Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
  • Games
  • TV
  • Movies
  • Hardware
  • Video
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Guides
  • Deals
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • SFX
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Total Film
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
View
Trending
  • Prime Day Deals
  • Superman
  • Donkey Kong Bananza
  • Switch 2 stock
Recommended reading
A player looking out at an alien planet during The Outer Worlds 2.
Adventure Games Xbox Games Showcase 2025 needs to build on Microsoft's momentum, but it may need to go beyond The Outer Worlds 2 to pull it off
Summer Game Fest logo for Summer Game Fest 2025
Events & Conferences Predicting the games of Summer Game Fest 2025: What we expect to see from each of the 20 major publishers in attendance
Xbox Games Showcase 2025 dated for June 8 alongside The Outer Wilds 2 Direct
Games The Xbox Games Showcase returns on June 8, followed by a deep-dive into Obsidian's upcoming sci-fi RPG sequel The Outer Worlds 2
Assassin's Creed Shadows Yasuke getting kicked in the face by an NPC
Events & Conferences With Ubisoft Forward looking unlikely this year, here's what I'm still expecting from the publisher at Summer Game Fest 2025
The Witcher 4
Games Wildcard Wishlist: These are the games we've pinned our hopes and dreams on turning up at Summer Game Fest 2025
Summer Game Fest logo for Summer Game Fest 2025
Games Summer Game Fest schedule 2025: dates, times, and where to watch all of the upcoming showcases
Summer Game Fest logo for Summer Game Fest 2025
Events & Conferences Everything announced at Summer Game Fest 2025
  1. Games
  2. Events & Conferences

Microsoft E3 2012 predictions

Features
By Hollander Cooper published 29 May 2012

Find out what we're expecting from Microsoft at E3

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

What's Microsoft planning?

What's Microsoft planning?

Microsoft is kicking off the show on Monday, June 4 at 9:30 AM, and we're hearing that it has big plans for the show. We've put our heads together to speculate exactly what said plans might be, and came up with some predictions as to what we expect to hear the Xbox-maker reveal.

Page 1 of 17
Page 1 of 17
They're going to update the dashboard again

They're going to update the dashboard again

It's a hassle to find anything, nothing is organized in a way that makes sense, and we're guessing the number of people waving at their TVs to watch Netflix is much lower than those stumbling through with a controller. Hopefully Microsoft will find a nice middle ground, because the current setup isn't doing it for us.

Page 2 of 17
Page 2 of 17
There will be a price drop or a new Kinect bundle

There will be a price drop or a new Kinect bundle

Maybe Microsoft will just shove Kinects into every bundle already on the market - effectively cutting the price of every Xbox on store shelves by $100 by including a shiny new Kinect. Maybe it'll slash $50 off of all of the current bundles and hope that consumers will use those savings to buy Kinects. Either way, we expect Microsoft to make a drastic move this year at E3 in terms of pricing.

Page 3 of 17
Page 3 of 17
We'll get a long look at Halo 4

We'll get a long look at Halo 4

Odds are, it won't mean standing in your living room pretending to be Master Chief (unless, you know, that's your thing), so don't get too worried. We're guessing squad commands, the ability to toss grenades, or other elements that could easily be assigned to voice will be, and that it'll be completely optional. Or maybe we'll just be able to say "Xbox, mute 'HeartEater420'" during a multiplayer match. That'd be "Better with Kinect" alright.

Page 4 of 17
Page 4 of 17
...and the beta will likely start during, or soon after, E3

...and the beta will likely start during, or soon after, E3

To make things more interesting, we think that the beta might start during E3, or shortly after. What better way to build buzz than to tell people that they can start experiencing Halo 4 as soon as the press conference is over? Microsoft has done that kind of thing before, and if it wants any chance of taking down CoD, it has to start pulling some rabbits out of helmets as soon as possible.

Page 5 of 17
Page 5 of 17
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 will be demoed on stage

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 will be demoed on stage

But more than that, this will likely be the place where Microsoft will unveil some sort of exclusivity with downloadable content, as it often does. It might be as minor as early access to downloable content, but or as major as some interesting Call of Duty Elite/Xbox Live integration. Activision could release an Xbox App of some sort that fully merges Elite and Xbox Live - that'd be a good excuse to buy the Xbox version over the PlayStation for hardcore COD fans.

Page 6 of 17
Page 6 of 17
Kinect Sports 3 will be Olympic-themed

Kinect Sports 3 will be Olympic-themed

What sports will be featured this year? They've already covered the basics, so the next logical move would be going timely by tying it into Olympic events. We doubt Microsoft is actually going to go after the pricey license, but it could work around it by just including a bunch of Olympic sports, for people to trip over their coffee tables playing. It'll be just like the real thing, except with more crying and less drug testing.

