Xbox Chief Admits "Poor Choices" in Flagship

Xbox CEO Phil Spencer reflects on past missteps and the toughest decisions impacting major franchises, amidst the evolving gaming landscape. This article explores his candid comments and provides updates on upcoming Xbox titles.

Xbox Chief Reflects on Key Decisions and Missed Opportunities

Destiny and Guitar Hero: Significant Misses for Xbox

At PAX West 2024's "Story Time with Phil Spencer," the Xbox head discussed career-defining moments, including significant franchises that slipped through Xbox's grasp. He cited Bungie's Destiny and Harmonix's Guitar Hero as among his "worst" career decisions.

Spencer, whose Xbox tenure began while Bungie was under Microsoft's umbrella, shared his complex feelings about Destiny. He acknowledged the strong relationship with Bungie, mentioning learning from individuals like Alex Seropian and Jason Jones. However, he admitted an initial lack of connection with Destiny, finding its appeal only after the House of Wolves expansion. Similarly, his initial skepticism towards Guitar Hero upon its pitch proved to be a costly oversight.

Dune: Awakening's Xbox Release: A Development Challenge

Despite these regrets, Spencer maintains a forward-looking perspective. He emphasizes his focus on current projects rather than dwelling on past decisions. Looking ahead, Xbox aims to secure major franchises, with Funcom's Dune: Awakening as a prime example. This action RPG, slated for release on Xbox Series S, PC, and PS5, faces optimization challenges for the Xbox platform.

Funcom's chief product officer, Scott Junior, discussed these hurdles at Gamescom 2024, explaining the PC-first approach due to necessary optimizations. He acknowledged the Xbox Series S as particularly demanding but assured that the game will perform well even on older hardware, as confirmed to VG247.

Enotria: The Last Song Faces Xbox Release Delays

Indie developer Jyamma Games' Enotria: The Last Song encountered significant delays on Xbox, weeks before its planned September 19th release. The studio reported a lack of response from Microsoft despite the game's readiness for both Series S and X. Jyamma Games CEO Jacky Greco expressed frustration over the communication breakdown, resulting in the game launching on PS5 and PC only, with the Xbox release uncertain. Greco further detailed the situation on the game's Discord, highlighting the two-month lack of response from Xbox and the significant investment made in the port. The studio reiterated its desire for an Xbox release but acknowledged the difficulties posed by the lack of communication.