With Microsoft’s acquisition of giants like Activision Blizzard and Bethesda, alongside its own Xbox Game Studios, it’s become a powerhouse in the gaming world. This massive portfolio means there are a ton of projects in the works. Some of these games were announced years ago and seem to have been cooking for quite a while, with exciting titles like Rare’s Everwild and Undead Labs’ State of Decay 3 still keeping fans waiting.
Phil Spencer, the head of Microsoft Gaming, recently addressed concerns about these lengthy development periods in a chat with Xbox Era. He downplayed any worries about “development hell,” highlighting that Microsoft’s vast resources allow their teams the luxury of time to perfect their projects.
When pressed about which unreleased first-party titles he’s most eager for, Spencer mentioned State of Decay 3, Everwild, and a new game from Tim Schafer’s Double Fine Productions.
Reflecting on his favorites, Spencer shared, “State of Decay holds a special place for me, right from its first iteration.” He also expressed admiration for the creative process at Double Fine under Tim Schafer’s direction. “As for Everwild,” he noted, “I’ve had the chance to see their progress recently at Rare, and it’s truly exciting.”
He acknowledged the extended periods of silence regarding updates for these games. “Yes, it’s been a while,” Spencer admitted. “But it’s wonderful that we can grant these teams the time they need, all while maintaining our robust portfolio. This has been a vision Matt [Booty] and I have shared for ages. It feels great to finally see it come to fruition.”
Microsoft isn’t backed into a corner with deadlines for any immediate releases. Their lineup for 2025 is already stacked, featuring Obsidian’s Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2, id Software’s Doom: The Dark Ages, Compulsion Games’ South of Midnight, Playground Games’ Fable, Team Ninja and PlatinumGames’ Ninja Gaiden 4, and likely another Call of Duty title.
Spencer also teased an upcoming visit to The Coalition, the brains behind the Gears of War series, to catch up on their long-awaited project, Gears of War: E-Day. The last release from the series was back in 2019. “I’ll be heading there next week,” he said with enthusiasm. “It’s a thrill every time they let me through those doors.”
