The Microsoft conference this year had better wow audience members, to take the full advantage of the fact Sony is not going to attend. What do we not want to see from them at the conference?
This year at E3 2019, we’re expecting a lot of the companies holding conferences are going to come out swinging. There’s heavy competition from companies like Nintendo, Bethesda, EA, and Microsoft. These companies have to find a way to appeal to the conference’s audience both there and on their live stream. All of them want to stand out in some fashion, especially since Sony has decided to bow out of the conference. With Sony out of the way, many are asking what Microsoft could bring to them and what they’d be excited about seeing. However, what do we not want to see them showcase during their conference?
What We Hope Microsoft Doesn’t Show at Their E3 2019 Conference
Buying More Companies
Last year, Microsoft spoke about a handful of new companies they were adding to their overall team. All of the companies listed received additional funding so that they could continue their excellent work. The companies shown at E3 2018’s conference were The Initiative, Undead Labs, Playground Games, Ninja Theory, and Compulsion Games. A couple of months later in November, Microsoft also grabbed inXile Entertainment and Obsidian Entertainment.
This year, it’d be wiser to show what these seven new companies have been working on and where they plan to go from here. It was a great idea for Microsoft to show these companies off during their conference, but doing so again with any new companies this year may hinder fan’s excitement. They want to play the results of the calculated risk Microsoft took. Fans want to hear about plans of playing brand new games and get excited about jumping into the enriching, creative worlds these companies created.
Hopefully, this doesn’t happen again. If Microsoft does have some new companies to announce, it’d be better to make it a small side-note and keep it to a small number.
Nothing About The xCloud
Another significant fault Microsoft could make at this year’s conference is not mention anything or show progress towards their xCloud project. For the past year or so, Microsoft has been hinting at their concept around holding a cloud network where players could stream their games straight to their televisions without using a large console. The idea would allow players to play their games almost anywhere thanks to the network, and not feel limited by financial restrictions of having to purchase a console.
It’s imperative Microsoft shows something about this project because of Google’s Stadia announcement. Back in March, Google held a live stream conference at the GDC 2019 where they announced their new gaming platform called Stadia. This project is featuring a cloud-based network, similarly to Microsoft’s xCloud idea, where all a player would need is a computer with access to an internet connection faster than 30 fps and Google Chrome. If they have all of this, they connect to Stadia, where they’d be able to play a game from a cloud network and stream their gameplay to YouTube. The best part: Stadia is set to launch later this year.
Stadia was a surprise announcement. Many knew Google wanted to get into the gaming business, but not to this degree. If Microsoft doesn’t react to Google’s report, a lot of fans may lean towards Google, despite being fresh to the business. Microsoft needs to make a move because they were going too slowly, and they need to react to this development sooner.
A Remastered Game — We Need New IPs
For several years, game companies have been bringing back a lot of their older games and having them released as remasters. Many of them are popular titles, and the graphical overhaul they receive is an excellent piece of work. However, Microsoft needs to take a big step forward and take the opportunity of the fact Sony is not there. One of the best ways they could do this is by sharing a brand new intellectual property with their fans. It would surprise audience members and mark the event a real success over the excitement.
Now, this game does not have to release this year. It could be a year or two down the line. But Microsoft should take the time to try and make a real, powerful statement at the event. Not doing so could show they’re not as committed to the conference as they once were. A brand new IP comes with plenty of mystery and anticipation as everyone tries to share and learn about the original title. Hopefully, Microsoft has a surprise up their sleeve.
To check out Microsoft’s E3 2019 conference, make sure you find yourself at your computer on Sunday, June 9 at 1 PM PST, 4 PM EST, and 9 PM BST. You can view it on their Twitch stream or YouTube.
