The E3 Xbox Showcase spent more time on its driving game than the Master Chief.
Microsoft’s Xbox-Bethesda Showcase event was its strongest E3 presence in years, with a string of exciting titles that underscored the value of Game Pass like never before and positioned the console for what appears to be two solid years of gameplay. But there was one curious part of the 90-minute presentation that left some viewers confused. Halo Infinite, arguably the most anticipated game for the Xbox Series X and Series S, got its update in the middle of the event – a curious placement, but one could argue it was positioned so the reveal of Redfall wasn’t upstaged. Overall, Microsoft spend about seven minutes talking about and showing the game. Forza Horizon 5, on the other hand, received 9 minutes of attention, including “live” gameplay (though, of course, the event was taped beforehand). It was also positioned much later in the show, closer to the grand finale. The extended length of the Forza Horizon demonstration, its placement toward the end of the showcase, and the fact that it was given a hard release date (November 9) versus Halo Infinite ’s vague one (“holiday 2021”) is stoking fears that the flagship Halo game might see future delays to its release.
