Dream Microsoft Wishlist For E3 2014

Over the past week, we’ve brought you some of our dream wishlists for Nintendo and Sony at E3 2014 this coming week, so by process of elimination, that means we only have one company of the big three left, Microsoft. Joining the next generation of gaming last November with the Xbox One, Microsoft has two consoles on the market, but unlike both Nintendo and Sony, they are exclusively in the console game with no handheld in the mix. Microsoft obviously deals in computers and such as well, but for this list we are focusing exclusively on the Xbox One and Xbox 360.

Through the first seven or so months of launch, the PlayStation 4 has taken control of the next-gen market. As a result, Microsoft likely has plenty of their sleeves this year, with the non-Kinect SKU only being the first step.

Games…Games…Games

If there is any entry in this list that you can count on coming to pass, it will likely be this one. Ever since taking over as head of the now combined Xbox Division, Phil Spencer has been preaching the important of games on Xbox. Last year, Microsoft made the mistake of focusing too much on the entertainment aspect of the console, rather than spending a majority of the time on what brings gamers to the console, the games.

Banjo-Kazooie Revival

There seems to be a trend with lists and Banjo-Kazooie with me, as it seems to pop up quite a lot. The original two games in the series are two of my favorite games of all time and sadly the series has been pretty non-existent for awhile now, besides the panned Nuts & Bolts. What I would love to see is a true sequel to the series with Banjo-Threeie, the name could really be something else, that brings back this series to prominence. Platforms are seriously lacking on non-Nintendo consoles, outside of the Rayman series, so this could be a great way back.

New Battletoads/Battletoads HD Remake

Ever since the acquisition of Rare, the company has not managed to capture its former glory. Being delegated to games like Kinect Sports Rivals now, the series is just not living up to its full potential. That is why in addition to the return of Banjo-Kazooie, we need to see the return of Rash, Zitz, and Pimple. Known as one of the most difficult games ever on the NES, an HD remake of the original would be excellent to see on the Xbox One or Xbox 360, complete with online multiplayer. Even better could be a completely new game that takes the elements we love about the original and bring them to modern times.

A Non-COD Inspired Halo

Halo 3 was the peak of the Halo franchise to me. After the really fun Halo 2, the third entry sapped away way too much of my time, but I don’t regret a second of it. However, ever since then, we’ve seen way too much of an evolution in the series to be more like the Call of Duty franchise. From loadouts to sprint, the series just stopped feeling like the Halo engine I used to love in multiplayer anymore. A back to basics approach is what I want to see, with no jetpacks involved at all. If the rumored Halo 2: Anniversary could inspire Halo 5: Guardians, that could be a very good thing for the series.

The Return of NFL 2K

This really could have gone on either the Microsoft or Sony list, but since Xbox has always been my go-to sports game platform, I went with this one. Years ago, EA Sports bought the exclusive NFL license, which forced 2K Sports to end their franchise, but when the deal was recently reworked, there was never any word on whether it was a full exclusivity agreement or just a renewal of the NFL rights themselves. This game is one of the most unlikely on the list since the deal probably makes it impossible, but there is more hope now than in any recent years due to the uncertainty of the legal status of the exclusivity.

New Innovative Ideas For The Kinect

While Microsoft just announced the new non-Kinect SKU for the Xbox One, I do truly hope that the peripheral isn’t completely abandoned. While it shouldn’t be as central as it was originally was made to be, there is still a lot of potential for the device, especially with fitness, dance, and even music games. If Microsoft could come out with some really cool features that the system could use, as well as a few game announcements that might make people want to give the Kinect another chance, perhaps that will lead to better things in the future for the Kinect.

New IPs

I will admit that this list was a little harder to write than the other two due to the fact they have less IPs than the others. Nintendo and Sony have a good bit more history, so most of Microsoft’s prominent franchises are still around and mostly AAA titles. That’s why I’m hoping we see some really intriguing new IPs to get us excited this year. Games like Sunset Overdrive and Quantum Break are a good start, but more is always better.

Moving Through Time With Ryse

Ryse: Son of Rome was definitely one of the standout titles at the launch of the Xbox One last year, and has a lot of potential as a future franchise. Similar to the Assassin’s Creed franchise, it would be cool to see different settings throughout future Ryse games. I certainly don’t want it to be a case where we get one every year, but a reveal with the setting this year for a release sometime next year would be good to see.

Surprise New Apps

Just the other day, Microsoft revealed that the Xbox One was getting 35 new apps by the end of the year globally, but I’m still hoping that they have a few more surprise ones lined up to show off at E3. Whether they are third-party apps or ones directly from Microsoft, it’s always good to see more free content on the system to make the cost of the system more worth it.