Xbox's Revelations: Phil Spencer on Franchise Shortcomings

Xbox CEO Phil Spencer reflects on past strategic missteps and acknowledges significant missed opportunities within the ever-evolving gaming industry. This article delves into his candid assessment of past decisions and provides updates on upcoming Xbox titles.

Phil Spencer's Reflections on Key Missed Opportunities

During a PAX West 2024 interview, Spencer openly discussed pivotal franchises that eluded Xbox, including Destiny and Guitar Hero. He characterized these decisions as among the worst of his career. While acknowledging his close relationship with Bungie during his early years at Xbox, he admitted that Destiny's initial appeal wasn't immediately apparent, only appreciating its potential later with the House of Wolves expansion. Similarly, he expressed initial skepticism towards Guitar Hero's market viability.

Despite these setbacks, Spencer emphasized his forward-looking approach, choosing not to dwell on past regrets.

Challenges in Bringing Dune: Awakening to Xbox

While focusing on future endeavors, Xbox is actively pursuing major franchises. Dune: Awakening, an action RPG developed by Funcom, is slated for release on Xbox Series S, PC, and PS5. However, Funcom's chief product officer, Scott Junior, highlighted the challenges of optimizing the game for Xbox Series S, leading to a PC-first release strategy. Despite these hurdles, Junior confirmed that the game will perform adequately even on older hardware.

Delays and Communication Issues Impact Entoria: The Last Song's Xbox Release

Indie developer Jyamma Games encountered significant delays with the Xbox release of Entoria: The Last Song, citing a lack of communication and response from Microsoft. The game, reported as practically ready for both Series X and S, will launch on PlayStation 5 and PC initially, leaving the Xbox version's future uncertain. Jyamma Games CEO Jacky Greco expressed considerable frustration over the situation.