Soon, the Xbox Games Showcase 2023 event will be upon us and will greet the video game industry with a slew of announcements and grand reveals featuring new games for all Xbox platforms. During these events, we like to theorize what news could be in store for us. Some predictions can be down to earth with reasonable evidence to back them up, while others like mine tend to take a more dramatic approach.
Whenever these events happen, I like to make wild and crazy predictions that will most likely never happen, but it would be mind-blowing if they did. Imagine if your most requested Xbox game was announced during an Xbox Games Showcase or a game company suddenly announced the return of your childhood favorite franchise that hasn’t seen a new game in decades. That’s the kind of wild-card predictions that I love making, and when they come true, the excitement I feel is out of this world. These are my top dream predictions for the 2023 Xbox Games Showcase.
A new Killer Instinct game for Xbox Series X|S
When it comes to fighting games, I admit my skills are not the best. However, I do enjoy playing them with my friends and family. One of my favorite fighting games growing up was Killer Instinct, which was originally developed by Rare back in the 1990s. I remember playing with friends, bashing each other with Ultra Combos in the Super Nintendo version of Killer Instinct while listening to the game’s awesome soundtrack.
Now imagine my reaction when in 2013, Microsoft announced the return of Killer Instinct and being one of the launch titles for the Xbox One. My mind was blown not just out of the water; it was jettisoned into the vacuum of space due to the hype I was experiencing. Killer Instinct (2013) was an amazing game — the combat system was top-notch, the roster was filled with a host of cool warriors, robots, and monsters, the soundtrack by Mick Gordon and later Celldweller is iconic, and it received the best post-launch support of any fighting game to date with four years’ worth of DLC content.
Unfortunately, when the last post-launch character, Eagle, was added in 2017, there haven't been any major gameplay updates to Killer Instinct (2013) since then, and there's been no word from Microsoft of a sequel in the pipeline. However, Killer Instinct (2013) is still being supported to this day by its passionate fanbase, which still plays at official fighting game tournaments. In addition, the developers at Xbox Games Studios have recently patched the game's servers so players can continue fighting online on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.
With such devotion from the fans and the developers, I'd say it's high time Killer Instinct (2013) gets a new game for modern consoles. If Microsoft were to announce a new Killer Instinct game for Xbox Series X|S, my reaction might even be more dramatic than when I saw Killer Instinct's (2013) reveal all those years ago.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake comes to Xbox Series X|S
As a devoted Final Fantasy fan since the 1990s, I personally have mixed feelings about Final Fantasy 7 Remake. I wasn’t on board with the execution of the story changes and direction this game took compared to the original PlayStation One classic. On the other hand, I can’t deny that this game brought new life back into the iconic JRPG. It has one of the best action-based combat systems the franchise has ever had, the presentation is gorgeous, and it has revitalized fan-favorite characters for a modern audience without sacrificing their memorable traits and personalities.
Unfortunately, Xbox fans may never get to experience this momentous title as Final Fantasy 7 Remake has not yet been ported to Xbox consoles, even though its PlayStation-exclusivity deal has run out and has been ported onto PC. Although hope is not entirely lost as Final Fantasy 7’s prequel game, Crisis Core -Final Fantasy 7- Reunion, received an Xbox port in December 2022.
Perhaps this is a sign that Final Fantasy 7 Remake could make its way onto Xbox Series X|S someday, or an Xbox announcement could be made alongside an Xbox port of its upcoming sequel, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Either way, it would set the gaming world on fire because if PlayStation’s golden child, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, came to Xbox consoles, it would prove that games being released as multi-platform titles is the way of the future.
Capcom announces the return of the Breath of Fire series for Xbox
Capcom has been on a roll for several years, pumping out winner after winner like Monster Hunter World, Monster Hunter Rise, Devil May Cry 5, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, Resident Evil Village, Resident Evil 2 (2019), Resident Evil 4 (2023), and recently Street Fighter 6. With new original, upcoming Xbox titles like Exoprimal and Pragmata, while also announcing a sequel to Dragon’s Dogma, Capcom is showing no signs of slowing down.
