Microsoft at E3 2011: We Predict The Future Of Kinect, Halo, and Gears of War Forever!

Microsoft might be the biggest enigma at E3 2011. We know that Nintendo is showing a new console, and that Sony will be pimping their NGP, but what will Microsoft be doing? Chances are high that they'll rely on Kinect a good deal, pimp the upcoming Gears of War 3, and wave Halo in our face in one form or another. But will they have any real surprises? While Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney might not take the stage this year, Microsoft needs to pull out some exclusives and some well-kept secrets to impress us.

E3 means that rumors, predictions, and speculations run rampant for nearly half of a year as gamers imagine what might be coming, while developers tease and hint at things to come. Here are our predictions for Microsoft at E3 2011. 

Kevin Kelly, Scorpio

• What Might Happen: Microsoft will announce an exclusive title that will shock everyone, and anger Sony fans.
• What Will Never Happen: Peter Moore will return to Microsoft triumphantly, sporting a new Xbox Next tattoo on his lower back as an announcement for the new console.

Matt Keil, Libra

• What Might Happen: Halo HD remake announced to celebrate 10th anniversary of Microsoft’s biggest franchise
• What Will Never Happen: Microsoft announces deal with LucasArts to revive the X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter franchise exclusively on Xbox Live Arcade.

Joe Paulding, Pisces

• What Might Happen: Microsoft will announce that Rockstar’s Agent is now multiplatform, and Rare will unveil a couple of Kinect games that I’ll never play. 
• What Will Never Happen: Milo will return to the stage and eat Peter Molyneux’s soul. Fable 4 will take the previous game’s “touch mechanic” and add a new “inappropriate touch mechanic” that is initiated by holding down the left bumper. 

Rob Manuel, Aquarius

• What Might Happen: Microsoft releases software for XNA developers to utilize the Kinect in new games and share it with other people.
• What Will Never Happen: Using the Kinect with Mass Effect 3 means only one thing – amazing sex scenes.

Antonio Hernandez, Taurus

• What Might Happen: Microsoft delivers a convincing, hardcore Kinect title.
• What Will Never Happen: Cliff Bleszinski, under the pressure of Microsoft, develops Gears of Pony for the Kinect. The game is marketed as a Gears of War for the casual crowd, replacing blood with candy corn and retro lancers with lollipop lancers. It sells a bazillion copies.

J.P. Shub, Capricorn

• What Might Happen: I predict that the Kinect will finally move beyond dancing, exercising and arm flailing. Not that I haven’t been enjoying my dancing, exercising and arm flailing.
• What Will Never Happen: Microsoft brings back my favorite Xbox game ever, Crimson Skies. To this day, my favorite multiplayer game on Xbox Live.

Moye Ishimoto, Aries

• What Might Happen: Microsoft will announce more Kinect titles, including Dance Central 2 with a online multiplayer option where you can battle with your Xbox Live friends.
• What Will Never Happen: Microsoft will announce new motion control technology where our bodies are not only the controller, but also the console itself. Wait, what?

Stephen Johnson, Virgo

• What Might Happen: Not wanting to be left out of the new-console-athon. Microsoft mentions that work has begun on the successor to the Xbox 360.
• What Will Never Happen: Microsoft raises Xbox Live friend cap above 100.

Leah Jackson, Leo

• What Might Happen: Peter Molyneux will announce Fable 4 will and declare that it will revolutionize the action RPG genre and, once again, everyone will believe him.
• What Will Never Happen: Microsoft will announce that Final Fantasy 13 Versus will be coming out for the Xbox 360.

Eric Eckstein, Gemini

• What Might Happen: Lots and lots of Kinect games. Sure, there will be Gears but this show's mostly about proving that Kinect can fuel games for everyone, hardcore, casual and Star Wars fans. Modern Warfare 3 will announce exclusive window on map packs for Xbox 360 and some sort of Halo project will be revealed as a stopgap for the inevitable Halo 4 game.
• What Will Never Happen: None of those Kinect games will make any of us feel better about blowing $130 last winter. And no Blu-ray drive, so stop asking!

Dana Vinson, Sagittarius

• What Might Happen: Microsoft will announce a string of exclusive titles, including a "hardcore" Kinect title.
• What Will Never Happen: Milo comes back!

Nikole Zivalich, Ophiuchus

• What Might Happen: I'm hoping Microsoft shows off Halo 4. I know Halo HD, a re-mastered Halo: Combat Evolved seems more likely but I would rather see the continuation of Master Chief’s story. Another possibility is Epic announcing something for the Kinect. Gears of War: Exile has been rumored for a while and a Gears of War dance game is exactly where the series should go. Torch! Torch! Torch!
• What Will Never Happen: I don't think there is a demand for this franchise, but come on Viva Pinata! I can't be the only person into neon color romancing. And how about Sega and Microsoft make me another Jet Set Radio.

Jake Gaskill, Zodiac Killer

• What Might Happen: Remedy will announced Alan Wake 2 with Kinect support is in development and will be released late next year. That is course if it doesn’t end up being an Xbox 720 launch title five years from now.
• What Will Never Happen: Microsoft will reveal an external Blu-ray drive for the 360 and apologize sincerely for betting on HD-DVD.

Sophie Prell, Browncoat

• What Might Happen: Halo 4 announcement/tease. The series may be slightly lagging behind Call of Duty for now, but Microsoft wants the title of FPS king again and by god, they'll do whatever it takes to have it.
• What Will Never Happen: A Kinect compatible title that doesn't make adult, hardcore gamers either laugh in ridicule or blush and sheepishly look away as they think (never out loud), "It could be... kinda fun to play with an imaginary tiger."

What do you think? What will Microsoft be showing off at their E3 Press Conference this year?