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Xbox's Major Franchises: Tracking the Years Since New Entries

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 19:26:04 GMT

Microsoft has long struggled with a perceived first-party problem. Head of Xbox Phil Spencer acknowledged as much in 2017, shortly before the company began announcing a series of major studio acquisitions, bringing the likes of Obsidian, Double Fine, and Ninja Theory, among others, under its Xbox Game Studios umbrella. The company recently showed off a selection of fruits from this labor during its Xbox Series X showcase. First-party developers were in the spotlight, with big reveals from Obsidian and Playground in the forms of Avowed and Fable, respectively, and the first-ever Halo Infinite gameplay from 343 (which has now been delayed to 2021). With its bolstered portfolio of studios, the first-party future of Xbox still looks promising. Today, however, we’re looking at the past and present output of Microsoft’s major video game franchises, tracking how long it’s been between original releases in the biggest Xbox series. (This list measures the time between original, mainline releases only — if a spinoff or remake was released more recently it's noted with an asterisk (*). Time elapsed figures are based on U.S. release dates and are recorded as of August 2020. The list doesn’t include series from newly acquired studios — Obsidian’s Pillars of Eternity, inXile’s Wasteland, etc.— since Microsoft had no part in the management of those franchises to date.) [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=xboxs-major-franchise-output&captions=true"]

0-7 Years (Xbox One, PC)

Battletoads – <1 month

Latest: Battletoads (August 2020)

This month’s Battletoads is the first released by Microsoft since it obtained the IP in its 2002 acquisition of Rare. Before this month, the franchise had lain dormant for over 25 years, with the previous release, Battletoads Arcade (aka Super Battletoads), coming in 1994.

Microsoft Flight Simulator – <1 month

Latest: Microsoft Flight Simulator (August 2020)

The origins of Microsoft’s longest-running franchise date back forty years ago, when the original Flight Simulator was released on the Apple II home computer. Microsoft acquired the franchise shortly after and went on to release several iterations of the sim throughout the ‘80s, ‘90s, and early ‘00s.

2020’s Flight Simulator is out this month for PC, with a console release expected to follow. It’ll be the first original entry in the series since Flight Simulator X in 2006.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/30/microsoft-flight-simulator-final-preview"]

Ori – 5 months

Latest: Ori and the Will of the Wisps (March 2020)

Despite being Microsoft’s youngest franchise at five years old, Ori (alongside Forza Horizon) has been Xbox’s most celebrated IP this generation; the console versions of Blind Forest and Will of the Wisps hold an 88 and 90 on Metacritic, respectively.

In a Reddit AMA, Ori lead designer Chris McEntee said the first two games “told the story that [developer Moon Studios] wanted to tell,” though they “left the door cracked open a bit for a potential continuation.”

Moon Studios’ next project is an action-RPG that will be published by Private Division, though it’s also working on an Xbox Series X version of Will of the Wisps with support for 120fps.

Gears of War – 11 months*

Latest: Gears 5 (Sept 2019)

*Since the release of Gears 5, Microsoft has released the excellent strategy spinoff Gears Tactics.

Considering its importance to the Xbox portfolio — Gears is likely Microsoft’s most recognizable franchise next to Halo, and the company bought the IP outright in 2014 — future entries are a given. However, whatever comes next will be made without Rod Fergusson, the former head of Microsoft’s Gears-focused studio The Coalition; Fergusson joined Blizzard earlier this year to oversee Diablo.

Crackdown – 1 year, 6 months

Latest: Crackdown 3 (February 2019)

Microsoft released Crackdown 3 in early 2019 after years of troubled development. The future of the cult-favorite franchise is likely in jeopardy after the series’ latest was released to little fanfare and poor critical reception (it holds a 60 on Metacritic; our review scored it a 5).

Forza – 1 year, 10 months*

Latest: Forza Horizon 4 (October 2018)

*Forza Street, a free-to-play mobile spinoff, was released more recently.

A rebooted Forza Motorsport is in development for Xbox Series X. An in-engine trailer was shown at Microsoft’s July showcase, though the racer is still in “early development” at Turn 10 Studios with no release window in place. The status of Playground’s Forza Horizon series, which has been gaining sales and critical acclaim with each new entry, is unknown, but it seems highly likely to continue.

