XB: Halo 2
The launch day hype was insane and at the time, set all kinds of launch day records. Xbox Live took off. Set up the success of the Xbox 360.
Xbox 360: Halo 3
Best selling Halo game of all time at 14.5 million. Another record setting launch. Competitive Halo hit its apex.
****The ugly truth: Thanks to Microsoft tapping into the Wii hype/fad soccer mom crowd, the best selling Xbox 360 game by a wide margin was Kinect Adventures. But like most fads, they die hard and fast, and it set up the Xbox One to under perform (and the Wii U to bomb).
Xbox One: Hard to pick a break out hit. The front runners:
Halo MCC: It was buggy and bombed at launch, but has been given new life with fixed bugs, added games and PC support. Halo MCC has long legs and just might win out in the end.
Halo 5: Second best selling game on the Xbox One (worst selling main line Halo game). The campaign was below average, but the multiplayer is great (although not as full featured and popular as Halo 2, 3, Reach and 4).
Sea of Thieves
A total of 8.4 million users have played the game. Game beat sales expectations. First non-Kinect game that Rare has made for Microsoft that could be considered a hit. Mucho TLC from Rare with tons of updates and community engagement. Game has long legs and its third most popular month since the game launched was earlier this year after the Anniversary Update.
Forza Horizon series: Excellent arcade racers and the most solid titles that Microsoft has made this gen. Microsoft should thank their lucky stars, because the Forza series kept the Xbox brand going this gen.
I would also keep an eye out for Gears of War 5. Gears 4 was a solid game and a step in the right direction. Gears 5 just might take the series back to its glory days.