With the recent cancellation of Scalebound, it’s clear that there could be an issue at Microsoft when it comes down to delivering quality exclusive titles to its fans. The Xbox One and Windows 10 are Microsoft’s main foothold in the entertainment market, and as such, the company must be able to elevate itself with Project Scorpio.
Project Scorpio
To do this, the games needs to be there, and we’re talking about video games that cannot be found on a PlayStation or a Nintendo platform. Yes, Microsoft has managed to release several new intellectual properties since the Xbox One came on the scene back in late 2013. However, Sony has been doing a better job, while the software giant can only rely heavily on older franchises such as Halo. Gears of War, and Forza.
Microsoft Needs Attractive New IPs
The last time Microsoft released a new IP on Xbox that caught the attention of gamers around the world, was in 2013 in the form of State of Decay. It was a surprise hit, and now the developer, Undead Labs, is working on a sequel known as State of Decay 2.
Now, if we look back at other new IPs exclusive to Microsoft platforms that were released after State of Decay, we see some troubling signs. For example, Ryse: Son of Rome was one the most prominent titles when the Xbox One launched, yet it turned out to be more of a technical showcase of the console rather than a memorable experience. It had the potential to be the God of War for Xbox, but the developers were unable to realize the importance of gameplay.
Then again, Ryse: Son of Rome began its life as a Kinect game before it was transformed to what we see now.
Another title we can’t help but mention is no other than Quantum Break. Let’s face it, most were excited about the game and what it could bring to the table. The videos of the game in action looked great, previewers had great things to say. However, then the title launched and the reviews began to trickle out, everything began to go downhill. Another new Microsoft exclusive that probably won’t ever have a sequel in the near or distant future.
Project Spark
Project Spark is also one of those exclusives that failed to live up to the hype created by Microsoft. Such a shame because it had potential. The ability to create several games by using the tools Project Spark made available to players was enticing. The whole idea just failed to grab the masses, both on Xbox and Windows 10.
Last year, another new IP was launched for the Xbox One and Windows 10. It’s known as ReCore, and as you expect, it didn’t turn out to much in terms of ratings from reviewers and the general public.
With Project Scorpio less than a year away, Microsoft will need to work on its exclusives and first party problems or else the console will face serious challenges going forward after launch. The focus on 6 teraflops of GPU power and 4K alone won’t be enough to propel Project Scorpio to greatness.
With E3 2017 just a few months away, the company will have no choice but to impress in order to keep gamers interested. Furthermore, Microsoft will need to make sure another Scalebound debacle doesn’t happen again, at least, not for a long time to come.
