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Xbox's lack of compelling games won't be fixed next year
Microsoft's 2017 started six months early. At E3 2016, Xbox chief Phil Spencer closed out the company's keynote by teasing the "most powerful console ever." At this year's show, he finally revealed the Xbox One X, and in November, the hardware was at retail. In the time it takes to earn a bachelor's degree, Microsoft addressed one of the internet's loudest complaints about the Xbox One: that it wasn't powerful enough compared to the PlayStation 4.
The best Xbox One games
The Xbox One has come a long way since its 2013 debut. Microsoft has fixed the console's hardware flaws with the One S and the recently released One X, but now it has a different problem to address: a dearth of compelling games you can't play anywhere else. In recent years the company has relied on timed third-party exclusives that eventually make their way to other platforms or are also available on Windows and Steam. It happens on PS4 as well, but the difference there is that Sony has a wide assortment of games that you can only play on its console. That's not to say there aren't exclusive games worth playing on Xbox; it's just that they're buried among annual Forza racing games, middling modern Halo releases and the testosterone-fueled Gears of War franchise. Microsoft has promised to break out of that predictable release cadence, though, so the future could be brighter than you may have come to expect. As it stands, these are the best Xbox One games you can play right now.
This is your last chance to buy 'Alan Wake'
One of Alan Wake's best features was its licensed soundtrack, and now the tunes developer Remedy Entertainment carefully curated are causing a bit of grief. Remedy's rights to The Black Angels' "Young Men Dead" and "Up Jumped The Devil" from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (among others) are expiring, and with them, so must Alan Wake itself. Remedy tweeted that because of this, the game will be delisted from Steam and other digital storefronts after May 15th.
Xbox chief envisions a Netflix model for narrative games
Microsoft has just tipped its hand for what the company will show off at E3 in June. In a wide-ranging interview with The Guardian, Xbox chief Phil Spencer laid out his plans for the future of Xbox software. Since (mostly) fixing a majority of the problems the Xbox One hardware and system software has suffered through since 2013 with the Xbox One S and the Creator's Update for Xbox firmware, Spencer is focusing on the other problem Microsoft faces: its dearth of unique and compelling reasons to buy into the improved Xbox platform.
The best games of 2016
The year is nearly over, and I don't think I'm alone in saying that I'm ready to leave behind the dark, twisted fantasy that is 2016. No matter your political persuasion, social status or country of residence, you'll have felt disquieted by events at some point this year. The sheer scale of 2016's failings allows for such blanket statements. Natural disasters, mass shootings and political events have left me buffeted by wave after wave of anxiety. Because of this never-ending cycle of unease, video games have been more important to me this year. Of course, they're always a form of escapism, but in 2016 they've had to function as a kind of digital cocoon. Gaming has been a place to retreat. A moment of respite. Whether passing the minutes on a mindless clicker or puzzle game, losing myself for hours in grand strategies and sport sims or taking a long weekend to head out on a fantastic adventure, gaming has helped me. A lot. Perhaps that's why I've been reacting to game delays with all the composure of a YouTube commenter. And, God, the delays have come thick and fast.
Time-bending shooter 'Quantum Break' arrives on Steam
Quantum Break is a strange video game. Not for its time-bending story, or the way it combines a live-action TV show (although both are pretty interesting) but how Microsoft and developer Remedy have decided to release it. The game started as an Xbox One exclusive before branching out onto Windows 10. Now, it's also available on Steam, giving even more players the chance to adventure as Jack Joyce. In addition, there's also the Timeless Collector's Edition, a physical package that includes five game discs, a 'Making Of' Blu-ray and book, the soundtrack and two posters.
'Quantum Break' reaches Steam on September 14th
When Microsoft vowed that it would resume releasing games on Steam, it wasn't making an idle promise. Microsoft and Remedy have announced that Quantum Break will reach Steam on September 14th for $40. You won't get anything special for your patience (just all the updates released since launch), but that's not the point -- the big deal is that you won't have to shop at the Windows Store to get a PC copy. If you were worried that Microsoft would use Windows Store exclusives as part of a bid to dictate the future of PC gaming, you can relax.
'Quantum Break' studio's next project isn't what you expect
Historically, Remedy Entertainment has only worked on one project at a time, releasing only a handful of games since 2001's Max Payne. The company recently announced it was moving away from that fan-frustrating workflow and was becoming a studio that has more than one iron in the fire at a given moment. Now, a few months after the fantastic Quantum Break, we know what one of the team's next projects is: creating a campaign for the next installment of free-to-play shooter CrossFire, the aptly named CrossFire 2.
'Quantum Break' is a legitimate reason to buy an Xbox One
Almost three years after the Xbox One's debut, it's getting its biggest and arguably first real exclusive. Quantum Break won't be available on other consoles, it isn't a sequel, nor is it multiplayer-only. It's the latest game from Remedy Entertainment, the studio behind the Max Payne and Alan Wake franchises. And it couldn't come at a better time for Microsoft, either: In a matter of weeks PlayStation 4 owners will have Ratchet and Clank and Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, and Wii U owners get Star Fox Zero. If Xbox One didn't have an exclusive of its own right now, it'd be the odd console out. Good thing, then, that it's Remedy's best game yet and the Xbox One finally has a AAA showcase for what it's capable of.
