Xbox One to support 360 titles
LOS ANGELES — Microsoft used its Electronic Entertainment Expo to showcase the future of Xbox, but it's some of the device's older games that captured the most buzz.
The company confirmed older titles available on the predecessor Xbox 360 will also be compatible with Xbox One. More than 100 titles will be eligible this holiday, with more to come. Older games will still support Xbox One features such as game streaming, DVR and screenshots.
The move is part of Microsoft's broader push to get players sitting on the fence to finally commit to the new generation of consoles. ""If you've been waiting to move from your Xbox 360, now's the time," said head of Xbox Phil Spencer.
The other highlight was a powerful demonstration of Minecraft for Microsoft's HoloLens augmented reality headset. The demo showed a player controlling a 3D hologram of a Minecraft structure, standing over top watching the creation and using voice commands.
The event also included a peek at the Xbox holiday lineup, which includes new installments of series including Tomb Raider, Halo, Gears of War and Forza Motorsport.
For a recap of the Xbox event, read our updates below.
2:00 p.m.: Spencer appears now to wrap up. Holiday lineup looks solid, between Tomb Raider, Halo, Gears and Fable. "If you've been waiting to move from your Xbox 360, now's the time," says Spencer.
1:58 p.m.: "I'm beginning to think we're not the hunters anymore,"says one soldier, as several four-legged beasts emerge. It looks like they're shooting spikes from their tails. Textbook Gears of Wars, with cover mechanics and lots of blood. Title right now is Gears 4, slated for holiday.
1:54 p.m.: Demo starts out in the dark, as players explore a series of abandoned buildings covered in blood. A massive lightning storm forces the group inside, as characters use the chainsaw on the Lancer to cut through a gate and escape.
1:52 p.m.: Rod Fergusson is up next to introduce Gears of War: Ultimate Edition. A public beta for multiplayer kicks off Monday. He nows grabs a controller to show off what's presumably a new Gears of War game.
1:51 p.m.: At one point, the demonstrator says "lightning strike" to generate a couple bolts of lightning. If it works as advertised as demonstrated, this is really amazing.
1:50 p.m.: Players can look inside, exploring the structure while standing and looking above. The developer demonstrating watches Winters' character exploring inside. This is really impressive. Players can use voice commands to get different perspectives on the map.
1:48 p.m.: Very interesting. Getting a demo of Minecraft on HoloLens. Winters says she can participate in the demo through a Microsoft Surface tablet. She says users will be able to display Minecraft anywhere. They move the game from the wall to a table, displaying a Minecraft creation. It looks really cool.
1:46 p.m.: Lydia Winters from Mojang on stage to discuss Minecraft for HoloLens. Remember, Microsoft acquired Minecraft last year for $2.5 billion.
1:44 p.m.: Xbox's Kudo Tsunoda says Fable Legends will be free to play on both Xbox One and Windows 10. Tsunoda says Xbox is striking a deal with Valve on virtual reality. He references the deal with Oculus, where players can use an Xbox One controller. Xbox One games will be playable on Oculus Rift via streaming. It looks like we're also learning more on the HoloLens.
1:42 p.m.: Microsoft not slowing down on the world exclusives. It's a free to play fantasy game. What's interesting is characters move through the world as much larger characters look in the background. The game is Fable Legends, launching this holiday.
1:40 p.m.: The opening to this Rare game features the camera panning through a mysterious jungle envrionment. Appears to be a first-person perspective. It tracks a character running to the shore toward a massive ship. Heavy emphasis on nautical combat and pirates. The game is called Sea of Thieves.
1:38 p.m.: Checking out Rare Replay, a collection of 30 classic titles including this writer's personal favorite: Battletoads. Rare shifts to a brand new "shared world adventure game." Yet one more world premiere.
1:35 p.m.: Lara tumbles down the mountain as the avalanche catches up with her. She emerges from the snow alone and injured. "I finally feel a sense of purpose again, like I'm doing what I was meant to do," she says. The game is expected to launch November 10.
