Leading up to the February 15 release of the highly-anticipated Crackdown 3, Microsoft is currently giving away the original Crackdown for free. 

Players interested in snagging a digital copy of the game can do so on the Xbox Marketplace. To claim their copy, all players have to do is log into their Xbox account and download the game. As of this writing, it is not known how long the game will remain free on the digital storefront. 

When it was first released in 2007 for the Xbox 360, Crackdown was met with positivity, garnering a Metacritic score of 83. Many reviewers praised the game for the way it rewarded and empowered players as well as the creative chances it took to do so.

Although some critics, such as Xboxic, said Crackdown would not "be remembered for years to come," the game has managed to remain relevant some 12 years after its release. Indeed, many players cite its accessible arcade style, explosive co-op, and unique superhero-with-guns conceit as reasons for coming back to it. 

A backwards compatible version of Crackdown was eventually released on the Xbox One in 2018. That version keeps most of Crackdown's gameplay mechanics intact but offers players modern upgrades such as 4K resolution.  The game also takes advantage of the Xbox One's graphics settings so that players can choose increased performance over aesthetics. 

There is currently no word on if Crackdown 2, which released in 2010 to middling reviews, will become backwards compatible. Although some players hope a backwards compatible version will be released alongside Crackdown 3, there's has been little to nothing that indicates Microsoft is planning to do so. 

The months leading up to Crackdown 3's launch have been incredibly silent. Announced in 2014, the game was originally slated for release in 2016. For some time, the game was trapped in veritable development Hell. No matter how much progress was made, delays continued to push its release date further and further back. 

However, over the past several weeks, more news about the open-world shooter has begun to break. Yesterday, Microsoft released the game's launch trailer and confirmed that Crackdown 3 would be available on Game Pass at launch. Other reports have pegged the game's campaign length at 15 hours. 

While it remains to be seen how Crackdown 3 will fare in a landscape that's gone through significant changes since its initial announcement, those that have played early demos and previews of the game have come back with mixed reviews.

Both Polygon and PC World have said the game is simply "average," and that it's "doubtful" that Crackdown 3 will make any considerable waves in 2019. However, Windows Central has said that the game is "a promising glimpse at the future."

Crackdown 3 is set to release February 15 on the Xbox One for $59.99. 

After several years worth of delays, Crackdown 3, a Microsoft exclusive that promises fully destructible environments, is set to release in just over a week. While some may be gearing up to purchase the game when it launches, the company has recently confirmed that it will be available to Game Pass subscribers on the same day as its retail release, February 15.

This announcement may not come as a surprise to some, as, last year, Microsoft indicated that all games published by Microsoft Studio would be released through Game Pass simultaneous to their retail launches. However, with the continual delays that have plagued Crackdown 3, fans may be happy to have official confirmation that the title is still on track to come to Game Pass.

Additionally, Microsoft has announced that the game is available to pre-install through Game Pass. This news will undoubtedly be welcomed by those subscribers that want to be certain that they have access to Crackdown 3 as early as possible.

While the premiere of Crackdown 3 may be the highlight, February will also see a number of other games released on Microsoft's subscription service. This includes Shadow of the Tomb Raider, which will be available beginning February 7, and Batman: Return to Arkham, a Batman collection that will be accessible starting February 21.

Along with the confirmation of Crackdown 3's appearance on Game Pass, Microsoft has also released a launch trailer. With the trailer, players get a peek at the game's story, which focuses on an agent's not-so-subtle attempt to take on an evil corporation

Furthermore, the trailer showcases gameplay footage. As those that are familiar with the project might expect, this footage features big guns, vehicles that can be thrown, and lots of explosions.

Players do not have to wait much longer to finally get their hands on Crackdown 3, and its inclusion on Game Pass is certain to bring a great number of players to the title, including those that may not have considered purchasing the game outright. That said, only time will tell if these players ultimately feel that the experience was worth the wait.

Ever since the PlayStation 2 and the original Xbox were released back in 2000 and 2001 respectively, Sony and Microsoft have been at odds, each battle ending with a clear winner crowned. This new era of the 'Console Wars' has been intense and ongoing since these two consoles have been released. 

The PS2 destroyed the original Xbox in sales. The PS2 ended up selling over 150 million units compared to the Xbox which only sold over 24 million units. Because of this, Sony had their head held high when they released the PlayStation 3 in 2006.

Microsoft beat Sony to market when they released the Xbox 360 a year earlier than the PlayStation 3. Even though Xbox had a head start, the PS3 had a bumpy beginning after starting their console prices at $499 and $599 compared to the Xbox 360 which was priced at $299 and $399. The price disparity allowed the Xbox take a huge lead in sales, which lead to Microsoft winning this round of the console wars.

This leads us to the current generation: the PlayStation 4 against the Xbox One. Microsoft knew they had the video game aspect of the console in the bag, so they decided to focus on the entertainment side of their new console. Sony knew they had to take back the power, and decided to focus mainly on games and console power, which they did. 