Page 7 of 17
Page 7 of 17
Xbox Live will get Major League Soccer streaming

Xbox Live will get Major League Soccer streaming

Why? Because the Seattle Sounders, that's why. The Washington-based team is owned by Microsoft, and their jerseys have branding all over them. Seriously, they have an Xbox Live logo on their jerseys. So, yeah, we're really expecting this one to be revealed.

Page 8 of 17
Page 8 of 17
EA will reveal more Kinect functionality for its Sports games

EA will reveal more Kinect functionality for its Sports games

Shouting orders to teammates in Fifa? Check. Calling out commands in NHL? Done. Yelling "FORE" for some reason in Tiger Woods? Absolutely. Every single EA Sports game will dabble in Kinect this year, though we believe the highlight example will be Madden. Beyond being able to call audibles in real-time, we anticipate an "All-Play" mode like the one found in the Wii Madden games, allowing non-gamers to use their bodies and motion-control to play a stripped-down version of Madden.

Page 9 of 17
Page 9 of 17
Epic will unveil the Unreal Engine 4 in full

Epic will unveil the Unreal Engine 4 in full

shown in image form

It's going to look awesome, too. The screens gave us a glimpse of the next-gen, but seeing it in action is going to be something else. Oh, and whatever's shown off is essentially going to be a teaser for whatever its first next-gen game is going to be, just like when Epic showed off the Unreal Engine 3 demo with what ended up becoming Gears of War.

Page 10 of 17
Page 10 of 17
Infinity Blade Kinect will finally be revealed

Infinity Blade Kinect will finally be revealed

Think about it: the controls could be almost identical. Swipes of the screen could be replaced with arm motions, taps with jabs, and dodges with... well, dodges. It'd be like a big, grown-up version of Fruit Ninja Kinect, only you'll be swiping monsters to death instead of watermelons.

Page 11 of 17
Page 11 of 17
Fortnite will have some sort of exclusivity

Fortnite will have some sort of exclusivity

Besides showing the game off at Microsoft's press conference, we expect Epic to reveal that it'll enjoy at least a limited exclusivity on the Xbox 360. Microsoft might've actually picked it up entirely, as it did with Gears of War, in hopes that it may, somehow, end up being its next AAA exclusive franchise.

Page 12 of 17
Page 12 of 17
A new Gears of War will be teased

A new Gears of War will be teased

Instead, it'll be one of two things: a prequel set during the Pendulum Wars, or a multiplayer-focused game that blurs the line between Unreal Tournament and Gears of War. Gears of War's multiplayer on a larger scale with big, open maps and vehicles would be extremely interesting, and we'd be shocked if Epic didn't attempt to keep Gears of War in the public eye, post GoW3.

Page 13 of 17
Page 13 of 17
Fable 4 will be announced

Fable 4 will be announced

Expect Fable 4 to be a step back towards Fable 2 after the less-than-stellar reception to the changes in Fable 3, and also expect the developers to call it the "end of the current Fable story," in hopes of rebooting all things Fable for the next-generation in a few years.

Oh, and it'll have Kinect support. Because hey, why not.

Page 14 of 17
Page 14 of 17
Mass Effect 3 DLC will be shown off

Mass Effect 3 DLC will be shown off

We have a feeling that EA will use Microsoft's press conference to give out some of these details, and maybe release the first trailer for whatever post-release Mass Effect DLC it has planned. Odds are more details will be revealed at EA's own press conference, but giving gamers a taste during Microsoft's conference definitely sounds like something that could happen.

Page 15 of 17
Page 15 of 17
Microsoft will hint at the next-gen

Microsoft will hint at the next-gen

Microsoft might drop some minor spec information just to make Nintendo's system seem inefficient, and we might hear a release window. Microsoft could even show "test footage" built on the Unreal 4 engine on, displaying what it believes the next-gen will look like. This would no doubt be all be smoke and mirrors in hopes of distracting people from Nintendo's console, but odds are it'll work, because it's going to be very, very pretty.

Page 16 of 17
Page 16 of 17
What are you expecting?

What are you expecting?

If you're looking for more E3 news, check out 13 games we haven't seen since E3 2011 and the top 7 biggest, best, and most shocking E3 surprises .

Page 17 of 17
Page 17 of 17
Hollander Cooper
Hollander Cooper
Social Links Navigation

Hollander Cooper was the Lead Features Editor of GamesRadar+ between 2011 and 2014. After that lengthy stint managing GR's editorial calendar he moved behind the curtain and into the video game industry itself, working as social media manager for EA and as a communications lead at Riot Games. Hollander is currently stationed at Apple as an organic social lead for the App Store and Apple Arcade. 

