this is a step in the right direction though. Yeah, they fucked up, but they did 180 on nearly everything last year and now they've done a 180 on Kinect and XBL Gold. It's may not be enough to win the generation, but little things like offering XBL Gold refunds to those who bought it just for Netflix and other apps go a long way towards repairing the brand. If you read GAF and other gaming sites, they've already started to come around. All that's left for MS to do is have a strong outing at E3 and all will be forgotten. Just like it was with Sony last gen.

As for the analysts. The same firm, IDC, predicted this last gen. lol

I still don't think it's fair for people to conflate Sony's PS3 and Microsoft's intentions with the Xbone.

Sony made a terrible mistake and recovered from it somewhat, but only when one disregards how far they fell from the PS2. That's what Areez fails to realize -- brand damage can be tough to wash away. Sony mitigated some of the damage with the PS3, but when you compare how far they fell from the PS2, it was a bad fall for the brand.

What Microsoft did with the Xbone was not just a colossal mistake, it was a fist, intended to be rammed up the ass of the gaming community, forcing them to bend to Microsoft's will. The public told them not to do this, but they did anyway, making a myriad of other mistakes on top of the first. And then their attitude was "**** off if you don't like it." And now they're in trouble and all of a sudden, they're "listening."

Sony made a dumb move, Microsoft tried to kill video gaming as we know it. If some people are willing to let a hundred dollars make them forget that, then they deserve what they get. I don't care if they give the fucking thing away at $5 car washes, I wouldn't buy one. It was a device born of ill-intentions and bad ideas. Now it's a less powerful, slightly cheaper, slightly less-offensive collection of bad ideas.

When you mention the fall from PS2 to PS3 you forgot to mention other important factors. First, price hurt the PS3, second Nintendo sold ridiculous amounts of Wiis, three MS cut into Sonys market share with the Xbox 360. Sony considerably faced more competition last generation then they did with PS2.

And this whole idea that MS was trying ram their fist up the gaming communities rear, is so childish. I mean really? The gaming community seems to do more bitching and whining than they do gaming. And the crying is inconsistent as MS is held to another standard. Where was the crying when Sony implemented DRM for DriveClub? Sure they eventually reversed it, but I didn't see anyone crying about it? Where was the out rage when Sony lied, by advertising online that Watch Dogs was 1080p 60fps.

It amazes me, how gamers somehow believe that they know the motivations behind a company. To say MS tried to kill video gaming as we know it, is a thoughtless comment. MS to an extent tried to implement new ideas, with how we interact with games socially and consume them. The marketing behind those ideas was terrible and they did not do an effective job communicating them.

So here we are stuck, because many gamers lack the ability to think big picture. By the way, everyone should read this article :

http://www.cnet.com/news/why-the-death-of-microsoft-xbox-one-vision-means-we-all-lose/

Guys like you are satisfied with next gen game consoles being defined by a simple power upgrade. Improved graphics is just not going to cut it. And if game consoles continue to only offer power has an upgrade each generation, than consoles will eventually become obsolete. While I do not see that happening, I do see consoles becoming an all inclusive entertainment device, and do see a time where consoles will no longer use discs. DRM is coming Shame-Us, digital content is coming soon. It is a better business model for developers and console makers to do so. What are you going to do when Sony and MS eliminate discs and go full digital? MS gave you a preview of the future, perhaps much earlier than what people were comfortable with.

I will leave you with this last quote from the article I linked above.. which reminds me of you and everything wrong with gamers...

"Ultimately, the end result of the widespread pressure for uniformity in the industry will be a perpetuation of the more malignant undercurrents entrenching console gaming in its bloated, risk-adverse traditions. Instead of fresh takes that incorporate new technologies and take bold chances, we're now likely to get more of the same: more cycles of selling sequels and turning riffs on established game genres into franchises, all for what have become overly marketed PCs that just happen to be plugged into our TVs.