PlayStation has easily won this generation due to its exclusive titles as well as confusion over whether or not the Xbox One was meant to be a gaming console or a home media center. We all know that Microsoft have struggled to get the high quality exclusives for Xbox that Sony boasts for its PS consoles. Studios have released many blockbuster games exclusively for the PS4 such as Uncharted 4, Horizon Zero Dawn, Bloodborne and many more on the way. The Xbox One exclusives include games like like Halo 5, Gears of War 4, Sunset Overdrive, Forza, but not much else. 

The PlayStation 4 has already been named the winner of this console generation, with the PS4 sales at 63.3 million against the Xbox One, which has sold 26 million consoles as of the beginning of 2017. 

Microsoft have not lived up to their own hype

With the release of the Xbox One X later this year, Microsoft is going after the hardcore players that want the best in graphics and performance without having to buy or build an expensive gaming PC. While there are plenty of games lined up to get the 4K patch to make the experience better on this new console, there isn't much else to play if you want something new.

In Microsoft's 2017 E3 conference, Forza 7 and Crackdown 3 were the main exclusive games that used the power of Xbox One X. Forza 7 looked amazing, as expected, but Crackdown 3 didn't look too good. Many fans complained that the graphics didn't live up to expectations. If the consumer is supposed to spend $500 on the 'most powerful console ever made' the graphics should be very realistic. 

Microsoft have been suffering from a serious lack of quality Xbox exclusive titles. Besides Forza and Crackdown 3, the only other 'exclusives' were indie titles like Cuphead or PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. Where are the fresh IPs? Where is the next Halo? Where is a brand new game that is going to bring gamers back to the console people want to play? 

What can Microsoft do to bring gamers back to the Xbox franchise?

Backwards Compatibility and Xbox Game Pass are great additions to the console and many gamers spend a lot of time on both of these features. However, I don't want to buy a console just to play old games. 

If Xbox wants to bring gamers back to their platform, they need to show more quality games. Yes, people are excited for PC games to be ported to their Xbox One, but that isn't enough. They need to bring fresh IPs to the console. Whether they debut on the Xbox One X or the next console, they need to focus on bringing exciting and high quality titles to their gamers. 

I'd love to see a remaster of Banjo Kazooie for the Xbox One X. With the Crash Bandicoot N'Sane Trilogy selling as well as it is and Sonic Mania getting great reviews, it's clear that people want to see the return of these collect-a-thon games. They could either do a remastered version of all the games like Crash Bandicoot, or make a brand new one. We've recently seen that this style of game is in demand. 

The Xbox franchise isn't dead... but it needs work

People want to play games on the Xbox One, but if there are no new games, the Xbox will collect dust. Releasing a beefed up Xbox One is a great idea, but how much replayability is in a 3 year old game that's just repackaged with better graphics?

Phil Spencer and the Xbox team at Microsoft need to step it up and prove to both the loyal Xbox fans and gamers everywhere that the Xbox One and Xbox One X are the best consoles to play the best games. If they are unable to do that, they will always be in second place behind PlayStation.

Microsoft and Xbox were the first of the Big Three console developers to present at this year's E3, and the company came prepared with a swath of new things to show off. With 42 different games shown at its conference, Microsoft put a lot on the table this time around. 

The conference kicked off with a flashy neon showcase, with multicolor wireframes slowly becoming characters from some of Microsoft's biggest properties, like Gears of War and Halo. This graphic eventually segued into a visual reveal of the Microsoft's new console -- known until now only as Project Scorpio. Phil Spencer walked onstage shortly after the showcase ended to confirm the console's official name -- The Xbox One X.

Xbox One X

Taking the stage after Spencer was Kareem Choudry, who talked about the specs and capabilities of this new console, breaking it down into three different categories: Power, Compatibility, and Craftsmanship. In the Power portion, Choudry mentioned that the One X has a 6 teraflop GPU, 12 GB of GDDR5 memory, and 326 GB of memory bandwidth. Under Compatibility, Choudry confirmed that all prior Xbox One games would not only be backwards-compatible on the new system, but improved with faster load times and more. Finally, for Craftmanship, he talked about the console's unique liquid-cooled vapor chamber, its new power management system, and that it's the smallest Xbox system to date.

The Xbox One X will be available on November 7, 2017 for $499.

And what about Backwards Compatibility?

Microsoft had a pretty big announcement to make about its catalog of backwards compatible games. A fair number of original Xbox games are being made backwards compatible in an update coming later this year -- including 2003's Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge.

Forza Motorsport 7

With specs done, Microsoft wasted no time diving right into the game reveal. It kicked things off with Forza Motorsport 7, debuting the game with an incredible reveal trailer showing off its visual chops, including dynamic weather and incredible environments on display. Also, in a world first, a new Porsche car made its debut onstage, the Porsche 2018 911 GT2RS. Driver customization was also mentioned briefly, with more details to come later on. Last but not least, its released date was revealed for October 7th, 2017.