Since Capcom is willing to bring back old franchises like Dragon’s Dogma, I believe now is the time for Capcom to revive one of my favorite JRPG series of all time — Breath of Fire. Breath of Fire was a series of JRPGs made by Capcom that followed the adventures of a blue-haired warrior named Ryu (not related to Street Fighter’s Ryu) who had the ability to transform into dragons.
They were amazing JRPG adventures where you traveled across classic fantasy settings, met up with cool characters who joined your party, and battled titanic monsters, which required using Ryu’s dragon powers to incinerate them. Breath of Fire 3 and 4, in particular, are among some of my favorite JRPGs ever — their high-quality gameplay and stories even rivaled those of Square Enix’s critically-acclaimed Final Fantasy titles released for the original PlayStation.
Unfortunately, after the release of the controversial Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter on the PlayStation 2 in 2002, the Breath of Fire series has lain dormant ever since. The last major Breath of Fire release was Breath of Fire 6, a mobile game that was only sold in Japan in 2016 and lasted a year before its servers were shut down in 2017.
If Capcom were to announce a new Breath of Fire game at the Xbox Games Showcase to capitalize on their current winning streak, I would lose my marbles. They could make a brand-new AAA-budgeted Breath of Fire game that utilizes their patented RE Engine or remake some of the classic titles in an HD-2D art style like Square Enix’s Live a Live or Octopath Traveler. I would even settle for ports of the old Breath of Fire games bundled together like Capcom have done with its Mega Man games in the Mega Man Legacy Collections.
Monster Hunter World 2 gets announced with Xbox-exclusive content
I make no secret that Monster Hunter: World is one of my favorite games of all time. Its expansive roster of awe-inspiring monsters to hunt, addictive gameplay loop, gigantic wealth of content, and complex and satisfying combat system hooked me into the Monster Hunter franchise and have not let me go since.
With the final update of Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak coming soon, it's only a matter of time before Capcom announces the next major title for the series. It is highly likely it will be called Monster Hunter: World 2 to capitalize on the name alone, as Monster Hunter: World is Capcom's best-selling game to date. It will no doubt expand upon its predecessors with new weapons, armor, monsters, etc., but one thing that I think will be a wild but highly unlikely addition is featuring collaboration content exclusively for Xbox consoles.
The PlayStation 4 version of Monster Hunter: World had a collaboration with Sony’s Horizon Zero Dawn franchise, where players got to equip themselves with Horizon Zero Dawn-themed weapons and armor. It would be really cool if the next Monster Hunter game would give Xbox consoles the same treatment.
Imagine a Monster Hunter collaboration with Gears of War where you get to dress up as Marcus Fenix and use a Heavy Bowgun with a chainsaw attachment as an homage to Gears of Wars’ iconic weapon, the Lancer. Or a crossover with Sea of Thieves, where players get to hunt sea creatures from Rare’s pirate game and are rewarded with pirate-themed gear for their efforts.
If the Behemoth from Final Fantasy 14 and the Leshen from Witcher 3 can become boss fights in Monster Hunter: World, then anything is possible for future Monster Hunter titles.
Capcom announces a Monster Hunter retro collection for Xbox
Speaking of Monster Hunter, another dream announcement of mine from Capcom that could come about during the Xbox Games Showcase is a Monster Hunter collection that bundles together a selection of retro Monster Hunter titles. While I was waiting for Monster Hunter Rise to be released, I went back and played a couple of older titles in the series. I was able to acquire and enjoy titles like Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate on Nintendo Switch and Monster Hunter Stories on iOS. However, I had much more difficulty finding and purchasing older titles.
The older Monster Hunter games are incredibly hard to find and very expensive to purchase these days from retailers due to them being released on older systems like the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, or Nintendo Wii U. Even Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, which is regarded by long-standing Monster Hunter fans as the best game in the entire franchise has become harder to find due to the Nintendo 3DS’ e-shop closing down. That’s without mentioning Monster Hunter games only available in Japan, like Monster Hunter Dos and Monster Hunter Portable 3rd.
