If you haven’t heard, Microsoft and the Xbox One found themselves in a bit of hot water recently, when some long rumored whispers that the Xbox One is under-performing against the PS4 when it comes to games they share were confirmed when “Battlefield 4” developers DICE revealed that the Xbox One runs at a lower resolution than the PS4, while side by side comparison gameplay videos gave us a pretty clear indication of the difference between the two machines. This was an unfortunate reveal only enhanced by the discovery that some of the footage in “Battlefield 4” Microsoft was using for promos of the Xbox One actually contains some footage of the PC version of the game.

This of course breaks up the relative peace Microsoft was enjoying following the  controversy that followed shortly after E3 and the initial Xbox One reveal, when people attacked Microsoft for many of its policies regarding the Xbox One, as well as its seeming focus on being a device more interested in multimedia capabilities than actual gaming. When Microsoft retracted a number of the more controversial measures, it had seemed they could kick back, maybe hype up the pre-order numbers for the device, as well as any number of its merits, and put that past trouble behind them. That is, until this all happened.

Now the Xbox One is again the goat of the video game world, fanboys begin to wage war, PR companies summon their voodoo spin doctors, and those of us somewhere in the middle find an enjoyment in the chaos. Of course, if you stick around gaming long enough, and you eventually learn to not throw dirt on anything until you absolutely are sure it’s dead, less it come back as a zombie to take its revenge. What I mean is, don’t write off something so adamantly if there is still the off chance that it’ll come back to bite you when you want it down the line.

This is where the Respawn Entertainment developed 2014 shooter “Titanfall” comes in. See, admist all of the trouble that the Xbox One endured recently, one interesting win for the company did emerge, when it was announced that “Titanfall” will be an Xbox One and PC exclusive forever. While that doesn’t mean that future sequels of the game will remain on the Xbox One only, it does still ensure that Microsoft has the immediate rights to the best looking exclusive seen on either system, and one of the few games shown of the next generation so far, that looks like a killer app.

While of course a final “Titanfall” game that falls well short of expectations would lend a different set of problems for Microsoft, the more interesting case comes if the game turns out to be as good as footage and previews have suggested, and as lucrative as well. In that case, then by the time that more systems start to hit the shelves and the non-early adopters start considering making system purchases early next year, “Tianfall” will be in a position to move Xbox Ones similar to the way that “Halo” moved the original Xbox.

What’s interesting about that is that it will be a pretty clear case that in spite of everything that the Xbox One has gone through, it’s all irrelevant compared to the power of a single game. The industry is moving further and further away from exclusive games, and many people in the gaming community are also calling for a more unified gaming experience where all games are available to everyone. However, it does still sell systems, and should it be able to alter the Xbox Ones fate (again, in spite of everything) when the console race gets going in earnest, then it could just be enough to preserve the traditional methods of gaming exclusives, at least for the conceivable future.

What’s really interesting about that is that Microsoft clearly had a plan at one point to take console gaming in a very different path based on the original policies of the Xbox One. Even without those policies, there is clearly still a focus on incorporating  the controversial multimedia features on a level not previously seen out of a console. If Microsoft really gets a hit then with “Titanfall,” do they begin to re-enact some of those policies now that they have a userbase who will remain loyal to them? Do they also see the power of games and begin to turn the public focus of the Xbox One to a game first console, or does the natural increase in multimedia use of its users who purchased the system for “Titanfall” somehow justify their seeming focus on that instead?

Nothing speaks louder than sales in the gaming world, and considering the rare beast that “Titanfall” has the potential to be (a AAA true exclusive of full merit) it’s release and subsequent fallout is one of some importance. It not only has the weight of the Xbox One at its shoulders at the moment, but given a certain level of success could well help answer several questions about what direction the industry is going. Is that a lot of weight to put on a single game? Yes, but that is exactly the role that Microsoft gave it when they pursued this as an exclusive. They have a faith in it that probably cost them a lot of money, but they spent it because they knew it had the potential to define the Xbox One and help to give the system the foothold it needs in the Western market where it’s main sales power is going to come from.

The next generation of gaming may start this month with the release of the PS4 and Xbox One, but it’s not until the major games start hitting next year will it begin in earnest. Of those games, none has more to strive for than “Titanfall,” whose success and quality may very well give us an indication of how the future of gaming will shape up, and if Microsoft will be a part of that future at all.

The winds of gaming are constantly shifting and changing, but whether it be the next generation bearing down on us, or the inevitable just happening to be occurring, it seems quite a few changes seem to happening at once when it comes to actual gameplay.

For our purposes, let’s call them trends.