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State of Decay – 2 years, 3 months

Latest: State of Decay 2 (May 2018)

Undead Labs’ work on State of Decay 2 didn’t stop with its release in 2018; in 2020 the studio released State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition, a massive overhaul that added a host of new content, graphical improvements, additional music, bug fixes, and quality-of-life updates.

The franchise will continue with State of Decay 3, which was recently announced for Xbox Series X.

Halo – 4 years, 10 months*

Latest: Halo 5: Guardians (October 2015)

*Halo Wars 2, the franchise's second RTS spinoff, was released in 2017.

Microsoft’s flagship franchise has been synonymous with the Xbox brand since Combat Evolved launched alongside the original console in 2001. The series’ next mainline entry, Halo Infinite, was originally planned to launch alongside Xbox Series X this holiday, however, it has now been delayed to 2021.

Killer Instinct – 6 years, 9 months

Latest: Killer Instinct (November 2013)

Microsoft acquired the classic fighting franchise with its purchase of Rare in 2002. It’d release its first (and so far only) Killer Instinct as an Xbox One launch game in 2013. Additional fighters would be added for years after, culminating in 2016’s Killer Instinct: Definitive Edition.

Developer Iron Galaxy, which took over for Double Helix following its acquisition by Amazon, is not working on a new Killer Instinct, according to the studio’s Adam Heart.

Zoo Tycoon – 6 years, 9 months*

Latest: Zoo Tycoon (November 2013)

*An enhanced version of 2013’s Zoo Tycoon was released in 2017 as Zoo Tycoon: Ultimate Animal Collection. The new version added better graphics and new animals, including kangaroos and koalas.

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7-15 Years (Xbox 360, PC)

Fable – 9 years, 10 months*

Latest: Fable 3 (October 2010)

*The franchise’s latest is Fable Fortune, a free-to-play card-based spinoff released 2018 (and shut down earlier this year).

One of Microsoft’s most beloved franchises throughout the Xbox 360 generation, Fable went (almost) entirely ignored during the Xbox One’s lifecycle. (The multiplayer-only Fable Legends made it to closed beta before being cancelled in 2016.)

Fable will return on Xbox Series X, however, as Microsoft recently announced a series reboot is in development by a second team inside Forza Horizon studio Playground Games. Original Fable developer Lionhead Studios was shuttered shortly after the cancellation of Legends.

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Blue Dragon – 10 years, 3 months*

Latest: Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow (May 2010)

*The most recent Blue Dragon games were released exclusively for Nintendo DS; it’s been 13 years since a Blue Dragon was released on Xbox.

Alongside Lost Odyssey, Blue Dragon was one of two early Xbox 360 JRPGs from Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi developed to help Xbox compete in Japan.

Despite holding the Blue Dragon trademark, Microsoft has only published one Blue Dragon game (the 2007 original) on Xbox. A sequel was planned but never came to be. In 2016, Xbox head Phil Spencer tweeted Blue Dragon 2 is not in the works, but “never say never.”

Minecraft – 11 years, 3 months*

Latest: Minecraft (May 2009)

*The latest spinoff, Minecraft: Dungeons, was released earlier this year.

Microsoft acquired Minecraft with its $2.5-billion USD purchase of Mojang in 2014. The franchise has since become ubiquitous, spawning spinoffs in every medium of media and establishing itself as the face of video games for an entire generation.

The game itself continues to receive significant updates 11 years later and has sold a staggering 200 million copies, according to Microsoft. Because it lives on as its own platform, a proper Minecraft 2 seems unlikely.

Banjo-Kazooie – 11 years, 9 months*

Latest: Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (November 2008)

*All three mainline Banjo games were re-released in 2015 as part of Rare Replay. Banjo and Kazooie also appeared as a Smash Ultimate DLC fighter in 2019.

Microsoft has only put out one new Banjo game since it acquired the IP along with Rare in 2002, and there's been no word on a new entry since 2008’s Nuts & Bolts.

A spiritual successor, Yooka-Laylee, was released in 2017 by Playtonic, a studio founded by a group of former Rare devs.

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Viva Piñata – 11 years, 11 months*

Latest: Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise (September 2008)

*A DS-exclusive, Viva Piñata, Pocket Paradise, was released a week after Trouble in Paradise; both Viva Piñata and Trouble in Paradise were re-released in 2015 as part of Rare Replay.

