5 Exclusive Games That Could Save Xbox (If They Were Announced)

It’s no secret that Xbox has been struggling to compete with the other big dogs in the gaming world. Back in the day, the console market was dominated by them, with countless exceptional games coming out from the original device all the way up until the Xbox One. But since then, the momentum has slowed significantly, and despite some pretty big acquisitions like Bethesda and the success of Game Pass, it feels like Microsoft’s place in gaming may be entering its final days.

However, the flame is still very lit, and there is a good chance that if they decide to revive one or several of their major IPs, then the tables may turn back in their favor after all these years. Taking a trip through the history books, it is clear that Xbox has an impressive roster of franchises and developers under its wing, many of which have previously stood at the top of the industry with their respective releases. So, if they are going to push back and carve out a sizable place in the market, then they are going to need to bring out the big guns and show everyone exactly why they used to be considered the kings of gaming.

Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.

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Banjo-Kazooie

The Perfect Console Mascot

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• Neglected franchise that would fit in well with the rest of the console’s exclusives
• Modern platformers remain incredibly popular across all devices

Banjo-Kazooie represents one of the most obvious dormant Xbox properties, and a duo that many players would put up alongside big names like Mario and Sonic. While Nintendo has continued benefiting from mascot-driven platformers with a strong identity and a broad appeal, Xbox has largely abandoned the genre entirely outside smaller projects, and given how successful recent releases like Astro Bot and Donkey Kong Bananza have been, it makes perfect sense to try and take a piece of the pie.

A modern Banjo revival could fill multiple gaps simultaneously by diversifying Xbox’s portfolio, reviving Rare’s most iconic series, and providing a family-friendly exclusive with genuine nostalgia value. More importantly, it would give the platform a recognizable identity outside shooters and Western RPGs, and usher in a new wave of players, both old and young, who could all get in on the fun. I, for one, miss the bombastic adventures of the unlikely duo and genuinely think, given how powerful icons are for driving console sales, that Xbox should for sure reconsider using some oldies going forward.

Halo

Where It All Began

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• Full reinvention to bring back the glory days
• Strong campaign would be a must-have

Halo is still Xbox’s defining brand, but the series has struggled to maintain the cultural dominance it once held, partly driven by some underwhelming releases in recent years. Incremental changes and live-service experimentation have not restored the sense of industry leadership associated with the original Bungie era, and although the genre has certainly moved forward, it is very clear from the chart-topping success of games like Call of Duty and Battlefield that people still want classic-style FPS games.

A bold reinvention could change that, whether it be through a darker military focus, a semi-open campaign structure, or a complete tonal reset, but whatever the case, Halo needs a project that feels ambitious rather than reactive. I am hopeful that after a few remakes, Xbox may finally see how important the IP is to their brand’s identity, and move in a new direction governed by what players want, not what trends demand.

Viva Piñata

Cozy Gamers Are Here To Stay

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• Life sims are incredibly popular today
• Could compete with much more mainstream releases

Viva Piñata arrived long before cozy and sandbox-driven games became dominant mainstream genres, yet now, it feels as though the IP could thrive far more than it did back in the day. There’s a lot to love, from the ecosystem mechanics to the creature management systems, and the colorful presentation opened the doors for far more players to get involved and addicted in no time.

Looking at other titles in the genre, it is hard to argue against the success that exclusives like Animal Crossing and multi-platform hits like Stardew Valley have had, and I would even go so far as to argue that many more Switches have been sold purely by one of those two games. Gamers want more than explosions and killing, which means that in order to broaden their reach, I think Xbox should certainly expand their priorities to more than one type of player.

Fallout 6

Elder Scrolls Can Wait A Bit Longer

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• Clear interest in the IP from players
• Open-world RPGs remain the king

The world was shocked when it was announced that Bethesda was being acquired by Xbox, as suddenly, multiple genre titans from the past few decades were being moved to a brand-new home. The Elder Scrolls 6 has obviously already been announced, and there is no clear idea of when it will be launching, but given how popular the Fallout show was, and the resurgence of interest surrounding 76, it is probably about time that we stepped back into the wasteland.

The fourth mainline installment had a pretty mixed reception, which did sway mostly towards the positive, yet I always found it strange that we never got a fifth one or a sequel to New Vegas. There have been several incredible fan projects that have shown just how incredible the world could be in a completely different setting, so I hope to see the apocalypse go global, alongside adding some new pieces of lore, to move the franchise into new ground, and maybe even usher in a new Bethesda golden era.

Shadowrun

Plenty Of Room For More Turn-Based RPGs

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• Effective blend of sci-fi and tactical gameplay
• Xbox lacks a major exclusive sim-style RPG

Shadowrun has enormous untapped potential in the modern turn-based RPG landscape, a space that is now becoming one of the biggest in the entire industry. Just in the last few years, we have had Baldur’s Gate 3 and Clair Obscur, and while they do differ in a lot of ways from the more tactical gameplay of Shadowrun, they are indicators of a strategic hunger that Xbox is failing to meet.

The few titles in the franchise that I have played remain on my RPG podium to this day, and I think that many other players would agree that a more cinematic, larger-scale revival would be exactly what Xbox needs to get its foot in the door. With the right developer at the helm, the franchise could evolve into a deep, immersive RPG blending player choice, systemic gameplay, and noir storytelling, an area where Xbox currently has very little competition internally and all the room to make a real splash.