With its acquisition of Activision Blizzard and Bethesda, plus the suite of developers under Xbox Game Studios, Microsoft now stands as a titan in the gaming world. It’s got a slew of projects in the pipeline, some of which were announced way back and have been simmering in development for ages—like Rare’s “Everwild” and Undead Labs’ “State of Decay 3.”
In a chat with Xbox Era, Phil Spencer, the head honcho at Microsoft Gaming, shrugged off any worries about these projects being stuck in development limbo. According to him, the sheer size of Microsoft’s publishing arm allows them to give developers the freedom to perfect their games.
When asked which first-party titles he’s most pumped about, Spencer mentioned “State of Decay 3,” “Everwild,” and the next exciting project from Tim Schafer’s Double Fine Productions.
Spencer expressed his admiration for these franchises, stating, “State of Decay is one of those series I’ve loved since the original. I’m fascinated by the work at Double Fine and how Tim encourages team input. And I just visited Rare, and it feels great to see how Everwild is shaping up.”
He acknowledged the long wait for updates on these games, admitting, “Yeah, it’s been a while. But we’ve managed to give those teams time, which is a win because we still boast a strong lineup. It’s a dream Matt [Booty] and I have nurtured for a long time, so it’s satisfying to finally be here, offering these teams the time they need.”
Microsoft isn’t in any great rush to push new games out the door. Their 2025 lineup is already packed with titles 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 Team Ninja and PlatinumGames’ “Ninja Gaiden 4.” That’s not even counting a probable new “Call of Duty.”
Spencer also mentioned an upcoming visit to see the latest from Gears of War developer The Coalition, specifically the long-awaited “Gears of War: E-Day.” The series last saw a release in 2019, and Spencer is looking forward to diving into their progress, saying, “I’ll be up there next week. I’m like a pig in mud when they let me in the doors.”
