31 Predictions for Xbox E3 2017

It's that time of year again, E3. Every year for the past three, I have tried to predict the shows of all shows Xboxes. This list is extremely late but lets see if my list is all smoke or maybe their is some fire?  


1. Xbox One Scorpio is Unveiled/Priced $449/Early November 

We are only one day from the unveil, I can't wait. I think Scorpio will be the name. Why? it's a cool name and the people who are going to go buy a Scorpio know the code name already. So why not make it simple for everyone? Also, the price is a compromise between Premium/ Average consumer price.  Also the date I think will be in early November to keep the tradition of new Xboxes coming out in November.
How Likely: Guaranteed
2. Original Xbox Games Come to Xbox One 

It makes sense because of how hard they have been pushing backwards compatibility as of late. It would also be a big middle finger to Sony. Also technically speaking if an Xbox One can emulate a Xbox 360 which can emulate and original Xbox, it shouldn't be the hardest thing to do.
How Likely: Probably  

3. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a Play-anywhere Title  
This is my outta of nowhere guess. The PC version of RDR 2 is not announced and is likely to come out a year after the console versions just like GTA 5. I think it would be huge get for Microsoft. It would cause a surge of PC only gamers to jump on the Windows Store Wagon.   
How Likely:Not Likely 
4. Forza 7 is announced and is a Scorpio Launch title  
We all know Forza 7 is going to happen and racing games look very good on new hardware, so this makes ALOT of sense.
 How Likely: Guaranteed
5. State of Decay 2 is Now an AAA Title and dated for a fall release 

Microsoft's  Game Lineup is weaker than Sonys but Sony is having one hell of a year and they still have an Uncharted and a Crash Remaster waiting for them. Now I loved Halo Wars 2 but I see that it's not everyones cup of tea. Anyway,  Sony has been hitting home runs and Xbox has struggled to hit even more than a few. Now I personally loved Ryse, Halo Wars 2 and Sunset Overdrive but there aren't huge hits  other than Forza, Halo than it doesn't look those games are going to get sequels. So with all that, State of Decay 2 needs to be a bigger deal and I think it will. They already announced Co-op and  they have 4 maps. Which is three more maps than the first game. I think the game will be AAA and I loved the first game. So more SOD, Heck yes!!!
  How Likely:Guaranteed 
 6. Xbox Game Pass is going to get a lot of Attetion 

Game pass is extremely hot off the presses and a great service none the less. So it makes a ton of sense that they would promote the heck out of it at E3.

How Likely:Guaranteed
7. Sea of Thieves Delayed to 2018 

The games development has been slow but this makes sense for several reasons. One it's Rare's first non-kinect game in far too long and MMOs are really hard to make and require a ton of content.  I think Sea of Thieves is going to be great but I think it needs more time to cook in the oven. 
 

How Likely: Probably

8.Cuphead and Below are released during show  

These games are small indie games that have been cooking in the oven for sometime now, I would imagine they would be really close to being finished (if not already) and they would be a great one  last thing to do.  
How Likely: Probably

9.Crackdown 3 is now (Fall 2017)  or never (2018 & Beyond)
Crackdown 3 is the little game that could. I really think if C3 is done right it could be big as a Horizon Zero Dawn. I base this off the fact that it's a distant cousin of GTA and GTA is a montrosity of a juggernaut. Now can C3 reach the heights of a GTA 5? No but if it could even Gardner 1/10th of that audience it would be a huge success. The original Crackdown was the closet thing we got to having a great Robocop game and if this game is anything like that one, than I'll be happy. 
How Likely: Fall 2017 : Not Likely 
 How Likely: 2018: Probably 
10. Sunset Overdrive 2 is annouced
They need games and Sunset Overdrive was great, so this sounds like a no-brainer. 
 How Likely: 50/50
11.Ryse 2 is annouced 
This might be just me but I loved Ryse  and I would love for there to be a Ryse: Son of Greece or even Ryse: Son of Khan. There is so much potential for this franchise and even with bad gameplay (which could be greatly improved in a sequel), I had a lot of fun with it.
 How Likely:Not Likely
 12. Scalebound comes back in some form 

There have been murmors and rumors that this game still exists. So I think there is a fair shot that another studio has taken over the project and Scalebound will rise like a phoenix or should I say like a fire breathing dragon.
How Likely 50/50

