Phil Spencer: Xbox Made "Worst Decisions" on Major Franchises

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

Phil Spencer's Reflections on Key Decisions

Missed Opportunities: Destiny and Guitar Hero

During a PAX West 2024 interview, Spencer discussed pivotal moments in his career, including significant franchises that eluded Xbox. He cited Bungie's Destiny and Harmonix's Guitar Hero as among the "worst" decisions, acknowledging the impact of these missed acquisitions. Despite his close relationship with Bungie during his early days at Xbox, Destiny's initial concept didn't resonate with him until later. Similarly, he initially doubted the potential of Guitar Hero.

Dune: Awakening Faces Xbox Release Challenges

Despite past setbacks, Spencer maintains a forward-looking perspective. Xbox is actively pursuing major franchises, including Funcom's Dune: Awakening. While planned for Xbox Series S alongside PC and PS5, Funcom's Chief Product Officer, Scott Junior, highlighted optimization challenges for the Xbox Series S platform, explaining the PC-first release strategy. He assured gamers, however, that the game will perform well even on older hardware.

Enotria: The Last Song Encounters Xbox Release Delays

Indie developer Jyamma Games' Enotria: The Last Song experienced significant delays on Xbox, citing a lack of communication and response from Microsoft regarding its submission. Despite the game being nearly ready for both Series S and X, the Xbox release remains uncertain, with the game launching on PlayStation 5 and PC instead. Jyamma Games CEO Jacky Greco expressed considerable frustration over the situation. The developer stated that they have a completed version ready for Xbox but are unable to proceed due to unresolved issues with their store page.