When it comes to exclusive Xbox One games, the platform can be inconsistent, but when they’re on, they’re on. No one could deny the success of series like Halo and Forza when it comes to expanding the player base, and Microsoft continues the push with new Play Anywhere offerings, which grant players the ability to play their purchased games on Windows 10—though granted…that complicates the word “exclusive.” Nonetheless, here are some of the top Xbox One exclusives with the most buzz.
Sea of Thieves
Though it wasn’t among the Xbox One exclusive games list, some believe Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag started an inevitable shift in gaming toward the high seas. Rare’s upcoming pirate-themed adventure, Sea of Thieves, looks to prove it. First announced during 2015’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Sea of Thieves will allow merry bands of sailors to embark on cooperative multiplayer quests on Xbox or Windows 10 through the Play Anywhere service, in a shared world à la Destiny.
Sea of Thieves was originally scheduled for a 2017 release, but has since been moved to early 2018.
State of Decay 2
Microsoft is betting long-term on zombie survival with State of Decay 2. Undead Labs partnered up with the publishing arm to continue the Decay series in Spring of 2018 with more open world cooperative mayhem for up to four players. The original State of Decay title sold over 4.5 million copies, meaning the community for the follow-up should be thriving from the start.
Undead Labs promises an immersive fantasy setting in a world that remembers the choices you make. Each player is their “own person, with a unique mix of background traits, skills, and attitudes that determine what they can do…”
Crackdown 3
Near the top of the Xbox One exclusives list, it’s hard to believe the Crackdown series launched over a decade ago. Since its first title, more studios have worked on the series than games have been released, four of which will share responsibility for Crackdown 3 alone. While the tone and subject matter appear to remain consistent in the upcoming installment, the technology behind the game is noteworthy. Microsoft revealed the game at E3 in 2014, demonstrating its use of cloud computing for rapid physics modelling and rendering to create a fully destructible version of its open world city. Many games have incorporated explosions and chaos, but Crackdown looks to create the most realistic, physically accurate environmental destruction we’ve seen yet.
Forza Motorsport 7
In some rare circumstances, more of the same is a good thing. Forza is without question one of the best Xbox One exclusive games series.
Turn 10 Studios developed Forza Motorsport 7 as the Xbox hardware team perfected the Xbox One X system. Turn 10 provided feedback, the hardware team provided a prototype console. Two days later, Turn 10 had a Forza demo running at 4K resolution, 60 frames per second.
Forza Motorsport 7 will feature more than 700 cars racing at 32 locations including all tracks from the previous installment, a new fictional circuit in Dubai, and several fan favorites from Forza 4. In addition, Forza 7 will feature dynamic weather as seen in the Horizon series.
Below
There are many unusual things about Below from Capybara Games, and you might not have guessed it would be one of the best exclusive Xbox games contenders. Microsoft singled out this indie to offer as a Play Anywhere title, praising its “creative take on roguelike gameplay” and randomly generated environments. As with so many similar titles, it’s intended to be a challenging game, not necessarily inviting to casual players unfamiliar with the genre.
Below was announced at E3 all the way back in 2013, with development grinding to an indefinite halt in 2016 when the studio turned its attention to OK K.O.! Let’s Be Heroes for Cartoon Network. Still, many players hold out hope to see the title brought to life in the near future.
Interestingly, with the development of Play Anywhere titles, “Xbox Exclusive” has simply come to mean “Not PlayStation.” Still, Microsoft places continual emphasis on its exclusive offerings, with potentially promising new titles announced each year. So far, Microsoft has guaranteed no title will be exclusive to one model of Xbox One over another, which has been universally appreciated.
How do you like the Play Anywhere offerings? Let us know what you’re looking forward to, and which great upcoming games we missed.
