Xbox Series X: 10 Worries Microsoft NEED To Address

Microsoft has developed an unfortunate if deserved reputation for playing it too safe and sticking with the same franchises, even as they continue to grow less effective over time.

Specifically, three main studios; 343 Industries, The Coalition and Turn 10 Studios are focused solely on Halo, Gears of War and Forza respectively. None of the later releases from each of these properties have been outright bad, but they've certainly outstayed their welcome over the last generation.

These studios could do with a break from making Halo and Gears of War all the time. Let them branch out and see what they can come up with for an original IP. They're already under Microsoft's banner, so they have plenty of funding and resources to make another big hit. All of them have many talented developers who can bring new ideas to the Series X catalogue.

We've seen these new directions pay off for both Sony and Nintendo. Ubisoft's Mario and Rabbids Kingdom battle turned into a surprisingly solid XCOM-style romp. On the other hand Sony, realising that Killzone had passed its sell-by-date, allowed Guerrilla Games to make the brilliant Horizon Zero Dawn.

With Xbox still in desperate need to new franchises to make itself relevant again, Microsoft should loosen up their approach to first party and allow for greater diversity from these studios.