Metro Exodus

Following Forza was a new title by 4A Games -- Metro Exodus. The trailer showed off a gas-mask-wearing protagonist exploring the ruins of a post-apocalyptic civilization, fighting bat-like humanoid monsters as they made their way through a ruined tunnel filled with destroyed cars and human corpses.

After sneaking around and sniping some hostile wolf-like enemies, a creature resembling a bear-crocodile cross bursts through a wooden wall. The protag runs for it after taking a hit from the beast, and eventually manages close enough to a cliffside that they can blast it down into the ravine below. Finally, the protagonist takes a quick zipline trip before hitching a ride on an old-timey train, which sets off into the distance.

Metro Exodus is coming in 2018, with more information on the way later this week.

Assassin's Creed Origins

Assassin's Creed Origins was up next -- and despite it being one of E3's worst-kept secrets, the game still wowed with its full gameplay reveal. As is well known by now, Origins takes place in Egypt and stars Bayek, the last magi (or protector) of his community.

It is said that Bayek will eventually become the founder of the Assassin's Brotherhood, and that Origins will tell that story. The reveal trailer shows off numerous aspects of the game -- with scenes showing off Bayek sliding down the side of one of the pyramids, horseback archery, coliseum-like arenas for fighting, different weapon types, and a gargantuan basilisk-like snake dwarfing Bayek.

The gameplay footage that followed shows Bayek returning to his hometown to assassinate a false oracle. He uses an eagle named Senu to do reconnaissance on the oracle's temple, before infiltrating it himself. The gameplay showed off some of the game's mechanics, such as slowed-down time when firing arrows midair, weapon looting from enemy corpses, and chain assassinations. Origins launches on October 27.

PUBG, Deep Rock Galactic, and State of Decay 2

Next up was Playerunknown's Battlegrounds, which was announced to be exclusively coming later this year to the Xbox One in 4K, with even more improvements coming on the One X.

A new title called Deep Rock Galactic came afterwards, showing off voxel-y dwarves exploring seemingly endless cave systems, mining valuables and fighting against huge hordes of insectoid enemies. 

State of Decay 2 followed, showing off the game's co-op play. Aside from surviving the zombie apocalypse with vehicles, melee weapons and guns, players can also build safe haven communities, dictating where everything goes in their new homes. Different special zombie types were showcased as players raided houses for supplies, with some exploding, some clinging to vehicles, and an armless variant spitting blood. 

New IP: The Darwin Project

A new IP, The Darwin Project, made its debut next, clearly taking a page from The Hunger Games' playbook. With an art style very similar to Team Fortress 2, the game appears to be a multiplayer survival game where the characters are on an in-universe entertainment program, killing each other in a snowy environment with all kinds of implements and weapons -- all narrated by a floating robot head. Different abilities for the characters were also shown off -- one had a protection forcefield, while another could go invisible for a short time. More information on that should be coming soon. 

Minecraft With Cross Play and 4K

Minecraft took the stage next, and revealed that it had a big update on the way. A community marketplace is in the pipes, allowing for user-created skins and servers to be created and shared online with all. Llamas, recently introduced in the PC version of the game, are also on their way -- alongside a gaggle of new block types and a new lighting update.

The biggest announcement however, was cross-play across almost all of the different systems Minecraft calls home. PS4, Switch, Xbox One, VR, and mobile devices were all confirmed to have cross-play functionality. This new update for Minecraft goes live later this year.

Dragon Ball Fighter Z

After being announced with screenshots a few days prior, the Arcsys-developed Dragon Ball Fighter Z made its gameplay debut on Xbox's stage, and its over-the-top nature shows hopes to keep Dragon Ball's legacy intact. The game has a 3v3 team/assist system much like Marvel vs. Capcom, with a 2.5D artstyle much like that of Guilty Gear -- but adjusted to match the visuals of Dragon Ball. Characters shown off include Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Frieza, Cell, and Majin Buu, with more no doubt on the way when the game launches in Early 2018.

Black Desert Online

Black Desert Online took the stage next. An MMORPG with anime-styled visuals, Black Desert looks to have a large variety of different playstyles based on what class and character is chosen -- but the combat shown in the trailer makes it clear that no matter whether you choose a magic or melee class, fighting will be quite the spectacle.

Artful Escape & CodeVein

Up next was The Artful Escape, which appears to be a kind of rhythm-based infinite runner or platformer game. The game's paper-like art style lent itself well to the insane and surreal scenes shown off in the trailer, and it's rock-and-roll motif will certainly add to the game's charm.

CodeVein came next. This seems to be an RPG of sorts, with an interesting twist to it. The trailer showed off a handful of characters who appear to be party members fighting in a ruined city -- but what really set CodeVein apart was a system in which characters could apparently spawn metal limbs that doubled as weapons with which they could fight enemies infesting the city.

