E3 2018: 10 Xbox-Saving Announcements Microsoft Must Make

Year after year, it's the euphoric, out-of-nowhere surprise announcements that form the most memorable moments of each E3. Horizon Zero Dawn is an amazing game, but do you remember its initial unveiling? Unlikely.

Square Enix's semi-unexpected Final Fantasy VII Remake announcement, on the other hand: a quick search on YouTube will return an overlong list of reaction videos and sound bites of the cheering crowd that was lucky enough to be there in person for the reveal. It matters not that Cloud and co. still haven't made their return three years later, in the moment, it was a showstopper that had tongues wagging for weeks and months after the event.

Microsoft not only desperately needs one of these moments, but to go one better by ensuring that whatever surprise it has stowed away doesn't take an age to reach the hands of those it's meant for.

As to what could be big enough to elicit such a reaction, well, there's a mixed bag of potential answers, ranging from the revival of long-thought-dead franchises to a particularly lucrative exclusivity deal.

Perhaps even the slimmest glimpses of the Xbox One's successor could be on the cards, though not the best idea, given that Microsoft has hardly given One owners cause to believe their purchase has been justified since 2013.