'Quantum Break' looks relentlessly surreal
I've never taken as many screenshots of an Xbox One game as I have Quantum Break. When I wasn't preoccupied with slowing down the flow of time to outrun enemies who wanted to murder me or to stop a 60-foot tall section of scaffolding from squashing me like a grape, I was tweaking the in-game camera to frame the scenes of chaos around me. The aesthetic Developer Remedy Entertainment used for its latest is captivating, blending elements of surrealist art, cinema and even lo-fi photography into a look that's unlike anything I've seen before. It's too bad that the game lacks a proper photo mode, because as the narrative progresses and the space-time continuum starts destroying itself, Quantum Break ratchets the surreal factor to the extreme.
'Quantum Break' live action trailer introduces its villains
Remedy's Quantum Break is an ambitious project, and we wouldn't blame you if you're still in the dark when it comes to the game's time travel-focused plot. Who's Paul Serene? Why is Jack Joyce trying to stop him? You aren't going to get all the answers just yet (that's why you're supposed to buy it), but the developer at least wants to give you an inkling of what's going on. It just released a trailer from the live action side of the title that helps illustrate the sinister machinations of Serene (played by Aidan Gillen from Game of Thrones), his right-hand man Martin Hatch (Lance Reddick from Fringe) and Monarch Corporation.
'Quantum Break' has an audio setting just for streamers
YouTube and Twitch have come under fire for overzealous blocking of copyrighted music in video games, but Quantum Break developer Remedy Entertainment has a way around that. For folks who want to stream its latest game and not get their videos flagged for violations on YouTube, or have the audio muted wholesale on Twitch, there's a setting in the game's audio options that allows you to turn off licensed music playback. This is something that's been done on the indie scale before, but perhaps not in a AAA tentpole game like Quantum Break and not one published by Microsoft.
'Alan Wake' sequel hinted in trademark filing
Quantum Break is a little more than a month away, but already fans are speculating about a possible sequel to Alan Wake, the last big game from developer Remedy Entertainment. A trademark application for "Alan Wake's Return" was spotted by a user on the gaming forum Neogaf, pointing to another instalment of the Twin Peaks-style thriller. Remedy's creative director Sam Lake has always said that he would like to return to the franchise, going so far as to release prototype footage. Alan Wake 2 was eventually scrapped in favour of Quantum Break, although some of the team's ideas eventually wound up in Alan Wake's American Nightmare.
Xbox One thriller 'Quantum Break' is coming to PC too
Quantum Break's time-altering escapades are no longer tied to Microsoft's Xbox One console. When the game launches on April 5th it'll also be available on PC, giving players with beefy rigs the chance to push its visual prowess to the limit. That's not all developer Remedy Entertainment is announcing today though. Anyone that buys the game on Xbox One will also get a copy of the studio's previous title, Alan Wake, as well as its two DLC packs through backwards compatibility. If you pre-order Quantum Break you'll gain access to Alan Wake's American Nightmare too, a downloadable sort-of-but-not-quite sequel that came out in 2012.
How the TV show in Xbox One exclusive 'Quantum Break' works
When Remedy released Alan Wake's American Nightmare, few people questioned the live-action cut scenes sprinkled throughout the campaign. It turns out those moments were the seedlings for a grander vision: to develop a game interwoven with a full TV show.
Xbox at Gamescom 2015: a recap of Microsoft's strong showing
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-166784{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-166784, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-166784{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-166784").style.display="none";}catch(e){} Gamescom isn't open to the public just yet, but that hasn't stopped Microsoft from dropping some early news and trailers. During its "Xbox Briefing" in Cologne, the company announced DVR functionality for 2016, a new controller chat pad and a host of special console bundles. We also saw a slew of trailers for upcoming games such as Quantum Break, Scalebound and Crackdown 3. In the video above we give our take -- but if you've got time to spare, it's also worth checking out the proceedings in full down below.
Microsoft says 'Quantum Break' coming April 5th, 2016
Microsoft first announced Quantum Break as an Xbox One exclusive quite a while ago, and it has finally revealed the launch date: April 5th, 2016. At Gamescom 2015, the company also showed off brand new gameplay from the title (below), which comes from the developer that created Max Payne, Remedy. Suffice to say, it looks beautiful and features a strong time travel component. The studio originally promised that it would have an in-game live action show, and Remedy's Sam Lake confirmed that's still the case.
Max Payne creator Remedy Games crafting Quantum Break for Xbox One
The folks behind such games as the original Max Payne and Alan Wake are crafting a next-gen experience for the Xbox One in Quantum Break. The tease video we saw showed a young girl, in real life, with her parents -- she apparently sees through time, and is able to convey what she sees. She places a hand on her mother and shows her a massive war ship crashing through a bridge. We're then taken to an office building lobby being shot up. It's... not clear at all what all this has to do with anything, but there you have it. We'll have more details as soon as possible.%Gallery-188991%
