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Xbox chief says Microsoft will start more first-party game studios

Gabe Gurwin
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Xbox One X review controller in front
Mike Epstein/Digital Trends
Microsoft’s first-party lineup of Xbox One games hasn’t been very strong lately. In 2017, Forza Motorsport 7 and Halo Wars 2 are among the only AAA titles to come from Microsoft, and the gap between Xbox console exclusives and those on PlayStation 4 has only been growing. But Microsoft hasn’t abandoned first-party development. In fact, the company is planning to ramp it up in the future.

Speaking to Bloomberg, Microsoft’s head of Xbox Phil Spencer revealed that the company will be looking at starting new studios as well as acquiring additional ones as it increases investment in video game development.

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“We need to grow, and I look forward to doing that,” he added. “Our ability to go create content has to be one of our strengths. We haven’t always invested at the same level.”

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Curiously, in an interview with GameSpot, Microsoft Studios Publishing General Manager Shannon Loftis said that the company was in a good place with exclusives, though she admitted some players weren’t happy with the current offerings.

At the beginning of the console generation, development in Xbox console exclusives was fairly strong. Games like Titanfall and Sunset Overdrive offered experiences unavailable on PlayStation or Nintendo systems, and big-name games such as Halo 5: Guardians and Forza Horizon 3 are comparable in quality to Sony’s first-party lineup. But Microsoft has also run into trouble recently, with the cancellation of the much-anticipated action-role-playing game Scalebound, which was scheduled to be a heavy hitter this holiday season. Another game, Crackdown 3, suffered a delay into 2018 and has underwhelmed critics during preview events.

Meanwhile, this year PlayStation console exclusives include Nier: Automata, Persona 5, Horizon Zero Dawn, Nex Machina, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, and Gran Turismo Sport.

Matching that level of quality will be key for the success of Xbox in the future, particularly with the launch of the new Xbox One X system. The upgraded console is the most powerful gaming console ever produced, capable of running many games in native 4K resolution at 60 frames per second, but it will need a consistent library of exclusive games to back it up. That extra power likely won’t sway the average player and is intended primarily for those looking to get PC-level visuals out of their games without breaking the bank. The difference between the Xbox One X and older Xbox One systems is quite impressive, even when running at less than 4K resolution.

The Xbox One X is available on November 7 for $500.

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Gabe Gurwin
Gabe Gurwin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
Xbox’s Phil Spencer responds to blockbuster leak: ‘So much has changed’
Xbox Series X on a table.

Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has finally commented on the massive Xbox leak that happened earlier today. In his public statement, he explained that "so much has changed" since many of the documents were created and asked fans to be excited about Xbox's future.
On Tuesday morning, unredacted versions of a lot of documents pertaining to the Xbox vs. FTC trial appeared. These emails and documents, most of which were created or written sometime between 2020 and 2022, revealed a lot of unannounced information. That included things like a mid-gen refresh for the Xbox Series X and S, some unannounced Bethesda games, and even Microsoft's early goals for its next-generation console. Hours later, Spencer commented on the leak.
"We've seen the conversation around old emails and documents," Spencer explained on X (formerly known as Twitter). "It is hard to see our team's work shared in this way because so much has changed and there's so much to be excited about right now, and in the future. We will share the real plans when we are ready."
https://twitter.com/XboxP3/status/1704233222752571842
At first, people didn't know where the leak came from, with the FTC quickly denying that it leaked these things. Ultimately, United States District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley revealed that Microsoft had done it to itself while trying to provide the court with a secure cloud link to relevant exhibits for the trial. The Verge went on to report that Phil Spencer also sent out a memo internally about the leaks today, echoing the statements in his tweet.
"Today, several documents submitted in the court proceedings related to our proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard were unintentionally disclosed. I know this is disappointing, even if many of the documents are well over a year old and our plans have evolved," Spencer's memo reads. "I also know we all take the confidentiality of our plans and our partners’ information very seriously. This leak obviously is not us living up to that expectation. We will learn from what happened and be better going forward. We all put incredible amounts of passion and energy into our work, and this is never how we want that hard work to be shared with the community. That said, there’s so much more to be excited about, and when we’re ready, we’ll share the real plans with our players. In closing, I appreciate all of the work that you pour into Team Xbox to surprise and delight our players."
The fact that Microsoft did this to itself is an embarrassing accident, especially when some of the information contained within the documents and emails is no longer accurate. For now, all we can do is wait and see if Microsoft will actually release new versions of its Xbox Series X and S consoles next year and if games like Doom Year Zero, a sequel to Ghostwire: Tokyo, and Dishonored 3 get announced.

