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'Need For Speed' has been rebooted, arrives November 3rd
EA already told us that Need For Speed was taking a... brake, but now it's back. And EA is calling it "the definitive Need For Speed experience." You'll be able to drive around an open-air environment twice the size of its predecessor, Rivals. Customizations have also been cranked up, and there's a suitably Fast And Furious-sounding story mode where you need to build your reputation as well as your car. It lands on PC, PS4 and Xbox One this November 3rd -- and it's looking good enough that you may expect to smell the tires. See for yourself in the trailer, just below. Check here for everything happening at E3 2015!
'Mass Effect: Andromeda' coming holiday 2016
We've waited and waited for solid details on Mass Effect: Andromeda for what seems like an eternity and now we have a few more. The game launches next holiday season, to start. That's big enough on its own, but BioWare had even more to share from the stage of its press event here at E3 2015. Since it's using the Frostbite game engine pioneered by DICE, the game looks predictably gorgeous. It's in a new galaxy; the Mako is back; you're an N7 officer once again. You're playing as a human male or female, but not as the character seen in the trailer. BioWare says that Andromeda's "very much a new adventure" and that it takes place quite a bit after the events of Mass Effect 3.
Rare's next game is 'Sea of Thieves' for Xbox One and Windows 10
Rare isn't just banking on 30 years of nostalgia; it has a brand-new franchise on the way called Sea of Thieves. Announced today for Xbox One and Windows 10, it's looking like the pirate sim we didn't get from Assassin's Creed. Rare described the game as its most ambitious effort ever, as the player dives in first-person to a shared adventure. As one would expect from Rare, it's all very stylized and cartoony, which you can get a good look at via the trailer (embedded after the break.) There's no word yet on a release date, but we'll be looking for it on the show floor and you can sign up for more updates on the official website.
Here's how to watch EA's event at E3 2015
Now that Microsoft's done for the day with Xbox news, it is EA's turn to give us a glimpse at some of its future products. There's no doubt we'll learn more details about the company's upcoming sports titles, including FIFA 16, Madden 16 and UFC. Beyond that, though, EA will likely share additional info on Mirror's Edge: Catalyst, Star Wars: Battlefront and Mass Effect 4. And hey, don't be shocked if there are a few surprises along the way. EA is going to kick off the event at 4PM ET, and you can watch it live on its E3 Live to Play webpage as well as Twitch or YouTube -- video embed after the break.
'Gears of War 4' starts a new saga in late 2016
What, you didn't think The Coalition would stop its Gears of War revival with a remastered version of the original game, did you? Sure enough, the developer has announced Gears of War 4 (or as it was shown on screen, Gears 4) for the Xbox One. There isn't much to say about it yet, but it's definitely not a straight-up continuation of Marcus Fenix's story -- he's nowhere to be found in the preview clip shown at E3, and the enemies aren't the usual Locust you've come to know and hate. You'll know the full story when this fourth Gears game ships in late 2016. Check here for everything happening at E3 2015!
'Gears of War: Ultimate Edition' lands August 25th, beta starts today
Yes, the leaks were accurate. Microsoft and The Coalition have taken the wraps off Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, a remastered version of the original Gears of War for the Xbox One. The cover-based shooter is getting the obligatory visual upgrade, including 60-frames-per-second graphics -- important when you're ambushing an unsuspecting multiplayer rival. Ultimate Edition launches on August 25th, but a free public beta is starting today. Check here for everything happening at E3 2015!
Microsoft is also partnering with Valve for VR on Windows 10
It seems like Microsoft's approach to virtual reality will mimic its approach to the PC world: Support just about every piece of hardware. The company just revealed that it's partnering with Valve VR to "make Windows 10 the best platform for VR." Valve is also partnering with HTC for the Vive headset, which impressed us earlier this year. This news comes on top of last week's surprising announcement that Microsoft is teaming up with Oculus, a deal that will see Oculus bundle in the Xbox One controller with its headset. Oculus VR users will also be able to stream Xbox One games to their headsets (though not in VR mode), which is something we expect Microsoft to offer to Valve VR hardware as well. Unfortunately, we still haven't heard anything about the Xbox One supporting VR headsets directly, but we're still hoping for some sort of surprise announcement.
