While retro classics are certainly a big part of Microsoft's strategy, microtransactions aren't going to be enough to pay the bills. Moore introduced some of the titles that will be in the next wave of Xbox 360 games, many of which looked excellent, particularly BioWare's Mass Effect and Too Human by Silicon Knights. There will be 160 Xbox 360 titles available by the time the 2006 holiday season rolls around, and we were able to see a trailer for an upcoming next-gen sequel to one of the current-gen Xbox hits. Although the Fable 2 video didn't show us very much in the way of action, it certainly whet our collective whistles. A few minutes later, we also got a chance to check out trailers for Splinter Cell Double Agent and Shadowrun, a game that will be a blast from the past for many players.

Next up was a trailer for the upcoming Forza 2, a racing title that will be released during the 2006 holiday season. The trailer emphasized the franchise's meticulously detailed damage models, as well as the insane amount of customization options available to players. We found out that there will be over 300 vehicles for players to tool around town in, as well as the fact that up to 12 players will be able to take part in races on Xbox Live. One of the best announcements of the press conference was the upcoming release of several wireless accessories, including a racing wheel and headset. We'll also be seeing an EyeToy-like camera peripheral that will allow gamers to put their faces on characters in games, as well as video chat with their friends on Xbox Live.


Echoing his sentiments from previous years, Moore talked a bit about the company's modest ambitions in the Japanese market. While it's clear that Microsoft has little-to-no chance of grabbing very much market share from Sony and Nintendo, they're working hard to bring Japanese gamers exclusive titles from some of the country's biggest and best developers. Hironobu Sakaguchi was introduced to a round of applause, and we got a chance to check out a trailer for Blue Dragon, an RPG that tells the tale of a young boy and his shape-shifting buddies. While we didn't get to see them in action, Moore also mentioned the upcoming Ninety-Nine Nights and Team Ninja's Dead or Alive Xtreme 2.

Next up was a presentation on Xbox Live Marketplace, another small piece of Microsoft's next-gen puzzle. In creating Marketplace, the company was attempting to "open the gates to true digitally distributed content," and many gamers would agree that they've done an admirable job so far. However, they've got grand plans for the future, especially after seeing that pre-orders for Fight Night Round 3 increased fivefold after the demo was released on Live. The amount of available content will be increasing, and Moore announced a Gears of War docudrama that will kick off on Xbox Live and conclude on MTV.