Is Ryse slotted to be Microsoft's blockbuster Xbox 720 launch title?

Report: 'Ryse' set to be Microsoft's blockbusting Xbox 720 launch title
Ryse was first unveiled at E3 2011, but never released

Microsoft's major launch title for the new Xbox console will be the the long-promised, first-person war game Ryse, according to a Thursday report.

The Verge, which has been active with some purported Xbox leaks this week, said the company is preparing the game to be its 'Gears of War / Halo-style mega launch title' for the console.

Ryse, set within the Roman Empire, was first announced at E3 2011 as an Xbox 360 exclusive with gamers able to participate in realistic and bloody melee fight scenes using the Kinect sensor.

The release didn't materialise, but the game is apparently still in development, having been revamped and rewritten to make use of the next-gen console and improved body tracking elements of the Kinect sensor rumoured for the new Xbox.

Forza 720

The report also brings word of a new instalment of the Forza racing franchise with "super life-like graphics." Two other purported launch titles are a zombie game and a family game with Pixar-style visuals.

The games news follows a host of leaks reportedly from within Microsoft this week.

Firstly, reports suggested the console would be launched at an event on May 21, and just yesterday came speculation that it'll feature set-top box integration and be accompanied by an Xbox Mini to enable backwards compatibility for Xbox 360 games.

We're still waiting for an invite to materialize in our inboxes for an Xbox 720/Xbox Mini launch event, but with E3 inching closer, we might not have to wait much longer.

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Chris Smith

A technology journalist, writer and videographer of many magazines and websites including T3, Gadget Magazine and TechRadar.com. He specializes in applications for smartphones, tablets and handheld devices, with bylines also at The Guardian, WIRED, Trusted Reviews and Wareable. Chris is also the podcast host for The Liverpool Way. As well as tech and football, Chris is a pop-punk fan and enjoys the art of wrasslin'.