In a candid interview at PAX West 2024, Xbox boss Phil Spencer opened up about some of the biggest missed opportunities during his time with the company, including passing on major franchises like Destiny and Guitar Hero.
Spencer admitted that Bungie’s 2014 hit Destiny didn’t initially resonate with him when he first played it. Despite his close connection with Bungie from their time working on Halo, Spencer didn’t see the game’s potential early on. It wasn’t until the House of Wolves expansion that Destiny truly clicked for him. Consequently, Destiny was published by Activision instead of Microsoft.
Similarly, Spencer reflected on his decision to pass on Guitar Hero, a move he humorously described as one of his “worst game-choice decisions.” When Guitar Hero was pitched to him, Spencer doubted whether a game involving plastic guitars would succeed. The game went on to become a cultural phenomenon.
Despite these missed opportunities, Spencer emphasized that he isn’t one to dwell on regrets, preferring to look forward and celebrate the successes of the industry, including what Bungie has achieved.
Spencer also touched on the upcoming release of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, which will launch as a timed Xbox exclusive in spring 2025 before hitting PlayStation 5. He highlighted that such business decisions are vital for Xbox to meet the high expectations set by parent company Microsoft.
For Spencer, while he’s passed on some of the biggest franchises, his forward-looking approach continues to define his leadership at Xbox.
