10 Biggest Video Game Surprises Of 2019

Microsoft played an unthinkable hand of Poker in 2019. There's been a handful of those scene stealing moments on this list already, as well as a series of major developer purchases (including but not limited to Obsidian Entertainment and Double Fine). It's all part of a continued commitment to change the Xbox brand for the better, of course, but nothing was more surprising or unexpected than Microsoft's decision to build a business partnership with a rival console manufacturer.

Of course, from a business point of view, why wouldn't you want to publish to a platform that's more profitable than anything else on the market over the past year. And that's probably what Microsoft thought too, as they brought their indie darlings in Ori & The Bling Forrest and Cuphead to the Nintendo Switch.

To consider that this partnership even exists is somewhat mind boggling, but it shows that willingness Phil Spencer and his team has to create that sense of good will not just around their games, but the Xbox brand itself.

The constant rumours of other titles jumping ship will no doubt continue to waft through the air as all good rumours do, but for now, let's reflect again on the fact that Microsoft published a game on a Nintendo platform.

You were crazy, 2019.