Like any other medium, gaming is susceptible to trends now and then, but unlike, say, the world of fashion where they often pass by with such speed as to go unnoticed, trends in gaming tend to stay quite some time. If you’re looking for what to expect out of video games as we enter a new generation then, look no further than these five trends, which will soon dominate the industry.

5. Tablet and Smartphone Interactivity

Maybe the Wii U isn’t so farfetched after all, as supporters for using smartphone and tablet features with their games are a growing crowd.

This is most obvious through the Xbox One’s features, which make it clear Microsoft intends to use every entertainment avenue available to enhance the function of their system, however, this is also visible in individual titles like “Watch Dogs” and “The Division,” which are not only promising, but show some exciting and creative tablet support features as well.

It’s a growing tech world out there, and video games seem to be recognizing that as they head into a new generation.

4. Games Get Harder

This is more a notion of where we are going to be in a year from now, more than an idea with a host of tangible examples, but games are slowly getting harder.

Call it the “Dark Souls” effect, but suddenly it seems like even the normal modes of titles are presenting more of a challenge than they did just a few years ago. Whether it be in last year’s surprise hit “XCOM,” or this year’s GOTY leader “The Last of Us,” single player games are creeping closer to the 15 hour, or more, completion mark that was rare in even more recent major releases.

The only downside here is that this could lead to a greater emphasis in the freemium model as companies charge to help gamers get ahead. As long as some personal restraint is shown from gamer’s end though, this is a good thing.

3. Shooters Are Here to Stay

The shooter genre (the majority of which are of the FPS variety) represented the dominate game type of this last generation and, if this year’s E3 is any indication, that isn’t changing anytime soon.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing though, as many of these shooters represented the best games of the show. Titles like “Titanfall,” “Destiny,” and “Killzone: Shadow Fall” all garnered well deserved attention, and show that FPS’s are not only still kicking, but have plenty of life left in them.

If you’re really down about this though, just know that plenty of developers on both the indie scene and elsewhere are coming up with a plethora of original ideas, seemingly to combat this movement. However, that’s just all the more evidence the shooter is still king.

2. Color Comes Back

In an effort to present a “maturity” of sorts, many games from the previous generation used muted tones of grey, black, and brown and little else. While it got the bleak mood across well enough, it also led to every game looking the same.

But between “Bioshock Infinite’s” bright and creative world of Columbia, “Far Cry: Blood Dragon’s” neon tints, and several titles at E3, it looks like the sun is slowly breaking through the grey, and color is being highlighted once more in the gaming world. Even “Killzone,” the poster child of the grey palate, seems to be integrating reds, blues, and more into its next title, serving as a harbinger of sort for the movement.

Maybe not everyone sees it the same way, but this is a promising trend that can only improve creativity.

1. The Apocalypse

Every once in a while a setting dominates gaming. It was WWII, then it was Sci-Fi military worlds, and then of course the last few years have shown a horde of zombie games flood the market.

Now though, it’s the apocalypse that’s primed to dominate the scene. “The Division,” “The Last of Us,” “Mad Max,” “Titanfall,” “Destiny,” and too many more to count all show some sort of view of the world after the one we know now has ended, and they are just the horsemen of this movement that is sure to change the landscape of gaming in a literal way.

Like many other trends, your interpretation may vary on this movement, but it does mean that from now on it’s the end of the world as we know it.

Sure we’ve looked at how the biggest game companies in the world fared at E3, but when you really get down to it, the expo is more about the individual games that will come to define the next year and far, far beyond.

While this year’s E3 may have been no different, it is unique from previous events in that there wasn’t that one game that clearly stood above all, but rather a host of  intriguing titles that promise to bring a variety of incredible gaming experiences to this generation and the next.

That may be great for gamers, though not their wallets, but when trying to narrow down such a stacked field to only 10 titles, you open yourself up to a world of disagreement, self doubt, and the feeling that ultimately you forgot something. Nevertheless, through it all, these were the 10 best games on display at E3 2013.

10. Star Wars Battlefront – Ok, ok, this one wasn’t really on display long, and as such we know less about “Star Wars: Battlefront” than any other major game revealed at E3, but what we do know is it’s the unlikely revival of the highly underrated “Star Wars” online multiplayer series made by the same people who have been making some of those exceptional “Battlefield” games of late.

And you know what? That’s all we need. Get excited people, because this is really happening.

9. Rain – I’m a fan of unique concepts in games, because even if things don’t completely work out, you’re left with something that stands apart at the least.

