The Rare We Knew Is Dead

After Microsoft acquired the rights to the Gears of War franchise , The Coalition (formerly known as Black Tusk Studios) quickly went to work on a fifth entry in the critically-acclaimed series. E3 2015 saw a stunning gameplay reveal of Gears of War 4 , which is looking to bring back the grimmer horror elements and 2-player co-op that helped make the original such a hit in the first pl


The people behind hit games such as Alan Wake and Max Payne are set to release what is possibly their most ambitious project yet with Quantum Break . Quantum Break is looking to combine gaming and television in a big way, boasting a star-studded cast that includes Shawn Ashmore from X-Men , along with actors from shows such as Game of Thrones and The Wire . After a number of delays, Quantum Break is finally set to release for the Xbox One on April 5th, 2

Even though the gaming world-renowned name remains with the company, Rare as we knew it is dead and everything we ever knew and loved about them was laid to rest years ago. I can already hear you now: why is this a big deal? Why does Microsoft purchasing a company that was actively seeking a buyer mean that the old Rare as we knew it is gone? They're still around making games for the Xbox One, with Sea of Thieves on the way, but a huge chunk of their creative development team was lost during the transition from Nintendo to Microsoft and it shows. After founders Tim and Chris Stamper quit in 2007, they were replaced by Gregg Mayles, the current Creative Director for Rare.

Now the current occupation of creative team members in the company rely on one thing and one thing alone to sell their games: nostalgia. The current Rare as we know it relies heavily on gamer's nostalgia of IPs of gaming’s past. It's no coincidence that Rare Replay (an amazing collection of old Rare Games) was released during the same time Microsoft was announcing that Rare was going to be making more "Traditional" games again. Don’t be confused; even though Rare Replay was released on Xbox and marketed as Rare titles, these are in no way a reflection on the current company. The majority of the games seen in Rare Replay were done by employees that no longer exist at the company.


For those who aren’t aware, Cuphead is a "run-and-gun platformer" created in the style of 1930s cartoons. Players will enjoy a single-player campaign, along with multiplayer action. Like the other games on this list, there is still plenty of details yet to be shared about Cuphead , but needless to say, gamers are already lining up to grab this unique indie ti


Which Xbox One exclusives are you looking forward to next year? Are you interested in other games not listed here, such as Keiji Inafune's ReCore ? Are you looking forward to some of the console exclusive indie titles hitting Xbox One next year, like Below and Cuphead ? Sound off in the comments below and talk with us about all the exciting games coming to Xbox One in 2


Previous episodes in Sea of Thieves ' Short Haul trailer series include " Creating Clouds ," " Aboard the Ship ," and " Instruments ." Each explores an example of how Sea of Thieves tries to bring the player closer to the world in which they're playing. Instruments talks about how players can add their own soundtrack within the game through gameplay, but how it's also influenced by social aspects of the game . Creating Clouds shows how Sea of Thieves is using an ever-present object in virtually every game -- clouds -- in a new way to add depth to the experience. It's unexplored territory, which pirates would appreci


As is the case with Quantum Break , one of the biggest Xbox One exclusives coming next year is from a third-party studio. Platinum Games is developing a new action RPG called Scalebound , which will allow gamers to take the skies on the backs of dragons, and battle enemies with the help of friends in 4-player co-op. Scalebound 's Gamescom 2015 trailer impressed many, and hopefully Platinum Games can stick the landing when the game releases next y

A strong candidate for Best of E3 last year, Horizon: Zero Dawn followed the prototypical formula. After showing a hands-off demo at E3 2015, the developers at Guerrilla Games put the controllers in the hands of E3 attendees and proved to them that the game is real. It was in that hands-on demo that Horizon really solidified as a special experience. Most of all, Horizon: Zero Dawn is exactly the type of game that some would argue E3 needs more of: original IPs that are not afraid to take chances. Hats off to Guerrilla for doing something differ


Unlike past year's E3 events, this year's had a particular air of familiarity. Going into the even most gamers had a pretty good handle on what should be announced, and by and large the major publishers stuck to their scripts. There were some surprises, like the official reveal of the Xbox One Scorpio , but mostly it was the known quantities that impres

Moreover, Microsoft also claims that 2016 will be even bigger for Xbox . As we look ahead to the biggest games that are in store for Xbox gamers next year, it becomes apparent that the execs at Xbox aren't just click the following webpage blowing smoke. These five games in particular have caught our eye as Xbox One exclusives that have the most potent