Microsoft found itself in a strange place during the Xbox One generation. Who could forget the disastrous reveal which led to its slow start? Since then, Xbox has gone through transitions, first-party studio shakeups, and journeys into new endeavors.
Despite a strong turnaround near the end of the generation, there are still understandable concerns with the first-party output. In 2019, Xbox released only two first-party titles. 2020 saw a considerable increase, but the high-quality AAA gaming experiences that people have come to expect from Sony and Nintendo was sorely lacking on the Xbox One.
That said, Xbox has made tremendous milestones in several areas outside of the first-party lineup. Namely, Game Pass has become a cornerstone in the Xbox ecosystem.
With a brand-new console, a move into the PC arena, and its reputation making a strong comeback, Microsoft is poised to make a big splash this year. To really keep the momentum snowballing, though, here are five New Year’s resolutions we think Microsoft should make a priority.
Increase Xbox First-Party Output
The biggest thing Microsoft needs to do is get its first-party output in line. Not only with its quantity, but with high quality titles. We saw seven new first-party titles from Microsoft in 2020 including a few serious hits like Microsoft Flight Simulator, Tell Me Why, and Ori and the Will of the Wisps.
Unfortunately, those titles were mostly overshadowed by showstoppers like The Last of Us Part II and Ghost of Tsushima. Microsoft needs those major, GOTY-quality titles, in its portfolio. The upside is they have games like Fable, Avowed, and Hellblade II as upcoming releases. The downside is we have no clue when we’ll be seeing those titles.
Microsoft needs a banner year of first-party releases this year to not only push their new consoles, but a budding new ecosystem as a whole. Halo Infinite may be able to bring it home, but it can’t be the only thing the Xbox Series X and S relies on this year.