Sea of Thieves

We also finally got a more in-depth look at Sea of Thieves, and it did not disappoint. The trailer showed off a treasure trove of things that players could do -- like raiding sunken ships, following riddles and treasure maps to hidden booty on islands, exploring puzzle-filled caves, and fighting skeletons rising from their graves to defend their loot. Ship vs. ship battles were also showcased, and the player we were following put themselves into a cannon and blasted aboard the enemy ship, where they were able to take down the opposing crew.

After making a failed desperate leap back to their ship, the trailer ends with a shark eating the playable character, with the promise of there being more footage later, before it's final release in Early 2018.

Cuphead and Crackdown 3

Cuphead also had a quick reel, showing off its gorgeous old-timey cartoon look and finally giving us a long-awaited release date. Cuphead launches September 29, 2017...hopefully for real this time.

Terry Crews made a surprise appearance during the presentation. In a spot clearly reminiscent of his Old Spice commercials, Crews yelled and exploded his way to introducing Crackdown 3, which has fully destructible environments, a ton of different weapon types, mechs, and more. Crackdown 3 hits stores on November 7, 2017.

Lots of Indies & A Few AA Games

Tacoma also made an appearance. The spiritual sequel to popular walking simulator Gone Home, Tacoma follows a faceless player character after they wake up on an empty space station and try to piece together what happened while they were asleep. Tacoma releases on August 2, 2017. 

Super Lucky's Tale made its debut onstage as well, charming many with its cute visuals and fun-looking characters. The playable character, likely the titular Lucky, is a cute little fox who runs, jumps, and digs his way through a bunch of colorful worlds -- collecting coins and more. The game appears to be a 3D collectathon akin to games like Banjo-Kazooie and the more recent Yooka-Laylee.

We also got a look at Ashen, a very stylized game with a melancholy tone. The trailer showed inhuman grey beasts attacking and killing seemingly helpless and almost featureless humans -- who we were told by the narration are simply trying to find their way to "the light". Hopefully more details on this game come soon.

Before moving into its series of highly anticipated sequels and a brand new IP, an impressive line-up of indie games was showcased in a quickfire reel which included: Osiris New Dawn, Raiders of the Broken Planet, Unruly Heroes, Path of Exile, Battlerite, Surviving Mars, Fable Fortune, Observer, Robocraft Infinity, Dunk Lords, Minion Masters, Brawlout, Ooblets, Dark and Light, Strange Brigade, Riverbond, Hello Neighbor, Shift, and Conan Exiles.

Middle Earth and Ori Sequels, Plus a Life is Strange Prequel

Life is Strange also got its prequel revealed, titled Life is Strange: Before the Storm. Attending school, getting into barfights, lighting fires, and throwing tantrums in junkyards all seem to be involved in what is set to be the first of three episodic installments.

Middle Earth: Shadow of War took the stage next, showing off its expanded Nemesis System. Enemies that are defeated can now be recruited to your army via a new mechanic, and the amount of dialogue in the game looks to be massive -- as each orc appears to have unique dialogue all to themselves. Players can even set what orcs they want to be in what positions in their army before engaging in battle. The showcase ends with the player's prepared army launching an attack on an enemy fortress, with all of their recruited orcs in tow. 

Ori made a surprise appearance at Xbox's conference with the reveal of her new game, Ori and the Will of the Wisps. The trailer showed off much of the gorgeous art that contributed to the original Ori and the Blind Forest being such a hit -- and ends with Ori comforting a small, sad owl looking upon its dead family. Could the cute little owl maybe be a second playable character? We'll have to wait and see.

Anthem

Closing out the show was EA and BioWare's momentous new IP, Anthem. Taking place in a futuristic city walled off from the rest of the world, Anthem is a cooperative third-person shooter with a massive open world.

Freelancers, the defenders of the walled city and the player characters, climb into flight-capable mechsuits (knowns as Javelins) to explore the wild overgrown world around their isolated city. These javelins can be equipped with all kinds of different weapons and gear, which can be looted from robotic enemies known as Scars. These items also appear to have varying rarity, as the demo shows a character collecting a "legendary" gun.

The world's events and weather are dynamic and unique, and include something called a "shaper storm" -- a storm with high winds and lightning, with a glowing ball of energy at its center. As the Freelancers fly towards the center of the shaper storm, the screen goes white, and the logo for Anthem fades back in, with it's release date listed as "Coming 2018". 

---

The conference ended with a highlight reel set to music of all the games revealed and more, capping off a seriously long showcase for Microsoft.

So what did you think? Did you think Xbox's E3 briefing was a hit? Or was your favorite title missing from their lineup? Let us know down below, and we'll continue to keep you posted on E3 news as it happens for the rest of the week.