13. Fable 4/Reboot made by Rare is teased 
It has been eight years since we have had a proper Fable game. I think it's time to bring Fable back. There is no other game franchise that is like Fable with it's cheeky British humor and industrialist fantasy world. #Bringbackfable 
 How Likely:Not Likely
14. Old First Party games get the Scorpio Update 

The way you sell people on this new box is to tell them that all of the games you already own are going to look way better. Give all of the old first party games the "4k" update and blow pepole's mind without them even having to spend a dime on games.
 How Likely:Guaranteed
 15.  Xbox VR is shown off 
I literally just read an article about how it's not going to be shown off so......
How Likely: 0%


16. New Third party short term exclusivity/ Tomb Raider
Microsoft has been aligning themselves with third parties for short term game exclusivity. Mostly just Tomb Raider to fill in the hole of Uncharted in their line up. Now due to the train leak, I imagine we will at least get a teaser if not a trailer for the next tomb raider.

 How Likely: Probably

17. New I.P (Gobo Studio)
I'm going to be honest, I never heard of this studio before they announced their partnership with Xbox. Now all they have worked on really is Disney Infinity. This leads me to believe that they will make the first Xbox Mascot game. For Example Xbox Kart Racer or an Xbox Fighter game. I would lean toward the kart racer if I had to bet.  
  How Likely: Probably
18.A New DC Game is Shown off

 After Sony dropped the Spiderman bomb shell. I think Xbox will have an exclusive with DC but it will at least unveiled at Xbox Conference.  I think it will be Origins teams rather than Rocksteady.
 How Likely: Probably
19. Old OG Xbox I.P is Revisited

With Voodo-Vince and Phamtom dust, Xbox has been digging in the past and what better time to revive an old Xbox franchise. Pefect dark? Brute Force?
How Likely 50/50
  20.   Controller is slightly changed for Scorpio

It has already been hinted at, might be that the elite controller is packed in with Scorpio. If it is a new upgrade, can they really even improve perfection?
 How Likely:Guaranteed
21. Fable Remastered Trilogy is Announced

The reason I put this on the list is that Xbox has been remastering a lot of their old IPS and Fable 1 remaster is almost unplayable from what I have heard. So this to me makes sense.
How Likely 50/50
22. Minecraft is talked about is some form 

 You know there are going to talk about it in some form......
How Likely:Guaranteed

23. Microsoft pushes there version of twitch Mixer

They renamed beam two weeks ago to mixer. If you go to the Xbox @ E3 page Mixer is getting promoted to all hell. So I would imagine it at least get mention if not shoehorned into a game presentation or heck maybe even in the Xbox Scropio presentation.
How Likely:Guaranteed
 24. Microsoft pushes the early access games 

 For the past few years Xbox has been having early access games come to the marketplace. For Example Slime Rancher, The Culling and Ark Survival. It makes sense for them to continue this because makes Xbox even more unique as a platform, Also Ark Sold over a million copies and I would call that a success.
How Likely:Guaranteed

25. Anthem has a Gameplay Reveal
  The only reason I know this is because I watched EA's Confrence and they said that the Gameplay reveal was going to be at Xboxes stage. With that said the game looks like a cross between Evolve, Titanfall and Destiny. More Please?

How Likely:Guaranteed
26.  AC Origins is shown off  

Game Informer leaked that this game is "better" on  Scorpio section and in the leaked on the article. I imagine their going to official reveal at the Xbox Conference. Reboot for AC, Reboot for Xbox, Make the world go round!


How Likely:Guaranteed

27. The New Forza Horzion Studios Project teased 

 (Wild Cards)

28. Halo or Gears Brings gets an X-Com type of treatment by Firaxis

I would play it, would be a dream of mine but Firaxis is busy with Civ 6 and X-Com 2 DLC. Even with that, I think it would be cool to see what they could add to the lore or what time period it would take place in or what soldiers would be used maybe the X-Com squad would be ODSTS instead of Spartans and also customizing my own Spartan or gears soldiers would be a blast. I know there are mods for X-Com 2 to make your squad into Halo Squad but that is only paint, I want the full car.