In that spirit, “Rain” is already a success of some sort, as its invisible protagonist illuminated solely by the falling rain provided one of the more original visuals of the entire show, and promises to refresh the age old ideas of puzzles and platforming by building everything else around that design. “Rain” could very well be the next indie darling for the PS3 and gamers everywhere.

8. Sonic Lost Worlds – Of all the unlikely possibilities that could of occurred at E3, the biggest one that came true would have to be…well probably the return of “Battlefront.”

But right after that would be a Sonic game being the highlight of Nintendo’s showing. Sonic has had a rough fifteen years in terms of quality games, but “Sonic Lost Worlds” looks to erase that long dry spell in a big way. Sure it may take a design idea or two from “Mario Galaxy,” but with gameplay that fast and exciting, no Sonic fan (or soon to be Sonic fan) is likely to balk.

7. Evil Within –  Ask any horror gaming fan what the problem with the genre is today, and they’ll likely tell you it’s the action heavy focus made popular by the revolutionary “Resident Evil 4.”

While many have promised to buck the trend, the very real gameplay shown of “Evil Within” looks to actually be doing just that. It takes all of the aspects required of a good horror game (a mix of scares, great environment, and crafty production) and builds it around an enticing story that looks to be ready to make good on that whole scaring the beejesus out of you thing gaming has been lacking of late.

6. Beyond Two Souls – We’ve known the next game from the developers of “Heavy Rain” was going to be a cinematic journey for some time now, but after the extended preview at E3 2013, it’s still clear we don’t have a grasp of exactly what it is.

While some are worried by the action heavy trailer, if Quantic Dreams can combine the subtle storytelling and literary quality character interactions of “Heavy Rain” with the surprisingly interesting action we saw in “Beyond’s” E3 preview, “Beyond Two Souls” could be much more than anyone was expecting, and make a serious game of the year run in one of the most stacked years in recent memory.

5. Titanfall – While no one is going to try to pretend the Xbox One had a great showing at E3, that doesn’t mean that there weren’t individual highlights during their presentation, particularly in the exclusives department.

Of those, “Titanfall” made the most noise, and with good reason. It’s combination of first person shooter and mech combat gameplay shown in a highly cinematic fashion (and set to some great music), was one of the more visceral reveals of the show, and even has gamers who’ve already sworn off the Xbox One keeping close tabs on it.

4. Destiny – While I wouldn’t go so far as to call Bungie a one trick pony, the developer hasn’t had much reason to veer from “Halo” in the last decade or so and flex their creative muscles.

With “Destiny” they appear to be making up for lost time by introducing some intriguing new ideas into the genre they re-shaped with “Halo” (console first person shooters), and have so far displayed a game that may be promising a lot, but continues to look better with every minute of gameplay shown. Should they be able to make good on their ideas, this could very well be the premier FPS franchise of the next generation.

3. The Division – Some games can generate hype by just breaking down their pedigree. “The Division,” an open world, online team based, post-apocalyptic shooter RPG, set in the ruins of New York, is one of those games.

But if buzzwords and genres alone don’t convince you, then surely its extended gameplay demonstration will, as it shows a massive online shooter in the style of an apocalyptic “Arma II” with enticing futuristic features like tablet support, but still based upon the classic idea that shooting with friends is fun. This is an incredibly ambitious idea that may soon quickly grow a rabid fanbase and move some consoles.

2. The Witcher 3 – The team behind the “Witcher” series seem to have their brains firing on a different level, as their ability to craft a massive RPG story composed of smaller moments, and built on a foundation of unique combat and gameplay has quickly turned the franchise into a runaway cult hit for hardcore RPG fans across all platforms.

With the “Witcher 3” it appears the team is looking to expand that fanbase by crafting a more accessible, but no less brilliant, masterpiece. While it takes some cues from competitors here and there, the “Witcher 3” is promising a unique open world experience with truly dynamic scenarios and environments that doesn’t sacrifice any of the gameplay that made the franchise what it is. At an E3 filled with the phrase “Next-Gen,” this looks to be one title that truly encompasses the idea.

1. Watch Dogs – “Watch Dogs” wasn’t just the surprise of E3 2012 because it was an unannounced original concept from a high profile developer, but because of just how good it looked even in its early stages.

A year later and not much has changed. Just when “Watch Dogs” looks to have shown all of its tricks, another gameplay demonstration comes out, and we are left to realize that there is not only more than meets the eye to Ubisoft’s next big thing, but that it all seems to be coming together to form something as creative as it is polished.

Even if “Watch Dogs” fails to live up to its lofty hype, it could be no worse than an incredibly entertaining game. As of now though, it appears to be much more than that, and the best game of E3 2013 to boot.