That wraps up our predictions for Microsoft's E3 2017 showcase. Nothing too crazy, but we're hoping Microsoft really surprises us this year.

The tech giant has a ton of ground to make up if it wants to keep competing with PlayStation and Nintendo, as its console is currently trailing in sales to PS4, and in mindshare to both. The importance of this E3 for Microsoft cannot be understated -- the company needs to prove to fans that there are new exciting games on the way, and at least a few good reasons to buy the Scorpio.

I think it would be hyperbolic to say that this is a make-or-break E3 for the Xbox One. The console has still sold very respectably -- but as far as selling the Scorpio and being a part of the console wars conversation again, it's a little less hyperbolic. As the saying goes, "pressure makes diamonds". And E3 2017 will prove if Microsoft crumbles or becomes a diamond.

What can Microsoft do to win gamers hearts at this E3? Would you be happy with a partnership with Oculus? Want to be blown away by the Scorpio? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. 

Make sure to check out our other E3 predictions: 

\n
• E3 2017 Nintendo Predictions
\n
• E3 2017 Bethesda Predictions
\n
• E3 2017 EA Predictions
\n

Halo 6

Halo 5: Guardians released in October 2015 to a decent reception from fans and critics alike, holding a respectable 84% on Metacritic. That being said, the game didn't sell quite as well as past entries -- and it seems that the adoration and reverence for this series is waning fast. Regardless, it seems all but certain that Microsoft's E3 2017 will close with a trailer for the next installment in the franchise, despite the studio saying it won't make an appearance.

It was reported a while back that Halo 6 will feature Master Chief as the sole protagonist, with no other playable characters. This comes as a surefire song to the ears of Halo fans everywhere, as the series has often gotten bogged down with secondary characters like Locke. For a while, it even seemed like developer 343i wanted to replace Chief with Locke going forward. Thankfully, it sounds like that idea has been scrapped.

Halo 6 will definitely make the Xbox's upcoming slate sound a lot better, not to mention it could be a showcase for the graphical power of the Scorpio. 343 Industries has said that Halo 6 will not appear at E3, but developers often lie about these kinds of things, and it's hard to imagine Microsoft not pushing for a CG trailer at the very least.

Cuphead & ID@Xbox

Where the hell is Cuphead? That's a question that's been floating around for a couple of years -- and still no answer.

This highly-anticipated game was revealed at E3 2014, a reported four years into its development (It's worth mentioning that the game started life under the development of two brothers, but now the team consists of almost 20 people).

Cuphead is a side-scrolling shooter -- like Megaman on steroids, with the art-style of a 1930's cartoon. The game is beautiful and was originally intended to be entirely made up of boss fights. But based on fan adoration, Microsoft decided to fund the developers to make the game significantly larger. So the team set about adding in platforming sections, which have, unfortunately, demoed poorly. Now the game is due for release this year and, surely to God, we will get an official release date at E3.

Aside from Cuphead, the ID@Xbox program will inevitably make a return this year to showcase all of its upcoming indie games. We Happy Few, Below, and Tacoma are just a handful of announced games for the Xbox One, with no full release dates as of yet. These games should be showcased at E3, alongside a handful of exciting new titles to play.

New IPs

Without a shadow of a doubt -- even more so than the Scorpio reveal -- the most important thing Microsoft can do at this year's E3 is reveal a new IP. The Xbox One needs at least one new game series very, very badly.

Taking a quick look back, and hindsight being what it is, I think it's fair to say that Microsoft has bungled exclusives all generation long. At first, we had Dead Rising 3, Ryse: Son of Rome, and Forza Motorsport 5 -- all good games, but nothing mind-blowing. Then came the atrocious launch of the Master Chief Collection, the fun Sunset Overdrive, and the promising Titfanfall.

We didn't know at the time, but Titanfall set a precedent for things to come: Microsoft paid a lot of money for exclusive rights to a game and it ended up selling poorly, thus forcing the developer to put the next game on the PS4 as well. We've seen that happen with Titanfall 2, Rise of the Tomb Raider (kinda), and games from both Insomniac and Remedy.

The pattern here is very clear: Microsoft doesn't have the resources to develop exclusives and instead pays experienced developers to make games for the Xbox One -- which don't sell well. Microsoft only has a handful of internal development teams, and they have been quite literally forced to work on the same franchises year-in year-out: Halo and Gears of War. On a podcast with IGN this year, Xbox head Phil Spencer admitted that creating a development studio takes a lot of work, money and time, so expecting a talented team to appear from nowhere is unlikely.