Microsoft shows off 'Minecraft' built specifically for HoloLens
At its E3 2015 event, Microsoft has given us a new demo of Minecraft built specifically for its HoloLens augmented reality headset. As we've guessed since the hardware originally appeared, the creative world-building game is a perfect fit for the futuristic hardware. The demonstrator at first controlled the experience with an Xbox One controller, then just used his hands in the air to play, and could peek around, above and through his creations simply by moving around in real space. A little awkward to watch, sure, but the live feed showed us a simulated HoloLens feed so we could follow along. We still don't know when we'll be exploring its combination of real and virtual worlds for ourselves, but Microsoft promises more information at the MineCon event that starts July 4th. If you missed it in the stream, check out our gallery to see how it all looks.
'Rare Replay' puts 30 classic games on your Xbox One this August
It's Rare's 30th anniversary, and the game studio is marking the occasion in style: It's releasing Rare Replay, a 30-title compilation for the Xbox One. The pack includes everything from the mind-numbingly difficult Battletoads through to Banjo-Kazooie and Perfect Dark. There isn't mention of whether or not the games are getting visual upgrades or new modes, but there are 10,000 Gamerscore points up for grabs if you're playing for bragging rights. Replay arrives August 4th, so you won't have to wait long to relive the Rare games of your childhood. Check here for everything happening at E3 2015!
'Rise of the Tomb Raider' hits Xbox One this November
Sorry, Sony, but the next installment in Lara Croft's tomb-raiding adventures is slated to hit Xbox One as an exclusive on November 10th. As Microsoft's Xbox head Phil Spencer announced at Gamescom last summer, the upcoming Rise of the Tomb Raider will be a platform exclusive, meaning gamers that don't own an Xbox One will be locked out of the party. From the gameplay trailer shown off at Microsoft's E3 presser, it seems this sequel will deliver more of the dodging, leaping, sliding, grappling and... tomb raiding developer Crystal Dynamics treated fans to with 2013's critically acclaimed reboot.
Microsoft reveals a slew of Xbox One indie games at E3
Microsoft's massive E3 press conference wasn't just about big-budget shooters -- the company also took some time to highlight the many smaller titles coming from indie developers. The highlights include Tacoma, the next game from Gone Home studio Fullbright, which is about a woman who finds herself stranded on a space station; Ashen, a stylized adventure game that seems to have the scale of Shadow of the Colossus; and Beyond Eyes, a painterly looking game about a young girl exploring the outdoors. We also got a quick look at several other titles in a promo video, which you can check out below.
Xbox Game Preview will give you early access to indie titles
Microsoft has announced a new early access program for independent titles, called Xbox Game Preview. With this service, you'll have the ability to play games that are in active development and provide feedback about them to their creators -- similar to what Steam currently does with its community. Xbox Game Preview is expected to roll out later today on Xbox One, featuring indies such as The Long Dark, Sheltered, Elite: Dangerous, Day Z and more. This is yet another move by Microsoft to further support the ID@Xbox program, which it's been focused on growing since its introduction in 2013.
'Dark Souls III' is coming in early 2016
What, did you think From Software would take a break from releasing its punishing Souls games just because Bloodborne is out the door? Just the opposite. The studio has just teased Dark Souls III, the next title in its dark fantasy action series. There's not much to know beyond its early 2016 release date, but From's signature bleak landscapes are intact. There's also what looks to be a lava giant in the brief preview clip, so there will very likely be some epic battles ahead. And while it's safe to presume that DS3 will reach the Xbox One given its appearance at Microsoft's E3 event, it's not an exclusive -- the odds are that it's headed to the PlayStation 4 as well. Update: Dark Souls III will indeed be released for Xbox One, PS4 and PC (via Steam). Check here for everything happening at E3 2015!
'Forza 6' arrives September 15th, hails the return of the Ford GT
If fast cars are what you're after when it comes to gaming, Forza Motorsport 6 will pack in plenty of that. The next installment in the series arrives September 15th on Xbox One. When the garage door opens, the game will offer the new Ford GT as a vehicle option before it makes its return to Le Mans in 2016. Heck, Microsoft and Ford even lowered one from the ceiling at the Xbox press event to celebrate. Turn 10, the studio behind Forza, says this release is "the most beautiful, technically advanced" game it's ever built. You can bet we'll be looking to put that claim and the game's 24-car multiplayer option to the test at the end of the summer. Check here for everything happening at E3 2015!
