Here Are 7 Highlights from Xbox’s Gamescom 2015 Briefing

That Opening Wows Every Time

The Xbox team decided to open with the trailer from their E3 2015 press conference, a trailer that showcases their strong lineup of upcoming exclusives, and conveys their dedication to delivering what they believe to be the absolute best gaming experiences to their current and future fans. Scalebound, Halo, Tomb Raider, and more present a future for the console that has something for everyone.

Whether it’s a first-person shooter, a gritty third-person action game, or a fantastical RPG, Xbox has a game for you. It was the first moment of excitement and hype for the briefing, but it certainly wasn’t be the last.

Three Huge Games Coming in 2016

After a long period of silence, the team over at Xbox has finally provided some more details on some of their biggest upcoming titles. From the moment they were first shown, Quantum Break, Scalebound, and the all-new Crackdown piqued the interest of many fans around the world. Hungry for gameplay and information leading up to Gamescom, the developers did not disappoint.

Starting with Quantum Break, Remedy provided a deeper glimpse into the world being created exclusively for the Xbox One. The shownfootage revealed knowledge of the protagonist’s brother which may have lead to the break in time, more insight into the time manipulating abilities, and a glimpse at powerful enemies. We also got a quick peek at the live-action show that goes hand-in-hand with the show a start studded cast including Shawn Ashmore (X-Men: Days of Future Past), and Aiden Gillen (Game of Thrones).

Crackdown 3 brought an explosive gameplay demonstration that showcased the destruction and inter-connectivity that just couldn’t be accomplished on previous Xbox Consoles. The addition of multiplayer, and heavily destructible environments show that this will be one of the most explosive games to hit consoles come 2016. Get ready to fight crime as a super cop once more, and this time you’ll really bring the pain.

Last, but most certainly not least, was the gameplay premiere of Scalebound. The Xbox One exclusive title from Platinum Games puts players in control of a human and his dragon companion as they brave the world of Draconus. This open-world action RPG provides quick combat, and a bit of strategy as players fight along their large, quite vicious, dragon. To top it all off, players will be able to enter the fray with up to three friends as they tackled an evil empire, and some dastardly beasts.

This 2016 trio shows Xbox’s commitment to variety and top-notch experiences, and was certainly exciting to witness at their Gamescom 2015 briefing.

Gaming On Xbox One and Windows 10 Will Be Better Than Ever

For the past few months Microsoft has made an effort to stress their commitment to providing solid gaming experiences between PCs and the Xbox One. The Xbox Gamescom 2015 briefing gave a better look into just what that means: a strong lineup of cross-buy (and even some cross-play) games, an improved Xbox Live experience for PC gamers, and a lot more connectivity loom on the horizon.

Games such as Gears of War Ultimate Edition, and Killer Instinct Season 3 will bridge the gap between two platforms that up until now have been solely competitors. The ability to use cloud saves to continue playing on different Windows 10 devices, and access to all of the features Xbox and PC gamers have come to expect from their hardware will further better the experiences for everyone.

November will see the Xbox One updated with Windows 10, and a complete overhaul of how players interact with and use the console. All of this will lend itself to the new ecosystem being built by Microsoft that promises to put the player first. 

Homefront: The Revolution

It all started with a small child being nudged onto a stage to give a speech to a room full of military officials. You can see the apprehension in his eyes as he stutters at first, expressing his understanding and gratitude at the forces occupying America, his America. Then a light shines in his eye as he shares all the lessons learned from this opposing force. The lessons that taught them the importance of secrecy and networking. Lessons about bloodshed and sacrifice. Lessons that have sparked the fire of a revolution that will not be put out until America is his once more. And when that fire ravages the military’s ranks like some uncontrollable disease, the child will still forever remain thankful.

The gameplay reveal of Homefront: The Revolution was undoubtedly one of the most gripping announcements of the entire briefing. The fear and anger seen through the eyes of that child, and the guerrilla war raged by the adults is both horrific and inspiring. The only question is: will you take up a torch and bring freedom back to the nation?

The Xbox 2015 Big Three

Of course, this couldn’t be a huge Gamescom briefing if Xbox didn’t show off their three huge titles that will be launching this holiday season. Halo 5: Guardians, Rise of the Tomb Raider, and Forza 6 are all geared up to make a big splash in just a few months. Although many fans are already foaming at the mouth for their releases, that doesn’t mean that the devs behind these amazing looking games couldn’t show off some more details and gameplay to keep that hype train chugging.

For Halo 5: Guardians we got to see two of the greatest teams in the world (Epsilon and Optic Gaming) compete in an all-new arena mode for the blockbuster franchise’s multiplayer. Fast, intense gameplay powered by amazing abilities all within a tight, symmetrical map showed just how crazy this newest iteration is going to be. There was also the announcement of the Halo World championship which will give the world’s top teams an opportunity to win insane prizes.

Rise of the Tomb Raider showcased some tense stealth action while showing off their larger world and multiple paths. The game is looking to build on the last entry to the series, and if that short preview was any indicator,  they are succeeding. Fans tuning in to the stream, and those in attendance, were also teased with some images from some of the tombs Lara will be able to explore this holiday season. It seems like Crystal Dynamics was listening to everyone after their last game, so you can expect to really go hunting for some invaluable treasure.

And Forza 6 came out swinging against the competition. Touting their insane attention to detail, as well as their goal of achieving the most realistic and fun racing experience ever, they showed off Forza 6 in all of its 1080p/60fps glory. This is a game that pushes the Xbox One to its absolute limit and it is a thing of beauty.

Games With Gold Backwards Compatibility

Backwards compatibility for the Xbox One took another step towards cementing the awesomeness of its inclusion. During the Xbox briefing it was announced that all future Xbox 360 Games With Gold offerings would be backwards compatible on the Xbox One. That means Xbox One owners with an active Live Gold account will be able to download even more games for free every month.

This is a great step towards weening gamers off of last gen’s hardware, and into the embrace of a shiny new current gen console. It also increases the value of the deal for those who got rid of their old platforms, and helps to bring this particular part of the service up to par with Sony’s own Instant Game Collection. This was both an exciting and intelligent move on Microsoft’s part.

Halo Wars 2

Although the briefing fell off a little bit in the middle, the Xbox team and 343i certainly knew how to close the show off with a bang. As if the new multiplayer reveal for Halo 5: Guardians wasn’t enough, they just had to drop another bombshell on the unsuspecting audience around the world. Halo Wars 2 will be coming to Xbox One and Windows 10 next fall, finally continuing the story that captivated many fans all those years ago. Pick up the adventure with Captain James Cutter and prepare to wage war once more.

How did you feel about all of the announcements at this years Gamescom 2015 Xbox briefing? Excited for all of the upcoming games? Considering ditching last gen? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.