Xbox Has Made the \"Worst Decisions\" with Big Franchises Says Phil Spencer

Xbox CEO Phil Spencer Reflects on Past Mistakes and Future Plans

Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, recently opened up about past decisions he now considers mistakes during a PAX West 2024 interview. He discussed missed opportunities with major franchises, highlighting Destiny and Guitar Hero as particularly significant regrets.

Despite his initial reservations about Destiny, stemming from a time when Bungie was under Microsoft's umbrella, Spencer acknowledged the game's eventual success. Similarly, he admitted to initially dismissing Guitar Hero's potential. These decisions, he stated, rank among the worst of his career.

However, Spencer emphasized his forward-looking approach, focusing on current and future projects rather than dwelling on past regrets.

Xbox's Future: Challenges and Opportunities

While acknowledging past setbacks, Xbox is actively pursuing new opportunities. Dune: Awakening, an action RPG 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 in optimizing the game for the Xbox Series S, leading to a PC-first release strategy.

Despite these difficulties, Junior reassured fans that the game will perform well even on older hardware.

Indie Developer Faces Xbox Release Hurdles

Meanwhile, indie developer Jyamma Games encountered significant delays with the Xbox release of Entoria: The Last Song. The studio reported a lack of communication from Microsoft, preventing the game's submission and hindering its planned September 19th launch. The game will now launch on PlayStation 5 and PC, with the Xbox release currently uncertain. Jyamma Games' CEO, Jacky Greco, expressed frustration over the lack of response from Xbox.

The situation highlights the complexities of game development and release across different platforms, particularly for smaller studios navigating the process with larger publishers.