To the dismay of a still-passionate fanbase, Microsoft hasn’t revisited Viva Piñata in over a decade. With developer Rare maintaining Sea of Thieves and working on Everwild for Xbox Series X, it seems unlikely it’ll return to its whimsical simulation series anytime soon.

Microsoft last commented on the franchise’s future in 2018, when Spencer told Giant Bomb a new entry is not in the works.

Lost Odyssey – 12 years, 6 months

Latest: Lost Odyssey (February 2008)

While not exactly a franchise — only the one entry was released in 2008 — Lost Odyssey remains part of the conversation surrounding the Xbox portfolio, especially in regard to its lack of Japanese games. The cult classic JRPG is considered one of the genre’s best on Xbox 360, but outside of a trademark renewal in 2018, there’s been no word on a potential return to the franchise.

Project Gotham Racing – 12 years, 10 months

Latest: PGR 4 (October 2007)

PGR developer Bizarre Creations was purchased by Activision shortly before the release of PGR 4 in late 2007. The studio would go on to create a spiritual successor, Blur, in 2010, before shuttering shortly after its release.

Microsoft, meanwhile, released only one PGR game after Bizzare’s departure: PGR: Ferrari Edition, a racer exclusive to Microsoft’s Zune HD.

Fuzion Frenzy – 13 years, 7 months

Latest: Fuzion Frenzy 2 (January 2007)

The beloved party game came to the original Xbox as a launch title in 2001 and was among the first games from that generation to be made backwards compatible on Xbox One. A less memorable sequel was released for Xbox 360 in 2007, and the franchise has been inactive since.

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Perfect Dark – 14 years, 9 months*

Latest: Perfect Dark Zero (November 2005)

*A remake of the original Perfect Dark was released on XBLA in 2010; both Perfect Dark and Perfect Dark Zero are included in 2015’s Rare Replay.

Though it’s been over a dozen years since the last Perfect Dark, interest in the franchise has been renewed by recent rumors and speculation surrounding Microsoft’s “AAAA” studio The Initiative. The developer is rumored to be working on a Perfect Dark reboot, though without any official information, the series’ potential return remains highly speculative.

Age of Empires – 14 years, 10 months*

Latest: Age of Empires 3 (October 2005)

*A remake of Age of Empires 2 was released in November 2019.

The next Age of Empires is currently in development at Relic; a remastered version of Age of Empires 3 is also in the works at Tantalus Media. Both projects are being overseen by Microsoft’s newly established Age of Empires studio, World’s Edge.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/14/age-of-empires-4-gameplay-trailer-x019"]

15+ Years (Xbox, PC)

Conker – 15 years, 2 months*

Latest: Conker: Live & Reloaded (June 2005)

*Conker’s Big Reunion, a new Conker story housed inside of Project Spark, was released in 2015; Conker’s Bad Fur Day was included in 2015’s Rare Replay.

Conker’s ill-fated comeback in Project Spark was planned as a 10-episode story, but only one episode was ever released, as Microsoft ceased all DLC development for Project Spark five months after episode one debuted.

Phantom Dust – 15 years, 5 months*

Latest: Phantom Dust (March 2005)

*A remake of Phantom Dust was released for Xbox One and PC in 2017.

Phantom Dust was originally released as a Japan exclusive in 2004, before it was brought stateside by Majesco six months later. Microsoft had big plans for a reboot early in the Xbox One generation, but those plans were ultimately scrapped in favor of a visually upgraded re-release of the original.

MechAssault – 15 years, 8 months*

Latest: MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf (December 2004)

*A DS-exclusive spinoff, Phantom War, was released in 2006; MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries, which exists within the same BattleTech universe, was most recently released in 2019.

We may one day see a new MechAssault, if Phil Spencer's desire for a new entry is to come true. Speaking to IGN earlier this year on Podcast Unlocked, Spencer was asked which dormant IP from the Xbox portfolio he'd personally like to see brought back. "Mech," he answered without hesitation. "Mech from a rights standpoint's a little bit messy ... but when I think about MechAssault ... it's just really deep, really rich stories and characters to go play in, and I think it'd be really cool at some point if we could do something with Mech."

MechAssault was put on hold after the 2004 sequel didn't sell well enough, according to producer Mitch Gitelman.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/12/20/why-mechassault-franchise-didnt-continue-ign-unfiltered"]

Blinx – 15 years, 9 months

Latest release: Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space (November 2004)

Microsoft’s anthropomorphic time-traveling cat was last seen in 2004’s Blinx sequel, Masters of Time and Space. The mascot character was designed by Sonic the Hedgehog creator Naoto Ohshima to bolster the Xbox’s standing in Japan, but it failed to make a dent in a genre dominated by icons such as Mario and Crash Bandicoot.