1:33 p.m.: Lara falls, clinging by only a rope for rappeling. Her companion swings her to the side of the mountain so she can regain her grip. As she gets her footing, Lara and companion flee an avalanche. Here's where the series' seemingly effortless movement through environments at play.
1:31 p.m.: Demo starts with Lara Croft moving through a snowy cave with her torch. She's climbing a mountain during blizzard-like conditions. Using grappling hooks, she climbs up the side of an icy mountain, dodging falling debris. Intense.
1:30 p.m.: Brian Horton is up next to taks Rise of the Tomb Raider, which is an Xbox One exclusive. Time for some gameplay.
1:28 p.m.: Dean Hall, creator of DayZ, is up next. "I want a game that's not a game," say Hall. "I want a game that's a universe." The game explores humanity's push toward the frontier of space. Showing off intergalactic title called Ion.
1:25 p.m.: Microsoft announces Xbox Game Preview, where players get early access to titles, similar to PC. Every game in the program includes a free trial. A select number of titles will appear, including Elite Dangerous and DayZ.
1:23 p.m.: Checking out an interesting new game called Cuphead, a classic platformer taking on the style of a 1930s' cartoon.
1:22 p.m.: The press event is moving away from the AAA games to indie experiences. Looking at the game Beyond Eyes for Xbox One and PC.
1:15 p.m.: Time for a Windows 10 and Xbox One exclusive: a very colorful looking cooperative game, judging from an early look. Variety of heroes boasting long range and close quarter abilities. Name of the title is Gigantic. Players also have giant guardians that protect them. A beta for the game is out in August.
1:13 p.m.: Xbox One will get first crack at a beta for The Division this summer, says Detoc. Also, players that buy tactical shooter Rainbow Six: Siege will get earlier titles Rainbow Six: Vegas and Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 free. The game launches October 13.
1:12 p.m.: "When society falls, we rise," says the tagline for the game. Laurent Detoc, president of Ubisoft Americas, on stage to talk more. Looks like we're getting a demo.
1:11 p.m.: Shifting gears to Tom Clancy's The Division from Ubisoft. The game focuses on a virus spreading through New York City. Players work on a team of operatives to keep the virus contained and restore order to the city.
1:10 p.m.: Confirmed: It's Dark Souls III. Launching in early 2016.
1:08 p.m.: Time for our next world premiere, from Bandai Namco. This is looking like Dark Souls. "Now only embers remain," says a message with what looks like a bonfire at the start.
1:07 p.m.: Next Forza title will launch on September 15 for the Xbox One.
1:05 p.m.: Henry Ford III of the Ford Motor Company joins Dan Greenawalt of Turn 10 Studios to discuss racing title Forza Motorsport 6. Plus there's a really shiny, speedy car on stage.
1:02 p.m.: They're playing Danger Zone during this Plants vs. Zombies 2 trailer. Maverick and Goose would be so proud. It appears futuristic weapons will be part of the new game.
1:01 p.m.:Titanfall will be available in the EA Access vault later this year, as will Dragon Age: Inquisition. Seems EA is saving the good stuff for its press event right after this. Xbox Live Gold members will get free access for one week to all titles in the EA Access vault, says Moore. He wraps by announcing the sequel Plants Vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2.
12:59 p.m.: Electronic Arts chief operating officer Peter Moore back in a familiar spot: the Xbox stage during E3. He starts with EA Access, the paid service that allows players to check out games days before launch.
12:58 p.m.: Howard says any modifications built on the PC for Fallout 4 will be available to Xbox One users. Game launches November 10.
12:57 p.m.: Most of the staples of Fallout are here. Players have to track radiation levels as well as their health and the strength of their armor. Plus, the deathclaws are back. Brings back bad Fallout 3 memories.
