Spanning three console generations - the Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S - the 2010s had many games launching exclusively on team green. From third-party exclusives to games developed and published in-house, many of these games were the best to launch in their respective year.

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The 20 Best Exclusives On The Original Xbox, Ranked

Like many of the more recent PlayStation consoles, the original Xbox drew much of its success from its excellent selection of console exclusive games.

Only one game per series will be allowed to keep the group of games interesting; as such, the entries on this list range from titles in pre-established major franchises like Gears of War to smaller-scale indie games. The 2010s were a rough decade for Xbox, but they still provided players with enough quality exclusives to keep the fun flowing.

10 2010: Halo Reach

The Last Of An Era

The final Halo game developed by Bungie before 343 Studios took on the mantle, Bungie went out with a bang with Halo Reach and it received critical acclaim when it launched in October 2010.

Seen as a culmination of all of Halo's mechanics rather than a re-invention of the formula, it greatly pleased veterans of the franchise whilst welcoming new players onto the battlefield and into the Spartans.

9 2011: Witcher 2

A Giant Leap Forward

The game that connects the dated The Witcher and era-defining RPG The Witcher 3, the Witcher 2 continues the story of Geralt of Rivia as he recovers from the events of the final book and the first game.

Including many memorable faces to fans of the books, including Triss and Foltest, this game is a continent-spanning adventure that deserves to be known as more than just the predecessor to Witcher 3.

8 2012: Trials Evolution

A Bright Spark In A 'Slow' Year For Xbox

Released in a year when attention was turning towards the next generation of games and the ill-fated Kinect, Trials Evolution was launched via Xbox Live Aracde to universal acclaim.

Arguably the best arcade game of its time on console, Trials Evolution improved on its predecessor with far more content and a generally slicker-controlling experience. It was a must-buy back in 2012 for those in any way curious about the genre.

7 2013: Dead Rising 3

A Good Option In A Poor Launch Offering

Dead Rising 3 was released in November 2013 as the pick of the bunch in terms of launch titles for the Xbox One. It was set in a vast open world that dwarfed the comparatively small shopping mall settings for Dead Rising 1 and 2.

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The Xbox 360 is one of the most highly-regarded consoles of the HD generations and established Microsoft as a major player in the gaming industry.

Players were offered the same sort of mayhem in gameplay that they had come to expect by this point, and at least in this regard, the third entry in the series did not disappoint.

6 2014: Titanfall

From The Godfathers of Modern FPS's

Titanfall was the result of years of development from the team that had revolutionized the FPS genre with Call of Duty Modern Warfare. They sought to do the same with Titanfall by introducing movement mechanics never seen before in an FPS multiplayer game and the mechs known as 'Titans'.

Although somewhat underappreciated, the formula of Titanfall lives on in its 2016 sequel and other Respawn Entertainment games like Apex Legends.

5 2015: Rare Replay

Rare's Classics All In One Place

To celebrate its 30th anniversary, legendary developer Rare decided to release many of its classic titles in a single game. This included classics from the 90s like Battletoads and Banjo-Kazooie and even games from the early 80s such as Jetpac and Underwurlde.

Despite the licensing issues that prevented Donkey Kong County and Goldeneye 007's inclusion, Rare Replay provided a worthwhile trip down memory lane and proved a return to form for Rare.

4 2016: Forza Horizon 3

Racing Down Under

Throughout the 2010s, Forza proved to be the ace in Xbox's back pocket on many occasions, and Forza Horizon 3 was no exception. Set in Australia, players were given an expansive open world in which to have fun.

It was also one of the best-looking games on the Xbox One up to that point, and, in particular, the outback region of the map looked spectacular whether playing at night or day.

3 2017: Cuphead

A Timed Exclusive

Taking inspiration from the art style of classic Hollywood animations made famous by production companies like Disney, Cuphead is a run-and-gun side-scroller that can be played with a friend. Simply put, a deal is made with the devil, and players have to deal with the consequences of that decision.

Although Cuphead did eventually come to Nintendo Switch and PlayStation in 2019 and 2020, respectively, it was exclusive to Xbox and Windows in 2017.

2 2018: Sea Of Thieves

An Early Entry On Game Pass

Like Cuphead, Sea of Thieves was originally an Xbox console exclusive, though a PlayStation release is penned in for April 2024, Sea of Thieves is an adventure game with a strong focus on the multiplayer side of the game. Being an early title for game pass subscribers helped it become one of the most played Xbox exclusives of the console generation.

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Best Console Exclusives On The Xbox Series X/S

Despite all the heat Xbox is taking in the console wars, the Series X/S and its predecessor still have a few noteworthy exclusives.

Letting players fight, steal, and explore across a Caribbean-like setting proved a success at launch and has only improved over time with the game's somewhat light content being enhanced.

1 2019: Gears 5

A Return To Form

With Gears of War 4 generally being seen as a bit of a misstep for the franchise, Xbox was counting on one of their formerly reliable game to pack a better punch. Gears 5 didn't hit the heights the series had previously reached, but it was still a great showing.

The moment-to-moment gameplay is its best-selling point with the tight over-the-shoulder combat still enjoyable to play for long periods. Add in a story that does the job and Gears 5 was unsurprisingly the biggest first-party launch for Xbox since Halo 4.

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