Xbox CEO Phil Spencer reflects on past strategic missteps and the impact on major gaming franchises, acknowledging some "worst decisions" in Xbox's history. This article explores his candid remarks and provides updates on upcoming Xbox game releases.
Phil Spencer's Reflections on Xbox's Past Decisions
Missed Opportunities: Destiny and Guitar Hero
During a PAX West 2024 interview, Phil Spencer discussed pivotal moments in Xbox's history, including significant franchises that eluded them. He identified Bungie's Destiny and Harmonix's Guitar Hero as among the "worst" decisions of his career, revealing initial hesitation and a lack of foresight. Despite close ties with Bungie during his early tenure at Xbox, Destiny's initial appeal evaded him, only recognizing its potential later. Similarly, he admits to initially doubting Guitar Hero's prospects.
Spencer emphasizes a forward-looking approach, choosing not to dwell on past regrets, despite acknowledging numerous missed opportunities.
Dune: Awakening Faces Xbox Release Challenges
Despite past setbacks, Xbox continues to pursue 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, highlighted the challenges of optimizing the game for the Series S, citing this as the reason for a PC-first release strategy. He reassured fans that the game will ultimately perform well 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 planned September 19th launch. The studio attributed the delay to a lack of communication and response from Microsoft, despite the game being prepared for both Series S and X. Jyamma Games CEO Jacky Greco expressed significant frustration over the situation, highlighting the financial investment in the Xbox port and the lack of support from Microsoft. The game will launch on PlayStation 5 and PC, with the Xbox release remaining uncertain. Greco publicly questioned Xbox's lack of response and apparent disregard for the game and its community.
