A brand new secret title may be unveiled from an Xbox Studio sometime in the near future. In a cryptic Tweet from Head of Xbox Phil Spencer, it was hinted that The Initiative is challenging itself in new ways. With Xbox recommitting to E3 2020, the mystery may be solved in just a few months.
Phil Spencer mentioned that he met up with Matt Booty and Darrell Gallagher. Matt Booty is the head of Microsoft Studios and Darrell Gallagher is the studio head of The Initiative. The Initiative is a new game development studio and part of Xbox’s portfolio of game studios, created and purchased, that Microsoft Studios has been working hard on to help boost its overall platform.
In the Phil Spencer Tweet, he mentions that The Initiative is working on doing “new things (and old things) in new ways.” This is the mysterious aspect of the Tweet. Most believe that this means that The Initiative is working on a reboot. Darrell Gallager’s background is Activision, so that would cross out any of his former projects like Call of Duty, Tomb Raider, or Skylanders.
Theoretically, this would be the perfect time for Microsoft Studios to ask The Initiative to reboot one of its dormant Xbox franchises. Fans have been excited to start guessing about what game the reboot could be.
A fan-favorite franchise to be reborn is Perfect Dark. The game last made an appearance in the form of Perfect Dark Zero on the Xbox 360 in 2005. The single-player FPS has also made a resurgence as of late, so that, along with a solid arcade multiplayer online experience, it could be something that wins supporters over on the Xbox Series X. Gallager’s background with Activision would also fit with online experiences in connection with Call of Duty and multiplayer shooters.
Another idea is Fable. Rumors aplenty can already be found up and down the internet about the game. Many assume that it’s already being worked on by Playground Games, the developer behind the Forza series. But that’s not confirmed yet, and what’s more, it’s not yet confirmed that the game is a true reboot. A reboot would certainly be the best choice for Fable, as opposed to a continuation of the series. Fable was once one of the biggest franchises for Xbox, so it would definitely fit the description of the Phil Spencer Tweet.
With Microsoft Flight Simulator making a triumphant return, and looking quite impressive, it would be intriguing for fans to play another flying franchise that hasn’t last had an entry since 2003. That series would be Crimson Skies.
On a sillier note, but certainly not any less valid than the previous examples, Viva Pinata is a series that had a very successful run for quite a few years for Xbox. The Initiative is a brand new game developer and at this point, fans have no clue as to what direction the developer is headed with its games. A return to Viva Pinata would be something that would help show that the Xbox Series X is interested in bringing back a wide range of audiences, just like the Xbox 360 was. Blinx is another example of a series that would have a similar impact.
Regardless of whether fans have guessed what series may or may not be rebooted by The Initiative, or if Phil Spencer has completely hoodwinked everyone and something else entirely is on the way, the Xbox Series X is off to a great start and E3 2020 should be a blast for all.
