During the side by side with Bethesda and its partners, Xbox Game Studios now has enough teams to do justice to more of them in the modern-day. It's time to dust off some past names and give them a proper reimagining for the Xbox Series X.
Microsoft is already down this path with several of its biggest past franchises. Forza Horizon developer Playground Games is hard at work on a reboot of Fable, and The Initiative formed specifically to create the next game in the Perfect Dark series. Both games currently only exist in the form of a teaser trailer in the eyes of fans, but many expect more information this year during Xbox's annual summer showcase.
Alongside a more in-depth look at these already revealed titles, perhaps Microsoft has another teaser set for a long-awaited franchise revival. There are several studios without a known active project, and several more coming off long-term work, so there are plenty of opportunities for new announcements just in Microsoft's core stable of developers. If there is another teaser in the works, here are a few options that could already be on the drawing board and a few that should be in the long-term plans.
id Software Should Make The Next Halo Spinoff
DOOM Eternal's final DLC update marked a definitive stopping point for Doomguy's reboot adventure, so the folks at id Software have a clean slate in of what comes next. Before the Microsoft buyout, many fans were curious about a Wolfenstein or Quake game made by the team that brought the 1993 shooter back to life. However, with access to Xbox's IP, id's next game could be even more exciting than another franchise revival. Combining one of the biggest FPS franchises with the best FPS developers in the business is a win/win situation, and id Software can bring a lot to the Halo universe.
Of course, Halo Infinite is still on the horizon, but id's game can be a campaign that complement's Master Chief's ongoing adventure on Zeta Halo. The masters of DOOM could pluck a tertiary character from Halo's vast lore (Gray Team or Buck come to mind) and craft a fast-paced campaign around that character that changes up Halo's formula. Since their game would be a spinoff, fans could more easily accept movement abilities and other changes that they shunned in the main series. Perhaps id could even expand out Halo's lore with a faction of enemies beyond the Covenant and the Flood. There's an enticing opportunity for giving Halo a new lease on life, and it'd be a shame if Microsoft missed the boat.
The Coalition Should Make The Next MechAssault
Gears of War has always been Microsoft's #2 franchise after Halo, and it made sense in the Xbox One era to create The Coalition to compliment 343 Industries and their Halo focus. They've created some great entries in the series, but it doesn't feel like Gears has ever reached the level of Halo despite that. While the plan seems to be continuing on with another Gears to close out the loose ends left in Gears 5, one can't help but wonder if the studio's time and effort wouldn't be better served elsewhere. Microsoft now has several studios devoted to shooters, so the release schedule might benefit more from something a little different and filled with mechs.
MechAssault was one of the originators of Xbox Live multiplayer back in the day, transforming the long-running MechWarrior series on PC into a console-friendly action game. The characters of Gears of War already move like lumbering mechs across the battlefields of Serra, so translating that third-person shooting to giant mechs shouldn't be too difficult. Microsoft would likely have to renegotiate with the holders of the license, but bringing back the MechAssault name would be worth the cost, and Microsoft seems to be more open with their wallet as of late.
Turn 10 Studios Should Make Quantum Redshift DLC For The Next Forza
The last few Forza Horizon games have had exciting DLC offerings that stretch far beyond the down-to-earth racing the series is known for. Players have flocked to the games specifically to experience the Hot Wheels and LEGO experiences, and there's plenty of room for similar DLC expansions in the future. It's time for the original Forza to follow suit, and there's a racing franchise in Microsoft's past that could provide an interesting opportunity for the series and developers Turn 10 Studios.
Quantum Redshift was a critically-acclaimed futuristic racer on the original Xbox that unfortunately failed to sell well. Arcade racers of all stripes face this problem, and that would likely dissuade anyone from trying to make another game in the series anytime soon. However, a new Forza game could include a DLC expansion sporting the Quantum Redshift name and offer arcade racing fans a great experience. Turn 10 could even borrow some of the sim mechanics from Forza proper to give players an F-Zero GX level of modification on their futuristic race cars.
Double Fine Should Make The Next Conker
Microsoft has tried several different approaches when it comes to keeping Conker relevant to modern audiences, but none of them have seen any success. Whether it be missions in Project Spark or the horror that is Young Conker, Rare's squirrel mascot seems to be designated as the guinea pig for unproven tech.
This should certainly change, especially since fans of Conker's Bad Fur Day have awaited a proper sequel ever since the days of the Nintendo 64. While Rare is otherwise occupied with the high seas, Microsoft has another developer in its stable that could certainly handle the off-kilter humor that Conker is known for.
With Double Fine at the helm, Conker could awaken from a years-long hangover nap and head out a meta-adventure through a much different world of gaming than what he ed when he last left home. Perhaps he could duck in on other Microsoft franchises for a level or two in a parallel to Bad Fur Day's movie parodies. Who wouldn't want to see Conker stumble through a Fuzion Frenzy minigame or meet up with a down on their luck Brute Force in a forgotten corner of the gaming multiverse? Nostalgia and crossovers are still all the rage, and Conker could be the Deadpool-esque figure that brings all the worlds of Xbox Game Studios together.