On a podcast with IGN this year, Xbox head Phil Spencer admitted that creating a development studio takes a lot of work, money, and time, so expecting a talented team to appear from nowhere is unlikely.What does this mean going forward? It means Microsoft sure-as-hell better have an ace up its sleeve. Should we get a new IP reveal at E3 this year, it's most likely going to be another second-party exclusive that Microsoft paid for. One very possible scenario is a

One very possible scenario is a Marvel-superheroes game. Marvel has stormed the industry recently, announcing partnerships with Insomniac, Telltale, and Square Enix -- and one of those announcements is a PS4 exclusive Spider-Man game. That partnership could very well lead to a similar deal with Microsoft and a yet-unknown developer. Maybe at E3 Microsoft will reveal an exclusive Iron Man game or X-Men or Fantastic Four. There's a lot of possibilities there.

Barring any partnership with Marvel, Microsoft needs a new IP that rounds out its exclusive line-up. Right now, it has two shooters and a racing game -- not counting Crackdown, Sea of Thieves, or State of Decay. What does the studio need in order to better compete with Sony? Well, Rise of the Tomb Raider was intended to rival Uncharted, but failed to do so both in commercial success and quality. So the obvious answer is an open-world RPG, akin to Fables or Horizon: Zero Dawn.

More Details on Games Already Revealed

This prediction is as safe as can be: We will see more of the games we already know about. Here's a quick rundown of the major games we know about that should make an appearance at Microsoft's big show.

Forza Motorsport 7

Over the past several years, the Forza franchise has risen to the pinnacle of the racing genre. But for the first time in years, Gran Turismo is back with a major installment in the series. That doesn't mean there is any real pressure on Forza because the two series are exclusive to their respective consoles. However, It does mean that the spotlight will be on Forza Motorsport 7 for the first time in a while -- but I expect Turn 10 Studios to knock it out of the park.

Crackdown 3

Crackdown 3 was revealed two years ago, and we haven't seen anything of it since Gamescom that year. Based on the history of Xbox One games being revealed only to then disappear, this is a little worrisome. Generally, this absence can mean one of three things:

\n
1. The game had barely started development when it was shown at E3.
\n
2. The game is almost finished and it's being saved for a quick release.
\n
3. The game is in trouble and it's being hidden.
\n

Each of these scenarios are equally plausible, and perhaps Microsoft has been saving Crackdown to really showcase the power of the Scorpio. However, if Crackdown skips this E3 as well, you should probably know that it's on the chopping board. Regardless, we will know soon.

Sea of Thieves

Sea of Thieves is an upcoming pirate-MMO from Rare. This game was also revealed at E3 2015 and was lauded as a return-to-form for the ex-Banjo Kazooie developer. Hands-on impressions of the game have been positive but it's difficult to see the game being a big success. That being said, it seems an open beta could be announced at E3 2017, as well as a nice new gameplay clip -- and hopefully a release date.

State of Decay 2

State of Decay 2 is going to be a big deal. Of all the Xbox One games on this list, State of Decay 2 is by far the most exciting. The original State of Decay was a great video game, albeit with a few issues that held it back. This is the reason I expect the sequel to be a fantastic game that builds upon the best elements of the original.

The original title is probably the closest you can get to a true The Walking Dead/zombie survival experience. Undead Labs has hopefully fixed a lot of the bugs from the first game while introducing new gameplay mechanics and better graphics. And that's about all State of Decay 2 needs to be.

Frankly, Microsoft does not have a lot of great games on its roster right now. In fact, I can't recall any time when the Xbox's upcoming slate was this poor. The system badly needs a big new game, especially considering both Halo and Gears of War are no longer the mega-selling franchises they used to be. And with Sony nabbing high-performing exclusives like Horizon Zero Dawn and Nioh, Microsoft really needs to step up its game. 

A Full Scorpio Reveal

This reveal is the only certainty heading into Microsoft's E3 showcase -- but it's also the most newsworthy, and arguably the most important. Just what is Project Scorpio? Well, it sounds like a lot more than a high-powered Xbox One.

Based solely on the innards of the machine, the Scorpio is a next-generation console. However, Microsoft has stressed that it won't have exclusive games, thus making it a machine that merely improves visuals and load times for current gen games. And that begs the question: Why does it need to exist? As is the case with the PS4 Pro, if the Scorpio is solely for visual enhancement, then it becomes a baffling waste of resources.

There are two alternative scenarios here: 

1. Microsoft is lying and the power will be used by developers, eventually leading to the standard Xbox One games running poorly and becoming obsolete. If you create a super powerful machine and developers create games for it, then attempt to scale it way down to work on the original Xbox One, chances are the game will not work properly. This happened with Hyrule Warriors on Nintendo 3DS and the New Nintendo 3DS - it ran very poorly on the older hardware, despite Nintendo saying that would never be the case.

2. All that extra power is secretly for use with Oculus VR. It's no secret that Microsoft has a partnership with Oculus, and all the extra power in the Scorpio could be used to make the Xbox One the best place to play the Oculus. Should that be the case, I think there will be a large amount of disappointed Xbox fans, especially considering Oculus is, so far, the least viable VR platform.