Your 'Fallout 4' PC mods will work fine on the Xbox One, too
Take a quick tour of YouTube and it'll become clear that PC gamers get to have more utterly ridiculous fun since their games are so much easier to mod. Wanna fire cars out of a gun? Simple. How about turning Skyrim's dragons into monstrous, angry former wrestlers? You get we're going with this (and that video is definitely worth a watch). Anyway, Bethesda is working on bridging that cross-platform insanity gap with the upcoming release of Fallout 4 — director Todd Howard just confirmed that mods made for the PC version of the game can be "transferred, played and shared for free" on the Xbox One.
Microsoft's new Xbox Elite wireless controller has swappable parts
When you've got a good thing going, the prevailing wisdom says you shouldn't mess with it. But today, at Microsoft's E3 press event, the company unveiled a redesigned Xbox controller: the wireless Elite. The new and improved controller adds four bumper pads under the grips, a textured rolling pad that replaces the standard D-pad and hair-trigger locks for more precise control when slaying the bad guys in your shooter of choice. But what's likely the most exciting aspect of the new Elite controller is the ability to hot swap the aforementioned parts according to your personal configuration. Microsoft didn't commit to a firm launch date for the Elite controller, but you can expect it to arrive sometime this fall. Update: Microsoft's divulged more key information about its new Xbox controller, namely its price and release date. It'll be available for $150 this October. That's certainly a whole lot of cash to dole out for a new controller. But if you want those modular perks, you'll have to make peace with the price tag.
'Halo 5' brings the epic scale of its solo campaign to multiplayer
Halo 5: Guardians won't force you to you choose between the grand scale of its single-player story and the camaraderie of multiplayer... in theory, you'll get both at the same time. The crew at 343 Industries has revealed that its sci-fi shooter will include Warzone, a 24-player mode that has you facing off against both other humans and AI opponents. Its maps are about four times the size of those from earlier games in the series, too. The addition reflects just how important the team dynamic (also shown off in single-player mode at E3) will be when Halo 5 arrives in October -- it's anything but an afterthought. Check here for everything happening at E3 2015!
Xbox One will play Xbox 360 games, preview members can try it today
Fans of backward compatibility are getting their wish: Microsoft just announced that the Xbox One will be able to play Xbox 360 games, and if you're in the preview program you can start testing it today. Demonstrated onstage with Mass Effect, it's not exactly like the Xbox 360's implementation, since it's all digital. If you bought a game online and it's available, you just download it on your Xbox One and start playing. If you have it on disc, just pop the disc in and it will download so you can play, although you will need to have the disc in the tray for it to work. Additionally, on Xbox One you'll be able to to take advantage of new features like the Game DVR, screenshots and game streaming. Microsoft says it should have more than 100 games ready for the program when it launches for all this holiday season, and that all developers need to do is approve their games for the system to make them available -- no extra work should be required. Check here for everything happening at E3 2015!
Here's how to watch Microsoft's Xbox event at E3 2015
If you're an Xbox fan, today's the day you've been waiting for. Microsoft is getting ready to show us what's next for the platform, live from E3 2015 in Los Angeles. Will we learn additional details about Halo 5: Guardians? There's a good chance. Or, perhaps, the company plans to talk more about its recently announced partnership with Oculus -- new VR experiences? Either way, you can watch it all unfold via Twitch, YouTube or the Xbox E3 site. For your convenience, there's an embed below, but don't forget to join our liveblog, where we'll be bringing you the news as it happens. The event starts at 12:30PM ET.
Microsoft E3 2015 Xbox liveblog!
Welcome to E3 2015! Today is Day Zero and we have a lineup of major showcases ahead of us, starting with Microsoft's Xbox press conference at 9AM PT. We expect to see new footage and details about Halo 5: Guardians, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Forza 6 and a ton of smaller, though no less impressive, games. Plus, this conference comes hot on the heels of Oculus' announcement that all Rift virtual reality headsets will ship with an Xbox One controller and feature Windows 10 integration, including the ability to play Xbox One games in the Rift, in a simulated cinema, via Xbox-to-Windows streaming. Naturally, there will be surprises galore. And it starts at 9:30am PT. Join us!