It's a shame it has come to this as some of the retro titles feature unique monsters not found in any other Monster Hunter game. I would love to fight some of the monsters from these games, such as the Yama Tsukami from Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, the Jhen Mohran from Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, or the Gogmazios from Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate. Capcom could solve this problem and introduce new fans to the classics by releasing the older games on modern consoles, much like they have been doing with the Mega Man Legacy Collections and the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy.
A Monster Hunter retro collection could improve the old games’ graphics up to HD standards then any portable Monster Hunter titles would become much smoother to control as they would no longer be confined by restrictive PlayStation Portable or Nintendo 3DS controls. Not to mention they would be much easier on the eye as players wouldn’t have to look at a tiny screen to play them anymore.
Rare announces Kameo 2
Rare is responsible for creating some of the most beloved and creative titles in the video game industry. Their list of titles includes the likes of the original Killer Instinct, Donkey Kong Country, Banjo-Kazooie, Sea of Thieves, GoldenEye 64, Battletoads, Conker’s Bad Fur Day, Perfect Dark, and more.
One of my favorite underrated titles from Rare’s library is Kameo: Elements of Power. It was set in a medieval fantasy realm where you play as Kameo, a young elf, trying to save her kingdom from an army of invading trolls. What attracted me to this game was Kameo’s unique ability to transform into cartoony but deadly monsters who could wipe the floor with any baddie they encountered.
It was a fun ride that mixed Legend of Zelda-inspired exploration, puzzle-solving, and dungeon-crawling with an engrossing combat system where you fought giant bosses and hundreds upon hundreds of trolls and war machines on-screen. For many years, I wished Kameo had a sequel, and behind the scenes at Rare, I almost got my wish.
According to a Kameo documentary video found in Rare Replay, Kameo 2 was in development but was ultimately canceled. This sequel was going to take the series in a darker direction with a grimmer setting and grittier designs for Kameo and the monsters she would transform into.
I was very sad to hear this news as the concept art for Kameo 2 looked very cool, and it got me wondering what kind of game it would’ve become if full development had been achieved. While Rare is busy these days updating and cultivating Sea of Thieves with never-ending waves of content updates, it would be a ‘rare’ and pleasant surprise if Rare were to suddenly announce that Kameo 2 was back in development.
A new AAA-budget Battletoads game
One of my other favorite franchises from Rare is the zany and over-the-top Battletoads series. A franchise of beat 'em ups starring the titular Battletoads traveling across the universe to beat up bad guys ruining their day. While I was too young to play the Battletoads games when they first came out in the 80s and 90s, I was able to experience their misadventures later in life thanks to Rare Replay.
The original NES game was an innovative yet exceedingly difficult title that mixed multiple game genres together. Meanwhile, Battletoads Arcade was a pure beat 'em up where you viciously murdered the opposition in the wackiest and most brutal ways possible.
After Rare Replay, I didn't think we'd get another Battletoads until I was proven wrong in 2020 when a brand new Battletoads was released. Sadly, while I did have fun with the deep combat system, the brawling segments took a backseat for an overabundance of pace-breaking mini-games, and its comedic Adult Swim-esque tone didn't feel as appealing to me as Battletoads Arcade's action-heavy and violent tone.
Nevertheless, I still like this weird and nonsensical series to the point where one of the Battletoads, Rash, is my favorite character to play in Killer Instinct (2013). Even though it's most likely not going to happen, if Microsoft were to announce a new Battletoads game, I would be stoked about it.
They could make a new game in the vicious style of Battletoads Arcade and incorporate Battletoads' (2020) improved combat system to combine the best of both worlds. They could even give it an AAA budget so this new game would have the visual fidelity Rash had in Killer Instinct (2013) and create some flashy and savage special attacks with which the players could smash the bad guys.
What dream games would you like to see come true?
This is just a small number of wild ideas I can envisage happening in the future. Do you have any dream predictions for the upcoming Xbox Games Showcase? Let us know your suggestions in the comments section or on Twitter @WinC_Gaming.
Who knows? Maybe your prediction will become a reality and even go on to become one of the best Xbox games of all time!
