With its acquisition of Activision Blizzard and Bethesda, as well as its impressive lineup under Xbox Game Studios, Microsoft has positioned itself as a major player in the gaming industry with a wealth of projects in the works. Some of these titles, such as Rare’s Everwild and Undead Labs’ State of Decay 3, were announced some time ago and have since been quietly simmering in development without much fanfare.
In a conversation with Xbox Era, Phil Spencer, the head of Microsoft Gaming, addressed the concerns that some of these projects may be stuck in ‘development hell.’ He confidently explained that Microsoft’s substantial resources allow it to provide its studios with the necessary time to fine-tune their creations, ensuring they get them just right.
When asked which upcoming first-party titles he finds most thrilling, Spencer highlighted State of Decay 3, Everwild, and the latest venture from Tim Schafer’s Double Fine Productions.
“State of Decay is a series I’ve been passionate about since its inception,” Spencer shared. “I’m particularly intrigued by the innovative approach Tim and his team at Double Fine are taking. Plus, I recently visited Rare and was genuinely impressed with the strides they’re making with Everwild.”
Spencer didn’t shy away from acknowledging the long periods of silence surrounding these games. “Yes, it has been a while,” he admitted. “But we’ve been able to afford these teams the time they need, which is fantastic, especially with the diversity in our portfolio. It’s like a vision Matt [Booty] and I have nurtured for ages, and it’s exciting to see it finally come to fruition. It allows us to give these studios the breathing room they need.”
Indeed, Microsoft isn’t in a rush to push out games prematurely. The company’s 2025 roster is already quite packed, featuring much-anticipated releases like Obsidian’s Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2, id Software’s Doom: The Dark Ages, Compulsion Games’ South of Midnight, Playground Games’ Fable, and a new installment in the Ninja Gaiden series by Team Ninja and PlatinumGames. Let’s not forget the probable release of a new Call of Duty.
Additionally, Spencer mentioned he’s planning to visit The Coalition, the developers behind Gears of War, to check in on yet another long-developing project: Gears of War: E-Day. The last installment in the Gears series came out back in 2019. “I’ll be up there next week,” Spencer said with enthusiasm. “I’m like a kid in a candy store whenever I get to go behind the scenes.”