Microsoft officially abandoned the Blinx trademark in 2015, according to VideoGamer.

Voodoo Vince – 16 years, 9 months*

Latest: Voodoo Vince (November 2003)

*A remastered version of Voodoo Vince was released for Xbox One and PC in 2017.

Voodoo Vince may not have reached the heights of the era’s other platformers, but it did find a champion in one of gaming’s most influential executives: Xbox boss Phil Spencer has called Voodoo Vince his all-time favorite game, as it was the first game he played through together with his two daughters.

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Crimson Skies – 16 years, 10 months

Latest: Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge (October 2003)

As of 2017, Microsoft wasn’t working on a new Crimson Skies, according to Spencer, though he acknowledged the setting is “very cool” and Microsoft could “definitely do more with it.”

That same year, series creator Jordan Weisman, who also created the aforementioned MechAssault, told PCGamesN he’s “been in discussion with [Microsoft] for a long time” to work on Crimson Skies in some capacity. However, nothing has materialized in the three years since.

Midtown Madness – 17 years, 2 months*

Latest: Midtown Madness 3 (June 2003)

*A Motocross spinoff released for XBLA in 2013

Following two PC exclusive releases, Microsoft brought Midtown Madness to console in 2003 with the series’ third entry. Aside from a motocross spinoff in 2013, the franchise has gone ignored for the better part of two decades. Microsoft hasn’t commented on the series’ future, but it’s hard to imagine the company will release a first-party racing game outside of its Forza franchise.

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What do you think of Microsoft's first-party output? What series on this list surprised you most? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to vote in the poll below!

You can also check out our analysis of Nintendo's first-party output. Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we round out this series of features with an exploration of Sony's first-party franchises.

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Jordan is a freelance writer for IGN.

BioShock 4 Seemingly Won't Take Place in Rapture or Columbia

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 14:55:33 GMT

The next Bioshock may not be taking place in previous settings Rapture or Columbia, if recent job listings are any indication. Twitter user MauroNL3 pointed out on Twitter that the studio behind the next BioShock game, Cloud Chamber, has several job listings that seem to hint at what the team is looking to do with the next game in the series. The listings ask for experience with Unreal Engine 4 and experience in scripted cinematic sequences, amongst other things. The listings also mention a "new and fantastical world." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=next-gen-buzzwords-explained&captions=true"] "We want you to help us breathe life into a new and fantastical world," several job listings read. "Together, we will set the stage for a stunning narrative and systems-driven experience." The latter part is par for the course of BioShock but the former is what indicates a shift away from Rapture or Columbia, considering the team is specifically looking for people to breath life into a "new" world. A senior cinematic artist job listing mentions "Wes Anderson-like precision and panache in your camera positioning and movements" and the ability to "create and implement systemic, in-game, scripted cinematic sequences." The listings seem to indicate, as you'd expect, that the game will indeed be a first-person shooter like the BioShocks that came before it. "Develop an FPS combat paradigm that is accessible, satisfying, and allows for a high degree of player expression and experimentation within a highly reactive world," a principal combat designer job listing reads. "Look beyond direct conflict, accommodate various play-styles and design encounters that can be resolved through player ingenuity." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/29/the-first-18-minutes-of-bioshock-remastered-gameplay-on-nintendo-switch"] There are a few other details to gleam from these Cloud Chamber job listings. A senior cinematic animator job listing requires a "good understanding of anatomy and caricature" and "exceptional skill in animating the human bipedal figure, organic forms, quadrupedal, and mechanical objects." While the listings seem to indicate the series won't be returning to Rapture or Columbia, the environment-related job listings don't reveal much else. The listings ask for experience with specific software and programs but don't hint at what kind of environment we can expect in the studio's BioShock game. There is a chance that these job listings are for a separate project, however - while all of the job listings make clear that the company is making a new BioShock game, one entry for a senior world designer is looking for someone to work on an "unannounced AAA first-person action game". It's unclear whether the role has been open since before BioShock 4 was confirmed and its description hasn't been updated accordingly, or if Cloud Chamber is beginning work on another game simultaneously. If this news about the next BioShock game has you wanting to jump back into the series where it began, be sure to use our interactive BioShock map to find every collectible, Big Daddy, Little Sister, and more. Be sure to couple that with our BioShock walkthrough, which will help you ensure that you don't miss a beat during your playthrough. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes, where you'll see him talk often about how much he loves the BioShock series.