See more Games Features
Read more
A player looking out at an alien planet during The Outer Worlds 2.
Xbox Games Showcase 2025 needs to build on Microsoft's momentum, but it may need to go beyond The Outer Worlds 2 to pull it off
Summer Game Fest logo for Summer Game Fest 2025
Predicting the games of Summer Game Fest 2025: What we expect to see from each of the 20 major publishers in attendance
Xbox Games Showcase 2025 dated for June 8 alongside The Outer Wilds 2 Direct
The Xbox Games Showcase returns on June 8, followed by a deep-dive into Obsidian's upcoming sci-fi RPG sequel The Outer Worlds 2
Assassin's Creed Shadows Yasuke getting kicked in the face by an NPC
With Ubisoft Forward looking unlikely this year, here's what I'm still expecting from the publisher at Summer Game Fest 2025
The Witcher 4
Wildcard Wishlist: These are the games we've pinned our hopes and dreams on turning up at Summer Game Fest 2025
Summer Game Fest logo for Summer Game Fest 2025
Summer Game Fest schedule 2025: dates, times, and where to watch all of the upcoming showcases
Latest in Events & Conferences
A screenshot shows actress Jennifer Jason Leigh in the movie eXistenZ
David Cronenberg says he's "never been a great games player" — the only "game" in movies like eXistenZ and Videodrome "is to try to understand what life is now"
Indy explores a cavern beneath Rome in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants
Everything announced at the Xbox Games Showcase 2025
Summer Game Fest logo for Summer Game Fest 2025
Everything announced at Summer Game Fest 2025
Vending Dokan! Kozy Kiosk image showing a woman looking at various vending machines with different drinks and snacks
Every new indie game that shadowdropped during Wholesome Direct 2025: From a Sims-like decorating game to a chaotic cooking roguelike
Relooted screenshot showing a cinematic of all of the characters that make up the heist team
Day of the Devs Summer Game Fest Edition 2025 brought us 7 new reveals - here's what they were
Future Games Show Summer Showcase 2025 logo
How to the watch the Future Games Show Summer Showcase 2025
Latest in Features
David Corenswet as Superman in James Gunn's Superman
Superman ending explained: your biggest questions answered on Lex Luthor, the Justice Gang, and what it sets up for the DCU
The Sims 4 Enchanted by Nature
After 16 years of The Sims 3, The Sims 4 Enchanted by Nature might just be the whimsical expansion pack that pulls me away from EA's iconic 2009 life sim for good
Superman
Every comic book character in Superman, listed in order of appearance in James Gunn's new movie
David Corenswet as Superman
Where does Superman take place in the DCU timeline?
Red Dead Redemption 2 screenshot of Arthur Morgan who has shoulder length hair and a beard and wears a cowboy hat
After 4 years I returned to Red Dead Redemption 2 and fell into a chaotic rodeo of mishaps as I tried to remember how to be Arthur Morgan
David Corenswet as Superman being arrested by Ultraman, Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr. and María Gabriela de Faría as The Engineer in the Superman trailer
Ultraman's identity revealed: The most mysterious character in James Gunn's Superman explained
  1. A Gundam style mech in Mecha Break
    1
    Mecha Break review: "This mech battler makes up for lacking customization with a varied roster that lets me live out my Evangelion fantasy"
  2. 2
    Death Stranding 2: On the Beach review: "This tarpunk delivery epic is more Metal Gear Solid than ever, for better and worse"
  3. 3
    Rematch review: "As with Rocket League, the just-one-more-game pull is magnetic"
  4. 4
    Tron: Catalyst review: "Disc slinging is a thrill in this gorgeous rendition of the series, but I'm let down by a time-loop story that falls flat"
  5. 5
    FBC: Firebreak review: "A disappointingly bland multiplayer FPS that's missing far too much of what made Control special"
  1. David Corenswet as Superman inside the Fortress of Solitude in James Gunn's Superman.
    1
    Superman review: "A triumphant reinvention and a promising start for the DCU"
  2. 2
    Jurassic World Rebirth Review: "An unscary sequel that needed a little more time in amber"
  3. 3
    M3GAN 2.0 review: "A bold sequel with a slightly underwhelming conclusion"
  4. 4
    28 Years Later Review: "Enough terror, splatter and suspense to satisfy”
  5. 5
    Predator: Killer of Killers review: "Great characters, thrilling action, and gorgeous Arcane-esque animation"
  1. Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun in Squid Game season 3
    1
    Squid Game season 3 review: "A staggeringly excellent final season wraps up one of the greatest Netflix shows ever"
  2. 2
    Ironheart review: "A relic of Marvel's content-at-all-costs era"
  3. 3
    Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 review: "The show's most assured run of episodes to date"
  4. 4
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 8 spoiler review: 'The Reality War' is "a mix of the good, the bad, and the truly baffling"
  5. 5
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 7 spoiler review: 'Wish World' is "an exciting and ambitious" start to the season finale, with hints of WandaVision

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...