Scaleboundis no more.

This seemingly important piece of the Xbox One exclusives puzzle was officially canceled on free adult movies | Adult Movies OnlineMonday. The move came as a surprise after the game's been buzzed about in the years since its E3 2014 reveal.

Despite Scalebound's multiple trade show appearances and inclusion in the Xbox Play Anywhere program, Microsoft's Phil Spencer characterized the move on Twitter as "better [for] Xbox gamers." Maybe it is, but those same Xbox gamers still want their chosen console to feel special.

What does Scalebound's cancellation mean for Microsoft's console-exclusive prospects in 2017 and beyond? Here's what we know and what we can fairly speculate about.

Halo Wars 2

This one isn't going anywhere.

Halo Wars 2is a real-time strategy game, and a sequel to the 2009 Xbox 360 game from Ensemble Studios. The new one is a collaboration between Haloseries gatekeeper 343 Industries and RTS vet -- architect of the Total Warseries -- Creative Assembly.

The game will be out on Feb. 21, 2017. People in the media have played it -- including Mashable-- and it's one of Microsoft's flagship franchises. Strategy games are more niche than other genres, but this is still the biggest exclusive release for Xbox One in the first half of 2017.

Forza Motorsport 7

Microsoft's long-lived racing series has turned into an annual release. It now alternates between the MotorSportand Horizon-- track-based racing and open world racing, respectively -- product lines, with Forza Horizon 3having been released in Sept. 2016.

While nothing's been formallyannounced regarding Forza Motorsport 7, its existence was seemingly outed in a Dec. 2016 forum post from the CEO of Fanatec, a peripheral company that specializes in racing wheels. Microsoft made no move at the time to shut down this offhand reference to an unannounced sequel.

Why bother? History suggests that Forza Motorsport 7is on deck for a 2017 release -- likely in September or October. It's probably just too early for Microsoft and developer Turn 10 Studios to reveal anything.

Sea of Thieves

Sea of Thievesis a cooperative pirate simulator. Chew on that for a moment: Cooperative. Pirate. Simulator. Sold.

In the game, each player fills a different role aboard a pirate ship. Everyone receive different information about the ship's progress through the world, so success is only possible with regular, active communication.

The goal, of course, is to amass piles of booty as you sail your way around the randomly generated world. There's no release date set yet for Sea of Thieves, but it is expected to arrive in the early months of 2017.

Cuphead

Cupheadis a looker.

The award-winning, Microsoft-supported indie has been kicking around for a few years, mostly because it looks like a 1930s-era Disney cartoon that you can play. Even at a glance, it stands out.

The action game looks like a side-scrolling shoot 'em up, but it's built around the notion of devoting each level to elaborate, branching boss fights. The game's been pushed back again and again since its 2014 reveal, but it is expected to launch by mid-2017.

Tacoma

Gone Homewill be a hard act to follow, but The Fullbright Company is going to try.

Enter Tacoma. The outer space-set adventure game is largely an unknown. We know players will explore the Lunar Transfer Station Tacoma, but the actual story and the gameplay surrounding it is largely a mystery.

Like many other third-party Xbox One exclusives, Tacomais also coming to Linux, Mac, and Windows. There isn't a confirmed release date, but the latest reports peg it for early 2017.

State of Decay 2

First announced at E3 2016, State of Decay 2looks to build on the surprise success of its Xbox 360 predecessor (which was later remastered for Xbox One).

It's a zombie survival game that emphasizes cooperation and resource-gathering over mowing down undead hordes. Think DayZ, except with fewer live players -- up to four -- and likely more polished gameplay, since it's a standalone release rather than a mod.

Among the games listed here, this one is probably the most unlikely to hit its 2017 launch. It was revealed for the first time less than a year ago, and it's building on what was already a multi-layered game. That said, State of Decay 2is still listed for a 2017 launch, so we remain hopeful.

What's ahead

The year is young, and the run-up to the summer season -- and trade shows like E3 -- ought to bring new revelations regarding Microsoft's Xbox One release plans.

You can safely assume that neither Gears of Warnor Halo will surface in the fall. The Gears franchise made its triumphant return in late 2016, with Gears of War 4. And history has shown that new numbered entries in the Haloseries are typically announced with at least a year of lead time. Maybe that will change in 2017, but Halo Wars 2's imminent arrival makes that less likely.

What's left, then? Fablecould always make a return, though the 2016 cancellation of Fable Legendsmeans we're likely a year or two away (at least) from any announcements about the series' future.

Crackdown 3is potentially in the mix. It's been confirmed for Xbox One and shown off a couple of times, but overall we've seen even less of that than we did of Scalebound. Whatever the plan is, we likely won't hear anything more until closer to E3.

Dead Risingis still part of the Xbox family, but a new one of those came out in Dec. 2016. Capy Games' Below, which feels like a cross between Dark Soulsand Gauntlet, could finally surface in 2017 after multiple delays. And Motiga's Gigantic, a team-based multiplayer game with esports aspirations, seems likely to leave its beta phase behind before the year is over.

Microsoft probably has some actual surprises in store for the latter half of the year, but what those surprises might be is anyone's guess. Could Sunset Overdrivefinally get a sequel? Or maybe the Phantom Dustremake -- which isn't cancelled but wasn't in active development as of June 2016 -- will make a return.

The answers likely won't come until E3 this summer. Stay tuned.