Xbox’s Big Franchise Blunders, Phil Spencer Admits

Xbox CEO Phil Spencer reflects on past decisions, admitting to some significant misses in a shifting gaming market. This article explores his candid remarks, highlighting missed opportunities and the future of Xbox game releases.

Xbox's CEO Reflects on Past Mistakes and Future Plans

Missed Opportunities: Destiny and Guitar Hero

At PAX West 2024, Phil Spencer discussed pivotal moments in his career, including regrettable decisions to pass on major franchises. He cited Bungie's Destiny and Harmonix's Guitar Hero as examples of some of his "worst" career choices. Despite his early proximity to Bungie during his time at Microsoft, Destiny's initial appeal eluded him, only finding resonance with the House of Wolves expansion. Similarly, he initially doubted the potential of Guitar Hero.

Spencer emphasized his forward-looking approach, stating he doesn't dwell on past regrets, acknowledging numerous missed opportunities throughout his career.

Dune: Awakening Faces Xbox Release Challenges

Despite past setbacks, Xbox is actively pursuing major franchises. Dune: Awakening, developed by Funcom, is slated for release on Xbox Series S, alongside PC and PS5. However, Funcom's chief product officer, Scott Junior, revealed challenges optimizing the game for the Xbox Series S, resulting in a PC-first release strategy. Despite this, Junior assured players of smooth performance even on older hardware.

Enotria: The Last Song Encounters Xbox Release Delays

Indie developer Jyamma Games' Enotria: The Last Song faced unexpected delays on Xbox, just weeks before its scheduled September 19th launch. The studio attributed the delay to a lack of response from Microsoft regarding their submission, despite the game's reported readiness for both Xbox Series S and X. Jyamma Games CEO Jacky Greco expressed frustration with the lack of communication, leading to a PlayStation 5 and PC-only release for now, leaving the Xbox version uncertain. Greco further elaborated on the situation on the game's Discord, highlighting the prolonged lack of response from Microsoft. The studio clarified that the delay stems from an inability to access their store page to submit the game.