5 Disappointing Announcements That Will Likely Be at XO18

5 Disappointing Announcements That Will Likely Be at XO18

No Release Date for Ashen

For years now, Ashen has served as one of the most promising new IPs Microsoft has up its sleeve, with boasts of an open world adventure where players can interact in their quest to find a home in a cel-shaded world.

Sadly, it’s also been one of the company’s most notorious vapor ware titles as well. Originally revealed back in 2015, the game has seen delay after delay by its publisher Annapurna Interactive, with updates from its developer Aurora44 few and far between.

It would be a huge blow to Xbox fan morale for such a promising IP to remain vapor ware, especially with so few exclusives on the horizon, so we hope this won’t be a repeat of so many other events.

No News on a New Fable

In recent months, rumors of a new Fable title developed by Playground Games of Forza Horizon fame have floated around the gaming community. There’s been no confirmation from either Microsoft or Playground on the subject, and even when asked by FullThrottle Media when they would announce their next project, the company was clear that an announcement wouldn’t come anytime soon. While there’s no doubt Playground has plenty on their plate with the recent release of Forza Horizon 4 and that they had little reason to lie about the time frame for their next project’s release, we’d still be overjoyed to learn of a new Fable game in the works no matter how far out from release it is. The series stood as one of Microsoft’s best properties after the release of Fable II, and if it remains dead after so many months of rumors, we’ll be just as heartbroken as its most diehard fans.

Another Crackdown 3 Delay

It would be an understatement to say Crackdown 3 has had a rocky development cycle. Originally revealed at E3 2014 with a tentative release window of 2016, it has been delayed again and again for everything from lack of technical polish to major players on its development team leaving for brighter ventures. Fans have remained patient through it all, and with a Feb. 2019 release window it looks like they’ll finally be rewarded.

That’s why, if Microsoft were to delay it again, the repercussions could be irreparable. It’s one of the few IPs they have in their stable with anything close to a confirmed release date, and after nearly half a console generation, fans won’t be willing to wait for it any longer.

Gameplay Footage For Gears of War Pop!, but Not Gears of War 5

After the successful continuation of the series using a new cast of Locust splattering characters, fans were understandably excited by the E3 2018 announcement that Gears of War 5 would hit sometime in 2019. The trailer detailing the game’s story was just as good, revealing details about the series’ supernatural elements and how they would play into the journey undertaken by the game’s planned protagonist, Kait Diaz.

It was, however, revealed alongside a spin-off title called Gears of War Pop!, which saw Pop! figure versions of the series’ cast take part in a more family friendly version of the game. It too is currently slated for release in 2019, and has yet to receive a proper gameplay trailer.

While there’s nothing wrong with this spinoff, it would be a slap in the face of fans if it were the only one to receive a gameplay trailer at the event. Fans would be understandably upset, and so we hope Microsoft provides trailers for both or none at all.

No News on What Any of Microsoft’s Newly Acquired Studios Have in Store

Microsoft’s acquisition of Ninja Theory, Playground Games and several other indie studios earlier this year was a welcome surprise for all involved. Not only did it expand the roster of talent Microsoft could look to for new and exciting content, but it opened the door for several new and exciting ideas from studios that have tested new genres and ideas in recent years.

It’s still a little early for any of these studios to have something concrete in the works, and we’ve already spoken on the likelihood of Playground revealing anything on their project, but we’d love to get even a glimpse at what the other new kids on the block would like to bring to Microsoft’s gaming library. The Xbox One continues to have a drought of new IPs, and if it were to continue even with so many promising studios at the publisher’s disposal, there’s little doubt fans’ disappointment would grow.