Microsoft today revealed a brand-new Gears of War, Gears of War 4, that is coming to Xbox One during holiday 2016.
The game was shown off using the first-ever gameplay footage, which feature two seemingly brand-new characters. A number of elements from previous Gears appear to be returning, including gun-mounted chainsaws and the style of sprinting seeing in previous games.
The demo moved from an outdoor environment where a storm was hitting to an indoor area with very limited lighting. The two characters--one a woman, and one a man whose perspective the demo was shown from--then began fighting a variety of monsters that don't appear to be resemble those seen in past games. In the process, we get to see the Gnasher Shotgun, Lancer, and the chainsaw all used.
While the game undoubtedly looked much better than any past Gears title, there didn't appear to be much new on display; the core gameplay seems largely unchanged, at least based on what we saw this morning. While it's somewhat disappointing that any new elements Gears 4 offers weren't featured in the video, we are still roughly a year and a half away from its launch. In other words, there isn't necessarily any reason for Gears fans hoping for some new wrinkles to panic.
Xbox development head Kudo Tsunoda has announced that the corporation is "working closely with Valve" to ensure that Windows 10 will be an ideal platform for Valve's Vive headset.
Though he wouldn't offer specific details, Tsunoda's announcement of a Valve partnership closely follows the Windows 10 deal with Oculus VR. Retail models of Oculus Rift
Meanwhile, Oculus Rift will be able to play Xbox One games via a Wi-Fi streaming service. It is suspected, though not confirmed, that Valve's Vive headset could offer the same function.
Microsoft has gone from relative obscurity in the world of VR, to becoming a central player in the sector, in a matter of days.
There is no confirmed release date for the Vive headset, though Valve has already begun speaking to developers about shipping developer models.
During Microsoft's 2015 E3 Press Conference, Mojang's Director of Fun, Lydia Winters, announced that a demo of the Hololens version of Minecraft back in January, reporting that "the demo turns an entire room into a lively game world, punching holes into tables and through the walls to reveal interactive environments that can be changed with the tap of a finger."
Microsoft is planning to release on September 15, the corporation confirmed during its E3 press conference on Monday.
Dan Greenawalt, creative director at developer Turn 10, took the stage to provide a small video presentation of the racing title. He added that the game will feature 24-car multiplayer, night and rain weather conditions, and fans who pre-order the title will be given bonus content.
Forza Motorsport 6 is developer Turn 10's second major Xbox One project, following its acclaimed Forza 5 launch title.
Microsoft premiered Dark Souls III on its E3 2015 press conference stage by showing a short teaser confirming that the Hidetaka Miyazaki-helmed game will arrive in early 2016.
Rumours of a Dark Souls 3 E3 reveal surfaced in early June, with reports that .
Prior to the official announcement of a new Dark Souls, it was unclear whether Miyazaki would be involved with the Bloodborne expansion. Or if, as the rumour suggested, he had moved on to a new project.
Microsoft's E3 2015 press conference started sensibly enough, with the franchise that put Xbox on the map: Halo
While no major plot reveals were made, the new Halo 5 Guardians gameplay further conveyed the likelihood that Halo 5: Guardians will a significant character departure not seen since Halo: Reach, a game that didn't even feature Master Chief at all. Led by Spartan Locke (with the acting and facial capture of Nathan Fillion), his squad is in search for Master Chief, who has since gone missing in action. Exploring a stronghold littered with injured Covenant, the gameplay clip implied that the once main villain of the franchise is in the midst of their twilight years. The 5-minute gameplay footage had all the trademarks of Halo: the assertiveness of a shotgun, new weapons like a beam crossbow, the reappearance of the Prometheans, and n brief escape sequence from a collapsing environment. The emphasis on a squad without Master Chief was effective in connecting this campaign mode with the much talked about Halo 5 Guardians multiplayer.
The presentation wrapped up with reminder of Halo 5 Warzone, a highly customizable multiplayer platform that pits up to 24 players adversarially and against AI bots. Expect maps larger than your average Halo map.
Halo 5 Guardians is set for release on October 27, 2015.
E3 2015 is about to get underway, but news about Rock Band is already appearing. According listings from retailers . Keep an eye on GameSpot for all news about Rock Band that comes out of E3 this week.
Check out the world premiere demo for Gears 4 at the Microsoft press conference from E3 2015.
We captured the Bethesda and Microsoft stream directly at 720p at 60fps, here's a side by side comparison.
Take a look at this trailer for Fable Legends as shown at Microsoft's E3 2015 press conference.
Check out the E3 2015 announcement trailer for ReCore, an Xbox One exclusive from Keiji Inafune and the makers of Metroid Prime.
Check out halo 5 gameplay from the Microsoft press conference from E3 2015.
Check out the new fully customizable Xbox Elite Wireless Controller as revealed at E3 2015.
