X06: MGS Conference News

Microsoft's annual X0 event has recently concluded in Barcelona, a chance for the US giant to continue the early drive behind the Xbox 360 and strengthen its newly found focus towards the PC.

The event began with significant acceptance from a Hollywood giant, continuing the creative alliance between Microsoft Game Studios and Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh. The heavyweight creative union to co-develop two series will only strengthen Microsoft's ambition to elevate the status of videogames, with the agreement covering the next chapter in the Halo universe and a second original concept. Enlisting the support of Jackson and Walsh in the development of the Halo universe is beyond significant, it seems ludicrous to imagine anything bigger than the release of Halo 2, but with a new "chapter" and a movie on the way, it seems the universe created by Bungie will expand beyond all proportions.

Announcing a spin-off title dubbed Halo Wars for the Xbox 360, RTS experts, Ensemble Studios, have the daunting task of taking Halo back to where it originally started. Players take control of UNSC armies as mankind confronts the Covenant for the first time.

The agreement also covers establishing a new development studio, dubbed Wingnuts Interactive; though we're unsure of their involvement, if any, in the two series.

"Microsoft has built an amazing living canvas with Xbox 360 and Xbox Live, which allows the storytellers of our time to express themselves in a new medium. They have fundamentally changed how people think about games," Jackson said. "My vision, together with Microsoft Game Studios, is to push the boundaries of game development and the future of interactive entertainment. From a movie-maker's point of view, it is clear to me that the Xbox 360 platform is the stage where storytellers can work their craft in the same way they do today with movies and books but taking it further with interactivity."

Rare finally letting Banjo and Kazooie out of the trunk is hardly going to cause too many people to drop a PSP. Widely expected to occur sooner rather than later; the UK studio's return to its most well-known characters after experimenting with the forthcoming Viva Pinata will mark their fourth Xbox 360 title.

As the months rolled by after E3, the continued lack of confirmation surrounding a Playstation3 version of 2K Games and Irrational Games, Bioshock, seemed to suggest Microsoft had another commercial and critical success up its sleeve. Which certainly seems to be the case, with the title confirmed as an exclusive spring 2007 release - whether that rules out a later release on the PS3 at this stage we're not entirely sure.

Creating one of the main reasons to own an Xbox 360 at launch and establishing a crucial Xbox exclusive series, the confirmation of Project Gotham Racing 4 is a welcome announcement. It seems Bizarre can do nothing wrong with this series, at present, and without the time pressures faced with a launch release date, it's hard to imagine just where the limits end.

Confirming two exclusive downloadable episodes via Xbox Live, Rockstar's GTA4 announcement seems to suggest something a little different for the next chapter in the GTA series. Rockstar are under pressure to deliver a defining â??GTA' next-gen experience amidst the rise in similar titles that are appearing, so the change to an episodic structure to deliver continuously developing content, new plot progression dynamics and likely "exclusive" episodes on the PS3 as well, doesn't seem too speculative - the added revenue stream of keeping a game alive with downloadable content after release must also be quite tempting when you're sitting on the biggest brand in gaming.

Details of Sam Fisher's latest adventures in Splinter Cell 5 were recently leaked on the net, though we don't remember seeing it as an Xbox 360 console exclusive. Sam Fisher has always felt at home on the Xbox, so it seems natural that Splinter Cell 5 will be an exclusive with the promise of developing the online content through Xbox Live.

The appearance of Doom as the "major" franchise arriving on Xbox Live Arcade is a major achievement for the online service. A genuine classic and still blisteringly addictive, it doesn't matter that everybody's played it, Doom will never look or sound so good with 1080i and 5.1 surround support - the best thing is that's its available to download now for 800 Microsoft Points.

The final part in Microsoft's onslaught came with the HD-DVD player; with a November release in time for the PS3 and a price nailed to the ultra-appealing $199.99/£129.99/199.99 euros, Microsoft provides an alluring proposition if you're looking to get into next-gen DVD and prepared to side with HD-DVD. The initial inclusion of King Kong and a Universal Media Remote add further value, to what has to be an attractive Christmas present for a lot of people this Christmas.