12:55 p.m.: Taking a closer look at combat, where players can use their new dog companion to take on enemies like raiders. Howard showing off the laser musket, where players crank a handle then fire off a massive round. We meet Preston Garvey, one of the characters players will meet.
12:53 p.m.: Howard offers more details on Fallout 4 and the Pip-Boy. The game looks extraordinary. Most of this demo was featured during Sunday night's Bethesda press event. But I won't complain about watching again. Still spectacular.
12:51 p.m.: Todd Howard of Bethesda Game Studios is back on stage to talk more Fallout 4. Interesting to see how he tops Sunday night.
12:50 p.m.: "We won't charge you for the games you already own," says Ybarra. Lots of applause on that one. Spencer returns to introduce the Xbox Elite wireless controller.
12:49 p.m.: Ybarra shows off the backward compatibility feature with the original Mass Effect. Xbox One features such as taking screenshots, broadcasting, game streaming and game DVR will work with older games.
12:48 p.m.: Spencer confirms Xbox One will be backwards compatible, which means you can play all Xbox 360 games on the Xbox One. That's huge. More than 100 titles will be available this holiday, says Xbox's Mike Ybarra.
12:46 p.m.: Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox, talks more about Recore, which is an Xbox exclusive. "You will see how we're continuing to invest and innovate for gamers across our platform, our services and, of course, our games," says Spencer. He notes the lineup of games for Xbox One will highlight the platform's "depth and diversity."
12:45 p.m.: The female lead uses a grappling hook and the help of her dog to battle a series of spider-like enemies. The game is called Recore, and launches in Spring 2016.
12:43 p.m.: Time for our first world premiere of the Xbox event. Starts with a woman and a dog-like robot. The game comes from Keiji Inafune and the makers of Metroid Prime. Very interesting.
12:41 p.m.:Halo 5: Guardians launching October 27. Josh Holmes, executive producer at 343, now on stage. Halo says multiplayer will take a "giant leap" with 24 player matches among the new features. Looking at a new match type called Warzone, which looks like player-versus-player battles while teams also fight off alien enemies simultaneously. It looks insane.
12:39 p.m.: Very cool ground pound style attack where one of the Spartan soldiers targets an enemy then slams them to the ground with a fist. Should learn more this week about this conflict between Master Chief and Spartans.
12:37 p.m.:Halo 5 living up to the "epic scale" description by Ross. Environments look massive. During one sequence where the team takes on an enemy ship, one of the players appears to issue orders. Seems like we'll get a more tactical, team-based Halo experience.
12:35 p.m.: Ross builds up the trailer featuring star Master Chief as "hero or traitor." The demo kicks off into a cooperative stage where a group of players battle Covenant enemies. It appears the team is on the hunt for Master Chief. Wonder if you play Halo 5 from both sides.
12:33 p.m.: Bonnie Ross, head of 343 Industries, kicks things off with a look a quick introduction and fresh look at Halo 5: Guardians. "Epic worlds, epic battles, epic scale," says Ross.
12:31 p.m. ET: We begin with a montage of some of the big Xbox titles coming, including Rise of the Tomb Raider, Halo 5 and Forza. Also spotted Marcus Fenix (Gears of War). "Will you step or will you leap?," ends the montage. Pretty solid first-party lineup.
ORIGINAL STORY
With virtual reality playing such a huge role at this year's show, expect news on Microsoft's augmented reality device HoloLens, as well as potentially more details on its partnership with Oculus.
There are also several key titles that will likely make an appearance, including Halo 5: Guardians and Rise of the Tomb Raider.
The show will be broadcast live on Twitch and YouTube:
It's one of several big events Monday, capped by Sony's press event starting at 9 p.m. ET. Also hosting press conferences during E3 on Monday include Electronic Arts and Ubisoft. Follow USA TODAY's Brett Molina and Mike Snider on Twitter for updates on EA and Ubisoft's events.
Miss a story? Be sure to visit our E3 hub at e3.usatoday.com.
Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.