Xbox rescued console gaming and it's just as shocking to me as it is to you - Reader's Feature.

I have to admit, I've never been a big fan of Xbox. From the obnoxious green color they use for everything to the robotic executives who run the show, I've just never been able to get on board. The aggressive and unrefined way Xbox markets itself has always rubbed me the wrong way. And let's not forget their obsession with shooters and their lack of interest in Japanese developers or European markets. It's always been a turn-off for me.

But despite my reservations, I did own an Xbox 360 back in the day. It seemed like everyone I knew had one at the time. And I have to say, after watching the Xbox Games Showcase on Sunday, I was pleasantly surprised. It almost instantly renewed my faith in the gaming industry.

And I'm not just exaggerating for effect. If you happened to catch the showcase yourself, you know what I'm talking about. It was an incredibly impressive event, with one high-quality game after another. Some of them were even a surprise, unless you've been keeping up with all the rumors.

I won't go into detail about each individual game, because let's face it, not everyone will be interested in the same ones. Personally, I couldn't care less about Gears of War or Fable, unless they've made some major changes from the previous versions. But the point is, these are big-budget games with actual stories, single-player options, and a definite ending. In other words, they're not live service games.

Aside from the obligatory Call of Duty appearance, there didn't seem to be any live service games at all. Instead, we were treated to over 30 real games, mostly from Microsoft, but also some impressive-looking titles from third-party developers.

As someone who really misses the excitement of E3, this showcase felt like a throwback to the PlayStation showcases of about eight years ago. And that's exactly what Microsoft was going for, but they did it right. They understand what made those showcases so successful.

We got five minutes of actual gameplay or at least a good representation of it, for each game. And then another game, and another. If one doesn't interest you, maybe the next one will. And even if you're not a fan of most of them, at least you can see that your console of choice is working hard to provide a steady stream of exclusive titles. Chances are, you'll find something you like eventually.

Compare this to Sony's recent event, where they spent half the time on a game that everyone watching is bound to hate. Or the Summer Game Fest, where we had to sit through endless pre-rendered trailers and quirky indie games that didn't really generate any hype.

Now, don't get me wrong, I have nothing against indie games. I love them. But they're not what people are looking for in these kinds of showcases, and it's important to understand that.

I'll be honest, I'm not a fan of Xbox and I don't like that Microsoft's solution to their decades of failure is to simply buy up as many companies as they can. But the gaming industry is in a rough spot right now. Sony seems to be asleep at the wheel, and the whole industry feels like it's lost its way. But the Xbox Games Showcase managed to reverse all of those problems.

Of course, Microsoft could still mess things up down the line. It wouldn't be the first time. But for now, this showcase has me feeling more optimistic about gaming than I have in a long time. In fact, I might even consider buying an Xbox Series X, which I'm sure is exactly what Microsoft was hoping for.

So, to sum it up, the Xbox Games Showcase was a huge success in my book. And I have to give credit where credit is due, even though it pains me to say it. Well played, Microsoft. Well played.

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