What the machine is, and its purpose, will be revealed sooner rather than later, along with an official release date and price. The latter is also a huge matter for Microsoft and fans -- considering the specs, conventional wisdom puts the price tag around $499 (at best), which makes it twice as expensive as its closest competitor. Microsoft is in a huge bind when it comes to revealing the Scorpio, which makes E3 all the more exciting.

We're a month away from E3, so it's high time we start getting hyped beyond any reasonable measure! All month long we will be making some predictions for each of the big E3 conferences, from Nintendo to Sony and beyond. Thankfully, Ubisoft managed to reveal their entire conference in a recent financial earnings call, so they've done that job for us.

Today, we're talking Microsoft! Heading into E3 2017, Microsoft's conference is without a doubt the most shrouded in mystery. With a huge console upgrade on the way and precious few AAA games to go along with it (for now), Microsoft should have a lot to bring to show-and-tell. That being said, Microsoft's conferences can also be somewhat predictable -- most of the time.

That's where this type of prognostication comes in. We'll be making a handful of (fairly) safe, yet bankable, predictions to give you an idea of what you can expect from the upcoming conference. Microsoft has a lot riding on this year's E3, having fallen so far behind the PS4 and losing a ton of the remaining mindshare to Nintendo. So we're hoping the company comes out guns-a-blazing! 

Convinced yet to buy an Xbox One? Regardless of which side you're on the console wars, you have to give credit where its due and the Xbox One looks like it's coming in strong this year.

Any games that you're looking forward to this year that I've missed? Comment below and let me know! 

Scalebound

Ok, so I'm cheating a little bit since this game got pushed back to 2017, but I cannot in good conscience not talk about this gem when discussing must haves for the Xbox One. 

If we want to get really technical about it, the initial release date for this was 2016 so, yeah. 

I think I'll let the gameplay footage speak for itself here.

Devil May Cry style action with a pet dragon in the mix? Platinum Games have really outdone themselves with this one. Even if this is all the way in 2017, the wait will be worth it. 

I mean there's really no way that kind of a formula can fail right? 

Sea of Thieves 

There isn't much information floating out there about this game other than some footage showing off some gameplay. But the few things we can garner from the footage shows that we can expect naval battles from a first/third person perspective. 

Assassin's Creed: Black Flag showed that gamers can appreciate naval battles when done right, so any game that's willing to explore that vein even further is surely one to look out for. 

One thing in particular I hope is true is that this is an MMORPG. There is no concrete information out there confirming this yet but if the clues are to be believed, you can sail off into the sunset in a pirate ship with your friends and plunder the high seas. 

Sea of Thieves is set to release some time this year on Xbox One and Windows 10. 

Crackdown 3

Throw in super soldiers to a sandbox with a lot of stuff that can get blown up. What follows? 

Destruction.

Crackdown 3 seems to be taking the Just Cause route, only it ups its game by throwing in super powers to the mix. Let's face it, blowing things up in a large open world is fun and that's exactly what this game looks to offer. 

If you're still on the edge about this game, one of the key features Crackdown 3 seems intent on offering is unadulterated mass destruction, in multiplayer. 

Plus it promises to justify the existence of the Xbox One's cloud computing feature by using it to its fullest so there's that as well. 

Gigantic

I don't know about you, but I'm really digging the art style chosen for this game. That aside, this game is described as a team-based action game pitting players against each other 5 on 5 MOBA style. 

What sets this apart from the rest of the games out there following the same genre? That big, bad Guardian you can summon of course! 

The MOBA genre, despite its popularity looks like its been beaten to death with little to almost no innovation. However, 2016 looks like it'll be breathing new life to the genre and Gigantic looks like it'll be leading the charge.

Gigantic will also be available on Windows 10. And I believe you can still sign up for the beta last I checked.

Recore

Keiji Inafune. That's probably enough to convince you that this will be something special. The man behind Mega Man and the makers of Metroid Prime have teamed up to bring Recore to the Xbox One and Windows 10. 

There isn't much known about this game apart from the short trailer displayed at E3 and there's next to no footage of gameplay, but to be honest, we don't really need those to get excited for this given the pedigree of the team behind this game. 

Taken directly from the website:

\n

As one of the last remaining humans on a planet controlled by robotic foes bent on your destruction, you must forge friendships with a courageous group of robot companions, each with unique abilities and powers. Lead this band of unlikely heroes on an epic adventure through a mysterious, dynamic world.

\n

 While the game was initially set to be released in the first half of 2016, it got pushed to the latter part of this year. Better late than 2017 right?  

Quantum Break

Yet another third person shooter? Yes, but Quantum Break makes itself stand out with its rather unique game play elements. 

While its not exactly a novel idea, the ability to manipulate time has always been a fun mechanic in gaming, and the way Quantum Break employs the mechanic it looks pretty darn cool when you're manipulating time. 

While this makes us wonder how exactly the multiplayer would work out (if the game does feature it.. pretty sure it will) this is without doubt another must have if you own the Xbox One. 

