Xbox E3 Will Focus More on First-Party This Year, "New Exclusive IP" Teased

With under two months to go before E3 2015, Microsoft has started to tease its plans for the show. Xbox boss Phil Spencer writes on Twitter that fans can expect this year's event to feel "different" from past shows, primarily because Microsoft is going to focus more on first-party titles with its briefing than previous events.

Spencer revealed the news on Twitter in a back-and-forth with fans who asked about what Microsoft may have up its sleeve for E3 2015. He started off by teasing that Microsoft "should have new exclusive IP at E3," adding that he is "trying to make this E3 more about first-party than past E3s."

his doesn't mean third-party games will be missing at Microsoft's E3 showing this summer, Spencer stressed in a follow-up tweet. "And to be clear we will have third-party deals, it's just, [in my opinion], important to focus on and support our first-party," he said.

Among other franchises, Activision's Call of Duty series is one of the biggest third-party games that historically gets stage time at Microsoft's annual E3 event. This is, of course, likely due to Microsoft's long-standing exclusivity arrangement with Activision for Call of Duty DLC.

Spencer went on to say that he's aware that Microsoft's new first-party E3 focus means this year's show might "feel different from past E3s." However, "I like focusing on our games," he explained.

Some of Microsoft's first-party game announcements from last year's E3 included Scalebound, and new entries in the Crackdown and Phantom Dust franchises. Looking to this year, Microsoft has already said it plans to talk more about Halo 5: Guardians, Forza Motorsport 6, and something new in the Gears of War franchise at E3. Other first-party possibilities include Rare's new game and Quantum Break (recentlydelayed to 2016), while there are always surprises kept under wraps until the big show.

Spencer and the rest of the Xbox planning team are scheduled to hold an internal meeting today, April 20, to discuss what Microsoft will show during its E3 presentation. He said Microsoft will hold a "full-day content review for E3" on Monday, in an effort to look at "everything we might show."
He went on to say that days like today are "some of the best work days; inspiring."

E3 2015 begins with Bethesda's press conference on Sunday, June 14. Though official plans have not yet been announced, Microsoft historically holds its press conference on Monday morning of E3 week (June 15), with Electronic Arts and Ubisoft holding theirs later in the day, capped off by Sony's in the evening. Nintendo is expected to follow on the Tuesday of E3 week with its own event.

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