Xbox Game Studios covers a wide range of genres, although Western RPGs appear to be very important to Xbox’s prospects on PC and console. Brian Fargo, the founder ofinXile Entertainment, is an industry veteran that helped pioneer computer role-playing games with IPs likeThe Bard’s TaleandFallout, and the company has since become a beacon for classic storytelling that brings the depth of tabletop gaming to the screen. In 2020,inXile EntertainmentreleasedWasteland 3as a continuation of the post-apocalyptic franchise that originally inspiredFallout, and there are also new projects that could go in many creative directions.
Development has settled afterWasteland 3received its final DLC, so the team now has the opportunity to move forward as one of Xbox’s greatest RPG studios. It is possible that another sequel toWastelandmight be in cards, but with this newfound freedom, there is also a chance to explore other subgenres with the development of a new IP.Wasteland 3was considered by many to be a masterful post-apocalyptic RPG, and future inXile games are more than worthy of having AAA production quality as well.
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A Wargaming Strategy RPG on Xbox
Post-apocalyptic and medieval fantasy settings are dominant in RPGs, and this trend is partially due to the genre’s roots in tabletop wargaming. In this respect, inXile could take hints fromthe best tactical gamesto a new project that aims for a bigger scope than most. Going even further, the squad-based gameplay ofWastelandmight translate well with a design that allows players to manage entire armies and build up their defenses on a massive battlefield.
Strategy games are usually distinguished by their pacing, and that is often defined by real-time or turn-based systems. RTS titles could provide a standard for tactical gameplay if inXile were to design something that goes against the grain, butturn-based games and RPGsoften go hand-in-hand. Considering the studio’s history in making genre hybrids, inXile might succeed if it does create an original setting for large-scale warfare - building dynamic societies that evolve through role-playing game systems. This mixture of simulation, strategy, and narrative may be a compelling formula that elevates all the elements of inXile’s past projects into a follow-up that offers the ultimate form of choice and consequence.
Wasteland as a Third-Person Tactical RPG
In the event that inXile would pursue a spin-off in their critically-acclaimedWastelandfranchise, a third-person perspective would be an obvious route. Rather than going first-person, which would mirror theclassicFalloutFPStreatment, a tactical TPS may be more appropriate given the series' cover-based mechanics.
Taking inspiration from BioWare’sMass Effect, a third-person inXile game might be able to translate the depth of CRPGs into an action game with multiple party members. Its 2017 release ofTorment: Tides of Numenerahad great companionsthat were directly embedded into the story and future projects should offer unique party members that synergize with the player character in satisfying ways too.
An InXile First-Person Action RPG
There have beenrumors about an inXile FPS RPGfor a while, and this could be another huge project in the Xbox ecosystem. This subgenre has found success by immersing players into their respective roles within interactive worlds,The Elder Scrollsseries being a prime example. While popular open-world titles likeFar Cry 6andBorderlands 3focus primarily on action, Bethesda and Obsidian have moved into the genre with branching narratives and CRPG elements that let players experience a role-playing game from the eyes of their characters.
If current reports are accurate this rumored project might beinXile’s steampunk RPG, and it also has a chance of being influenced by Troika Games’Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura- a 2001 game that was developed by the creators ofFallout. As long as Microsoft continues to invest in studios likeinXile, a role-playing renaissance may come to redefine what the genre is capable of.