29.Nintendo Trade off
 

I think with Minecraft coming to the switch has opened the Big N and Xbox relations. I think Xbox and Big N ganging up could potentially knock off Sony on it's first spot. I would think it would be maybe a game trade or Chief jumping to the new smash?  Anyway them doing any of this would cause shock waves threw the industry.
30. Halo Spin-off

Would be amazing and after Halo 5. I think Chief could use the break. Also the Halo side stories I find to be fascinating because  just being a grunt in the Halo Universe puts halo on it head. 
31.  Banjo-Kazooie 3 or Reboot by Rare  

One can only hope.......


Do you agree with my list, do you think I'm wrong. Leave a comment or share! 

Ten Ways Call of Duty WW2 Can Bring Back the Franchise

  A New year, A New Call of Duty. That has been the case since 2005. This used to be fine because the quality of the games and the creatively was extremely high but recently Call of Duty Fatigue has really taken hold. I would say since Call of Duty Ghosts (2013/4 years) That the Franchise has struggled but this year is different because instead going farther in the future there going way back, Some would say to there roots. Now I haven't bought a Call of Duty NEW since Ghosts, so I wrote a list of how this New Old Dog can win me back.




1. Change the Name 

We have been to World War 2 four times before this new Call of Duty. Don't get me wrong, I know there trying to get back to basics but this seems maybe a little too on the nose.
Here's five titles for them to use ( Free of Charge)
Call of Duty 5
Call of Duty Band of Brothers (Rumored Co-Op Campaign) 
Call of Duty Fight Against The Third Reich
Call of Duty The Greater War than One ( Maybe Knock on Battlefield?)
Call of Duty Not a Dumb Name

 2. Do Something Truly New

A lots of the problems with Call of Duty is that it has spent so MUCH time in World War 2 it's hard to say what they can really explore. There going to have to give these to new Cod players WW2 classic experiences ( Normandy, Fall of Berlin)  but at the same time add enough new to drag some of us who have played most of the CODS since 2.  I wouldn't personally mind playing French resistance soldier, in Nazi occupied Paris it would almost have a Wolfenstein Feel to it.
3. If You don't do something than blow the roof of the house

 Since were going with World War Two than bring it back with a bang. Do Normandy to a scale it's never been done before. Thousands of soldiers charging the beach. Soldiers dying left and right. If you are going back to World War Two than it has be something great. Make this the Saving Private Ryan equivalent in Video games.
4. Make Some Memorable Characters 

Name One Character in the Last Five Call of Duty Games, I'll Wait
My List
2016/Inf Warfare/None
2015:/Blops 3/ None
2014:/ADV Warfare/ Ironside/ Kevin Spacey
2013:/ Riley The Dog
2012: Old Man Woods/Alex Mason's Kid
Now that we found that to be fruitless. It's time for Call of Duty to start making some memorable characters again.
5. Co-Op Campaign (Rumored)

Would this fix all of Call of Duty's Problems, No but it would definitely be a step in the right direction. A Couple of things to keep in mind about a Co-op campaign. Hopefully it isn't just shoehorned in to add an extra bullet point to the back of the box. Also I hope levels are bigger because last thing we need is two players trying to get through corridor, just getting stuck all of the time. Also a Split Screen campaign would be amazing, Star Wars Battlefront 2 is doing a split screen campaign , so there are no excuses this time COD!  
6.  Multiplayer:Stick to the Ground

Now Call of Duty take a deep breathe. I know you wanna add jet packs, ridiculous customization and perks that turn you into superman but you don't have to do that. Activision no stupid B.S Micro-transactions. If Call of Duty is truly returning to it's roots go back to 2008 where all the DLC was just the season pass and even that has kind of been taken away in recent years (SWB2/Titanfall2).
7. Cool Side Mode

Sidemodes have been a staple of the franchise since 2008 and they used to be great! Whether it was Zombies on World at War or Specs Ops Missions on MW2. There used to be a lot of great/fun  side activities.  I don't think I  want Zombies this time. I would rather have a Specs ops mode set in world war 2. Where you have to save hostages from Nazis or infiltrate a base or heck why not we kill Hitler this time. Also since this kind of rebootish game will zombie main guys be back or not, if they go the zombie route? I don't know what there going to do maybe something new but I doubt it!