The fight for the living room, for fully realized next-generation entertainment that transcends gaming, has been reduced to the same tired squabbles that render console war discussions vapid and self-defeating. More choice for consumers has become Microsoft's forced doublespeak for an offering that closely resembles that of its competitor, a decision made solely to boost sales and keep fanboys from foaming at the mouth."

@Randolph: Randolph you are right, they want games to be the focal point now. When Phil Spencer was promoted, he talked about games and more games. Announcing this prior to E3 allows them to focus on games.

Possible games at E3, new Phantom Dust, new Perfect Dark, Forza Horizon 2, new IP exclusive from Epic games, something new from Crytek. New indie games, and Sunset Overdrive.

By biggest game of the year, you are referring to TitanFall. Titanfall had two things against it. First it is a niche FPS that features online play only. That kind of game caters to a specific demographic. Two the game was also to be released on the Xbox 360 which cannibalized any potential new Xbox One sales. We could also argue that strong February sales for the Xbox One in anticipation of Titanfall hurt March sales.

Regarding brand, the brand is not damaged. Are third party developers pulling away from development or supporting the Xbox brand? Is Insomniac stopping development of Sunset Overdrive? Is EA pulling back support of the Xbox brand as they have done with Nintendo? Epic games is going to announce a new exclusive IP for Xbox and Crytek has something else in the works too. Do I need to go on? If the brand is damaged than why is the Xbox One out clipping the 360 by 65% at the same point in their life cycles? Why is this version of the Xbox the fastest selling version to date? I am presenting facts here and not theories chief. You are making claims that the brand has pandemic issues outside of price. I have presented you with facts that say otherwise and will elaborate even more on how important price is, this early on in a consoles life cycle.

The $499 price tag was hurting MS and was going to continue to hurt MS so long as they were $100 more. History shows us, in the gaming industry, that the most expensive console has considerable challenges. The PS3 is the most recent example of this. However, look at the momentum the PS3 generated after its price continued to drop. Also, early into a console life cycle, it is price that drives sales, as software is limited, that changes as the cycle matures. So what MS has essentially done is offer a variety of choices, something that worked well from a business stand point last generation. This is a very smart business decision as it now allows MS the ability to forgo any potential loss financially on units sold (which would have happened had they just lowered the current model), and switches the focus from price to software now.

The only thing MS is trying to figure out, is how to keep pace and eventually out clip Sony. That is it. They know what the Xbox One is, and the only one who is struggling to figure out what it is, is you. Remember that this is a business first and foremost for both Sony & MS. You cannot make assumptions from a game enthusiasts point of view because you neglect the most important aspect, that this is a business. You can write off respected industry analyst like Lewis Ward, or invest firms such as Goldman Sachs, who have even greater insight and pulse on the business side of the gaming industry than you do. And if you believe that you have greater insight as to what is plaguing MS, may suggest that you take your butt over to Wall Street and stop wasting time here. :-)

Devastation to the bottom line...Did you see Sony release its financials today..1.3 billion dollar loss, 4th loss in 5 years. CEO and top brass have taken a 50% pay cut and forfeited all bonuses. The question is how much wiggle room do they have as a company to sustain price drops early into the console cycle.

As always you are jumping the gun here. The brand is not damaged. Do we need to remind anyone of RROD? And this console gen has only just begun. Lewis Ward of IDC is already predicting that the Xbox One will take the lead in North America in 2015, with the new $399 Xbox. The system has not been a disaster and would have been had MS not made any changes. This is a business first and foremost, and many business often change product direction or navigate differently to be successful.

It was a smart move by MS and one they needed to do. And most of all this benefits the consumer base. So long as MS delivers software, many gamers will forget this years down the road.

MS has just announced that it will offer a Kinect-less Xbox One starting June 9th for $399. This is huge news with 4 weeks to E3.

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/399-xbox-one-without-kinect-launching-in-june/1100-6419601/

MS also announced that all entertainment apps on Xbox Live will be available to everyone. No more pay-wall.