At Microsoft’s Xbox E3 2015 keynote address, the company unveiled what they described as the “Greatest Holiday Games Lineup in Xbox History”. With games like Halo 5, Forza Motorsport 6, Rise of the Tomb Raider, and Gears of War: Ultimate Edition all coming this fall I can’t help but agree–this is going to be the best holiday ever for Xbox fans!
Backwards Compatibility with Xbox 360
Near the beginning of the press conference, Xbox head Phil Spencer made perhaps the biggest announcement: starting this fall, all Xbox One owners will be able to play Xbox 360 games on their consoles. That’s right, the huge Xbox 360 library will soon be compatible with Xbox One. It takes times for Microsoft to make each individual Xbox 360 game compatible with Xbox One, and right now there are 21 compatible games (including hits like Mass Effect and Perfect Dark), and by the fall, Microsoft says there will be 100 Xbox 360 games playable on Xbox One. It doesn’t matter if you bought the Xbox 360 on disc or digitally either–both versions will work on Xbox One!
Rainbow Six: Siege comes with Bonus Games
Immediately following the huge announcement of backwards compatibility on Xbox One, Ubisoft came on stage to let fans know that if they purchase Rainbow Six: Siege on Xbox One, they’ll receive free copies of two past games in the series: Rainbow Six: Vegas and Rainbow Six: Vegas 2. Both of these games will be backwards compatible and immediately playable on your Xbox One game console!
These were some great surprises but it was only the tip of the iceberg. Microsoft also unveiled their greatest line-up of Xbox games ever, here are some of the highlights!
Halo 5: Guardians
Available on: Xbox One
The show opened in a spectacular way with Microsoft showing world premiere of an all-new massive scale multiplayer mode, Warzone. In this mode up to 24 players will do battle with friendly and enemy AI characters also joining the fight!
Forza Motorsport 6
Available on: Xbox One
In one of the most impressive moments I’ve ever seen at an E3 press conference, Microsoft lowered the brand new Ford GT supercar from the rafters of the Los Angeles’ Galen Center. The car is making its debut exclusively in Forza Motorsport 6, and Henry Ford III himself was there to present the car!
Rise of the Tomb Raider
Available on: Xbox One
A new gameplay trailer for Rise of the Tomb Raider was shown, and wow was it impressive! In it, Lara and a companion are using icepicks to climb a frozen mountain when suddenly a massive avalanche causes the rock to crumble. The gameplay looked incredibly cinematic, and the graphics will simply stunning to see. I can’t wait to play this game on November 10!
Gears of War 4
Available on: Xbox One
The Microsoft E3 press conference ended with a huge game reveal: Gears of War 4! This new version is built from the ground up for play on Xbox One and it shows–the graphics were superb and the framerate looked buttery smooth. While the game is releasing next year, fans of the series can get into the action early with Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, an HD, 60 frames-per-second remake of the original game, and releasing August 25, 2015!
What an impressive conference, Microsoft sure set the E3 bar high!
Did you watch the Microsoft E3 press conference? Be sure to share your thoughts on the Xbox games and announcements in the comments section below!
For more E3 related information visit Best Buy Canada’s E3 Gaming Page
You forgot the best news of all, Rare Replay!! I’m going to play R.C. Pro Am on my Xbox One – with achievements!!!!
Rare replay is exciting, if only for Conker’s Bad Fur Day – I loved that game!
Also, Gears of War 4! Did anyone notice just how beautiful the rendering was on the environment? When the wind was hitting the trees and each brnach seemed to sway individually and leaves came off in the gusts? I nerded all over the floor with that reveal.
JB
I have awesome memories of entire weekends spent playing the multiplayer mini game built into Conker’s Bad Fur Day, which resembled storming the beach at Normandy where one player made their way up while the other tried to gun them down with a turret.
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