 
8.  Don't bank completely on Celebrities
I can tell you what actors played in the last three Call of Dutys but not who they played and that is a huge problem. Don't get me wrong they can have big actors in Call of Duty but recently the actors have over shadowed their characters. I think they need to go back in time where the character really didn't look a lot like who they were playing. Sutherland was Roebuck, where Kevin Spacey was Kevin Spacey. It would simply add that extra level of immersion. It would also let this new Call of Duty game characters stand on their own rather than a real life actor.



9. Be a Dude Not a Hero   

In the last few games you have played as a complete god! not in the sense of even being a elite soldier (CIA,SAS) but just plain Rambo. Don't get wrong this isn't worst thing but it I would like it and I think the majority of people would like it if we went back to the Cod 2 or WAW where we were  just privates in the army.



10. Throwbacks

If you're going back anyway, why not have some old characters show up from time to time. It doesn't have to be a huge thing but a couple of cameos or nods would be appreciated because Call of Duty ora or history. COD does owe so much to it's world war 2 setting




Agree, Disagree? Are not going to buy Call of Duty WW2 regardless of what they do?

The Game That Will Change Everything!

Scale in games is usually very small unless your a battlefield but still the games only typically reach 64 players. There is your Planetside 2's of the world, PS2 is impressive but high tech specs, micro transactions keep me out of the game.These games are no doubt a blast to play but still don't itch my massive battle scale rash. Garry's Mod, Totally Accurate Battle Simulator have been where I have been getting my fix for quite a while now. While it's fun to watch the combine get mowed down by Teletubbies. I would find that after spawning 150+ units my PC would start drag or GMOD would crash all together. So with 2017 here, I wonder if there is a game that promises to be the game to finally get me what I want?

 Anyway I think my obsession with massive battles started when young and I watched  Starship Trooper movie (1996). The scale of battles in the movie are awesome. There are so many bugs on screen/ guys getting ripped apart, its truly amazing but we've never really had that in games. We have nice big set pieces from time to time from games like Call of Duty but these set pieces are as a big as ocean but deep as a puddle.

So what is the game that is going to change everything? Ultimate Epic Battle Simulator! This game has done the impossible , it has made RTS level numbers of units run in third person. This is a feat that should not go  un praised, it was also done by one guy. The amount of units on screen is  unparalleled. This game is doing things that have never been done before. That amount of optimization is amazing. This could change the scale of games as we know it! For one UEBS has so much potential. Right now there are Knight units, Gag units, and power units. The game could add aliens, Animals, soldiers from different eras, more maps. This game could literally be as big as rocket league. Also the tech is very impressive, imagine what a RPG could do with this. Imagine a battle with your character you have leveled and customized  against THOUSANDS!  Imagine a World War 2 game where you storm the beaches of Normandy with literally 400,000 guys. Imagine a GTA  game with literally thousands of people rioting. The possibilities for the future of games are truly endless.

I am already planning battles and I can't wait for tommrow to buy this game. For years now I have been simming battles with hundreds and now I can't wait to do it with thousands!

Ten Reasons Why Skylanders is Good for Adults

   

Skylanders have been around for five years now and are kind of innovators in gaming. They single-handedly created the toys-to-life genre. I started playing these games when some of my buddies got the first Skylanders from a garage sale and then randomly gave me theirs after they were done playing it. I am glad they did that because ever since then I have played all the games up until this point and they're damn good. So here are ten reason to give Skylanders a shot.



1.  The Skylanders games have gotten A LOT better 

Being real the first game kind of sucked. It just kind of felt half-baked. I don't hold first games in franchises too a high standard -- but look at TV shows. The first seasons of Breaking Bad was good, but it's kind of shite when you compare to the unforgettable seasons 2, 3, 4, and 5. Giants was better but than Swap Force came around and change the game literally. Swapforce is by far the best one in the series by a mile. I am currently playing Trap Team and it isn't as good as Swap Force but it does harkin back some of the of the cool forgotten things from giants such as Skystones and some of the characters from giants to.

2. The Story is funny and the cast is surprisingly good
The Voice Cast is excellent. The cast is great whether it be Billy from (Billy and Mandy) voicing the Franchises main baddy Chaos or Patrick Warburton (how I met your Mother) voicing the pilot Flynn who constantly says BOOM! but in all seriousness. The game's plot is typical comical and has a lot of hidden adult jokes.