Let's choose not to talk about the fact that your in-game actions are supposed to determine how the TV adaptation of this goes. It could be something else if done right, but if history *cough* Defiance *cough* is to be believed, games and TV series should stay far away from each other. 

Gears of War 4

You can't talk about Xbox exclusives without talking about the Gears of War series and I'm so glad we get to talk about it in 2016. 

This is a game that holds as much weight as the Halo franchise does in the world of Xbox, and for good reason. This third person shooter looks gorgeous, action packed and promises a lot of good old fashioned monster (or alien) killing. 

Oh, and expect brutality. If the previous installations of Gears of War are anything to go by, that is definitely something you can expect. We all know the pure joy of blowing up body parts is on Fallout 4. 

The game is set to release fall 2016 with a multiplayer beta in spring 2016. Usually with a beta announced it means we can rest easy and not expect too many push backs so, Gears of War 4? Definitely something to look forward to.  

The Xbox One, despite making a lot of great improvements to catch up to the PlayStation 4 is still lagging behind in terms of overall popularity. However, the console is on the right track with the number of exclusives its managed to secure and 2016 is shaping up to be a good year for Xbox fans everywhere. 

Heck, I'm a PlayStation 4 owner, but some of the games the Xbox One has lined up for this year is making me want to invest in one. 

After all: we should all learn to get along, right lads? Why not both I always say. 

For the sake of this list though, here are the top 7 Xbox One exclusives to get excited for in 2016. Some of these will be available on PC as well but the name of the game is 'console exclusivity'.

Crackdown 3 will be releasing sometime in the summer of 2016.

Developer Dave Jones confirmed this release window to IGN in an interview at Gamescom.

Crackdown 3 was teased at last year's E3, but it wasn't until this year's Gamescom that we received any substantial information regarding the game.

Perhaps one of the coolest announcements this week regarding Crackdown 3 is the fact that the game will have 100% destructible environments in online mode, with offline mode offering limited destruction. 

So far, the game looks like a lot of fun, with transformable vehicles, cool abilities, and some new criminals to take down.

The game will once again be set in a futuristic city, and will come with a completely non-linear campaign that will be playable offline. The campaign supports four player co-op, and the multiplayer looks like it will offer a vast experience outside of the campaign.

Are you excited for Crackdown 3? Let me know in the comments if you think this could be next year's summer blockbuster. 

At Gamescom earlier today, Microsoft announced that Crackdown 3, the first of the game's franchises to arrive on Xbox One, will include a completely breakable environment. The cityscape will be 100% destructible, ranging from the buildings to bridges. The developers, Reagent Games, are referring to this game as "the ultimate sandbox experience."

The announcement video also included details regarding the plot and gameplay behind Crackdown 3. It will be set inside a once-bustling, futuristic metropolis which has been caught in the grip of a dangerous crime wave.

The major criminals within the city will be interlinked through connections across the map, with the player having the choice of how they go about taking down this expansive hierarchy of evil.

The 100% destructible environments come as part of the online multiplayer experience, in a similar fashion to Battlefield Hardline. Players will tap into the Microsoft Cloud to play with 20 times the computational power of a sole Xbox One, allowing for the city to fall apart at the will of the player. The demo footage was a sight to behold, as half-cyborg police officers fired rockets and bullets across the map, causing dominos to topple with ease.

Crackdown 3 will also include transformable vehicles to race around the streets. The footage for the first look was taken from the pre-alpha build, with the sequel set to be released sometime in 2016.

This preview is unquestionably whetting the appetite for fans of the series, which began with the original Crackdown in 2007, and the teaser is exciting those with a love of destruction and explosions. Hopefully, the plot and gameplay lives up to the visuals presented in this prelude; Xbox gamers may have a new favorite exclusive on the horizon.

Evildoers beware in the Crackdown metropolis...there are agents afoot. The creative minds behind Xbox One introduced a trailer for Crackdown 3 earlier today via YouTube. Players take control of agents in high-tech suits in a vibrant, modern city brimming with life.

Players utilize these agents to take down or "crack down" on criminals around the city. The agency's in-game motto is "Justice by any means necessary" and the agency seeks to live by that.

As mentioned in the trailer, Crackdown 3 has a "multiplayer experience with 100% destructible environments." No other open world game around offers players the chance to destroy the open world, especially while taking down bad guys. So now it's not about what players can do with a weapon, but what players can do with an entire city at their disposal. Luckily, it appears that the city can be rebuilt, so territories lost to criminals can be "confiscated" by agents for the sake of justice.

There's also a couple of Twitter contests going on for fans who want to win some exclusive Crackdown 3 goodies. Fans can win t-shirts, posters, pins, jackets, and more. Follow Crackdown on Twitter today through August 9th and win some free stuff.

Crackdown 3 is set to be released next summer in 2016 and is currently available for pre-order.