E3 is the biggest and the most anticipating gaming event of the year. Microsoft, the tech giant, showcased 52 games at the event, 18 of which will be exclusives and will not be available on any other consoles than the Xbox. This was clearly Microsoft’s attempt to regain its reputation against Sony PlayStation. Microsoft teased the attendees with a glimpse of Halo Infinite but kept its release date a secret. The first Halo game was released in 2001 and was responsible for the success of Xbox.
The tech giant will soon be opening a gaming studio, The Initiative, and also announced their acquisition of Playground Games, a developed based out in the United Kingdom. The Forza franchise is the most popular game series by Playground Games.
Piers Harding-Rolls, head of games research, IHS Markit, noted that producing first-party content will help Microsoft get a stronger standing in the gaming world as acquiring companies through its expansion strategy will take time to show success. Some of the games displayed at the E3 Event will be released soon, so if you want a discount while purchasing them, use the code - PA iLottery Bonus Code.
Microsoft today is focusing on developing more games for the Xbox console, which are exclusive, to ensure that they capture avid gamers and build on brand loyalty. To that effect, they have introduced a number of consoles in the last few years.
Microsoft released a superior version of the Xbox One in 2017, called Xbox One X. However, the company was only able to sell 39.1 million Xbox One consoles, while Sony sold more than 90 million PS3 consoles. Sony has sold 76.6 million PS4 consoles till date.
Microsoft’s new plan
At the event, Microsoft also announced about launching a game streaming service on June 17, 2018. Using the service, users can play a particular game online without having to purchase a DVD or downloading the game. It is similar to Sony’s PlayStation Now, which charges the user a fee of $19.99 monthly. Microsoft’s subscription gaming with cost $9.99 monthly and will be called Xbox Game Pass.
Harding-Rolls also mentioned that many publishers who attended the event showed a keen interest in cloud gaming and subscription business models. Because of Microsoft’s Azure capability, the tech company will get an upper hand when the market starts shifting into subscription business models.
Mike Nichols, chief marketing officer, gaming, Microsoft, is thrilled about the positive response they received for the Xbox Game Pass at E3. It has a gaming ecosystem, which increases titles gamers by 40 percent and also increases game hours by 20 percent.
What Does it Mean for you as a Gamer?
You are sure to experience some new gaming! Microsoft was the one which bought virtual reality to people’s home with the Kinect and today, it is going to take it a step further. With the E3, the Xbox World is going to get more real, and we are sure that if you own the Xbox 360, it is one solid reason to update immediately!