 3. It's best avengers game out there 
OK, here me out. I have given up on ever getting the Avengers game we deserve but there have been times where I feel I'm playing an Avengers game while playing Skylanders. There is this huge viking lady who has a head slam ability (reminds me of Thor) , A crocodile with boomerangs (Captain America) and a swap force Skylander I made with fire boots, So he launches like Iron man. Either way if need your video game avengers itch filled Skylanders is the best we got. 
  
4. Cameos from gaming Icons

People give the Skylander franchise a lot of crap when it comes to "killing their childhood" by bringing characters outside of their universe. Except for Spyro who technically started skylanders but than his name got dropped from the sequels so yeah......  anyway I think its cool to see these characters in a light that we don't usual see them in. Such as getting to play as Bowser and smash some choppies with his Hammer that is  bad ass. It's like when gamers get mad when their exclusive goes to PC or another console.Who cares as long as more people get to play the game, Is Banjo-Kazooie next possible study abroad game character?
5. It's not terribly expensive to get into anymore
you can pick up some of the older Skylanders for about  a dollar a dozen and they still work in the newest games. This is awesome because when you do get new figures, you'll still have you're harden veterans of your team by your side. They also level up and gain new abilities. It's also very great compared to the competition where you have to buy a $20 level packs just to play content with different figures.  (Lego Dimensions)

6. it can be REALLY hard.

 The Skylander games can be oppressively hard on Nightmare Difficulty. A lot of people say that kids games are to "Easy". I would agree with them for the most part but Skylanders, is infamously difficult. One of my highest achievements TA Ratio wise after hitting 100,000 gamerscore is beating Swap force on Nightmare. There were levels where I lost 20-30 Skylanders. It was like sending pigs off to slaughter. Again the games are a lot of fun and if your characters are always getting better even when you're not. 

7. The gimmicks are usually pretty neat

I'm sucker for gimmicks and Hype Cough (No Man's Sky) but the Skylanders Series does a great job in this department.
 Now I'm going to rate and tell what the gimmicks
Scale
Awesome
Great
Ok
Bad
WTF
 Skylanders: Spyros Adventure: Founding of Toys to Life: Awesome, I think this is a truly innovative game in the gaming industry. 
Skylanders Giants: Make bigger Skylanders: Great (Tree Rex was Awesome!)
Skylanders Swap Force: Being able to swap the tops  and bottoms of skylanders: Again an Awesome addtion to the lore and customization
Slylanders Trap Team: You can now Trap enemies and force them to fight for you: This is a fun wildcard addition to the series. 
Skylanders Superchargers: Skylanders can drive cars? WTF , Sorry guys this is dumb
Skylanders  Imaginators:  You make your own Skylanders! It's really awesome great to see swapforce ideas expanded on.
8. backwards compatibility

Skylanders are into MILFS, what do I mean by that? Your older skylanders will work will all of the new games. So you don't have to worry about buying new ones, All of the damn time. You also get rewarded for using the older ones such as having them get stronger over the games. Not to mention that there the main characters for the Skylander's TV show and They get full voice rolls in the newer games.

 9. You can Literally 3D print your Skylanders 

In the new Skylanders game, You actually get to make your own Skylanders and this is cool on so many levels. My favorite thing out of this new "gimmick" is that you can actually get them 3d printed and that would be really cool to make my own Skylander and than have it sit on mantle. I might make my my dark souls character Dickwad or make a knockoff Pokemon or Teddy Roosevelt. I don't know the possibabltes are limitless!!!!

10. They got a TV show!
The Skylanders now have a cartoon on Netflix. I watched the first few episodes and to be honest kind of like it. After playing through few of the games and for the skylanders being mute most of the time. It is kind of intresting to see them interact with the world. Also the voice cast is really good. For example Justin Long voices Spyro, Stealth Elf is voiced by Ashley Tisdale and Eruptor is Voiced by Hank from Breaking Bad. Also the Voice of Billy comes back to voice Chaos thats always a treat. 







Conclusion:  I think you should at least give skylanders a try, it's more affordable and better as it's ever been. I think Swapforce was a real turning point for the series and I can't wait to see what they do next.