Cult classic Xbox 360 experience 1 vs. 100 could be coming to Xbox Series X/S according to a recent interview with Phil Spencer. The game show was a unique experience that was ahead of its time to be sure, and its scheduled gaming hasn't been duplicated since it was canceled in mid-2010 after two "seasons". Based on a then-popular game show hosted by Bob Saget (and later revived by Game Show Network with Carrie Ann Inaba as the host), online players were placed in the 100-strong Mob or in the hot seat on stage, with both groups answering trivia questions for the chance to win real prizes like Microsoft Points and Xbox Live Arcade games.
Besides the offer of real prizes, 1 vs. 100 offered a scheduled experience that few games have tried to replicate. The Xbox version of the game show was hosted by Chris Cashman and Jen Taylor (the voice of Cortana) was unique every night, offering a sense of community that many online games lack. In a way, the format led the way for similar sensation HQ, which seemingly took over the world upon release in 2017. The meteoric success may be the reason that the Xbox 360 show may be coming back in the Xbox Series X generation.
While being interviewed during yesterday's Xbox FanFest digital event, Xbox head Phil Spencer suggested that a trivia game like 1 vs. 100 could be coming to Xbox platforms once again. The statement (which was captured by YouTuber DEE BATCH for prosperity) hints that Xbox has considered building a new trivia game show:
"But for all the fans who have been on this with us, we’re going to make it good with you guys. We don’t know exactly what it is yet, so thanks for hanging with us during this and our little experiment. We’ll learn. Maybe we should even be building our own trivia game, like from our past, that allows people to play a trivia game more often, maybe that could happen."
This isn't the first time that Phil has brought up 1 vs. 100 as something fans want Xbox to bring back. An interview he gave in 2019 suggests that one of the issues with bringing back the exact experience from the 360 era is that 1 vs. 100 is based on an existing property not owned by Microsoft. "I’ll say Matt [Booty, head of Xbox Game Studios] and I have had a lot of discussions about the idea, whether it’s that IP specifically or just the idea of what it was, is something that we’d love to go do." He also reaffirms that he thinks that the idea was ahead of its time, making it seem like it would be something Xbox would be willing to try again.
While the return of 1 vs. 100 on Xbox Series X/S would be a nostalgic treat for longtime Xbox fans, it doesn't seem likely to happen. The success of HQ on mobile seems to prove that the concept of scheduled trivia is what draws audiences in. If Xbox can take advantage of that excitement while also making something stable that can stand the test of time, they may just have a hidden weapon that their rivals won't easily be able to replicate.
Source: DEE BATCH