Braid Anniversary Edition Announced

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 20:17:06 GMT

The classic puzzle adventure Braid is being updated for a modern audience in Braid: Anniversary Edition, coming early 2021. Announced at today's Sony State of Play, it was revealed that Braid has been hand-repainted for today's displays, in order to look more like a "living painting". Other upgrades include 9 pixels to every one in the original, improved sound and music, and many hours of developer commentary. Braid: Anniversary Edition is hitting PS4 in early 2021. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/06/braid-anniversary-edition-reveal-trailer-state-of-play-2020"] [poilib element="accentDivider"]

Injustice: Year Zero Reveals the Secret History of This Dark DC Universe

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 16:00:40 GMT

DC Comics has just announced Injustice: Year Zero, a digital-first prequel to the popular Injustice: Gods Among Us video game and its tie-in comic books. While DC's previous Injustice comics have explored the five years of history leading up to the events of the original game and then bridged the gap between that game and its sequel, Year Zero dives even further back in the timeline. This prequel series explores a new conflict set before the fateful day when Superman killed Joker. Subtitled "Fall of the Old Gods," Year Zero sheds light on this universe's version of the World War II-era Justice Society, even as it reveals what happens when the Joker manages to take control of the world's most powerful heroes in the present day. IGN can exclusively debut several pages from Injustice: Year Zero - Chapter 3, which feature Hawkman and Hawkgirl. Check them out in the slideshow gallery below: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=injustice-year-zero-exclusive-preview&captions=true"] Injustice: Year Zero is again written by Tom Taylor, with a rotating art team that includes Rogê Antônio, Cian Tormey, Rain Beredo and Wes Abbott and covers by Julian Totino Tedesco. The first three chapters are available to purchase now on Read DC, ComiXology and other digital comics retailers. Each chapter is priced at $.99, and a bundle of the first three chapters is also available for $2.49. The series will run for 14 chapters in total, with new installments releasing every Tuesday. “Year Zero isn't as morally grey as what comes after,” said Tom Taylor told The Hollywood Reporter. “This is Superman and Batman at the peak of their friendship. Lois and Clark as a team. The Justice League united, and the Justice Society as a shining example for all. Of course, by its very nature, there's going to be tragedy and shocks and deaths, but there will be hope, there will be triumph, there will be love with the loss and heart alongside the hurt.” While there's no word yet on whether a third Injustice game is in the works, we did recently learn about a surprising influence the series had on DC's Birds of Prey movie. Taylor is also the writer behind the popular DCeased series, which is set in another alternate DC Universe ravaged by a techno-zombie plague. That series recently received a digital-first companion of its own in the form of DCEased: Hope at World's End. Check out the video below to see Taylor reflecting on the challenge of combining superheroes and The Walking Dead: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/07/21/dceased-writer-on-creating-the-walking-dead-with-superheroes-comic-con-2019"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

GTA Online's Next-Gen Version Will Have Exclusive Content

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 13:48:08 GMT

Rockstar’s parent company, Take Two, has stated that new content will be coming to GTA Online that is exclusive to next-generation consoles and PC. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/11/grand-theft-auto-5-enhanced-edition-trailer-ps5-reveal-event"] During the latest financial earnings call, Take Two said that “additional content exclusive to the new consoles and PC” is planned for Grand Theft Auto Online. This new content will arrive in 2021, but Take Two offered no more details on what form the content will take. Take Two’s president, Karl Slatoff, also promised that the next-generation versions of Grand Theft Auto 5 - which also includes a standalone version of GTA Online, as revealed as part of Sony’s PS5 reveal stream - will have a variety of technical improvements that will make it “more responsive”. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=grand-theft-auto-v-playstation-5-reveal-event-screenshots&captions=true"] A press release from Rockstar in June explained that the next-generation versions of GTA 5 will be released in the second half of 2021, so it will be at least next July before we see it. As for that new content, it’s unrevealed as to if it will be available simultaneously with the next-gen version’s launch, or deployed in a staggered release schedule. For more, check out how an alien gang war took over GTA Online, and the best open worlds in gaming. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.