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Every blockbuster reveal from the Xbox leak: new consoles, Bethesda games, and more
Xbox's logo used during the Extended Games Showcase

Unredacted documents submitted and made publicly available to view as part of the ongoing Microsoft vs. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) trial just led to what may be the biggest leak in video game history.
A flood of files have revealed deep secrets about Xbox's upcoming plans for the bulk of the decade, giving us unprecedented insight into what's on the horizon for the gaming giant. That includes information on upcoming hardware refreshes, next-gen consoles, and unannounced Bethesda titles, as well as a further peek into Microsoft's acquisition ambitions. It's a lot to trudge through, so we've rounded up five key revelations that you'll want to know.
A new Xbox Series X model is coming next year
https://twitter.com/stephentotilo/status/1704121068519133313
The most shocking thing to leak as part of the trial is a new Xbox Series X model. Referred to as "Brooklin -- Xbox Series X Refresh" in the leaked documents, this is a diskless, cylindrical version of the Xbox Series X with 2TB of internal storage, a USB-C port, and smaller technical improvements to the system's Wi-Fi, PSU, standby mode, and more. An upgraded Xbox Series S code-named Ellewood may also be in the works and released before Brooklin.
If Microsoft still follows the plan laid out in this "Roadmap to 2030" document created in May 2022, it would release Brooklin in late October 2024 for $500. If Microsoft still plans to release Brooklin next year, it does contradict recent statements from Xbox chief Phil Spencer, who acted bearish on the idea of a mid-gen refresh in Gamescom interviews. It's possible Microsoft's plans have changed since these leaked documents were made, but if not, we now know what to expect in terms of Microsoft's console refreshes.
A new Xbox controller is in the works
https://twitter.com/charlieINTEL/status/1704088621475598345
Throughout that Brooklin leak, a new version of the Xbox Series X controller is also teased. The Xbox Series X controller is great, but lacks the unique features of controllers like the DualSense or Joy-Cons, so it makes sense Microsoft would want to change that. Referred to as "Sebile -- The New Xbox Controller," this controller can seamlessly pair and connect to the cloud.
It also will feature haptic feedback, an accelerometer gyro, quieter buttons, modular thumbsticks, a rechargeable and swappable battery, and the ability to wake just by being picked up. The same road map that lists Brooklin and Ellewood's release windows says the Sebile controller will launch sometime in late May 2024 for $70.
First details on Microsoft's next-gen console leak
https://twitter.com/AR12Gaming/status/1704102055206322389
It's hard to believe we're almost already three years into this console generation and that Microsoft is planning for its next major console release, but that is the case. Unfortunately for Microsoft, its current technical ambitions for the platform were included in this leak. A leaked document states that Microsoft's ultimate goal is to "develop a next-generation hybrid game platform capable of leveraging the combined power of the client and cloud to deliver deeper immersion and entirely new classes of game experiences." 
In practice, a list of technical improvements lays out that we can expect an ARM64 CPU that balances big and little cores, a GPU co-designed with AMD, and an NPU that balances "the desire for flexible, programmable ML silicon versus high-performance silicon for targeted workloads," as well as support for better ray tracing, global illumination, micropolygon rendering, and an ML-based Super Resolution. Microsoft also mentions a "thin OS" meant for cheaper consumer and handled devices, likely to play games via the cloud.
This next-gen console is currently slated for a 2028 launch.
Several upcoming Bethesda games leak

Enough about hardware -- several upcoming Bethesda games also leaked. A document from 2020 outlining Bethesda's game road map through fiscal year 2024 includes some games we don't know about. Alongside games we know of like MachineGames' Indiana Jones project, the list also includes several code-named projects, remasters of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Fallout 3, a GhostWire: Tokyo sequel, Doom Year Zero, and Dishonored 3.
Another document also confirmed that The Elder Scrolls VI won't launch until at least 2026. Some of these games have missed the release windows listed in the documents, so it's very possible that these dates are no longer accurate and that some may not be released at all. Still, it lays out a clear picture of what was in development at Bethesda just a few years ago and provides insight into the lineup that enticed Microsoft to purchase Bethesda in the first place. 
Microsoft considered acquiring Nintendo and Warner Bros. Interactive
https://twitter.com/tomwarren/status/1704021807341203802
A leaked email from 2020 gives some insight into Spencer's acquisition ambitions at that point. Namely, it sounds like he'd love to acquire Nintendo as it would be a "career moment" for him.
"I totally agree that Nintendo is THE prime asset for us in gaming, and today gaming is a most likely path to consumer relevance," he wrote. "I've had numerous conversations with the LT of Nintendo about tighter collaboration and feel like if any U.S. company would have a chance with Nintendo, we are probably in the best position ... At some point, getting Nintendo would be a career moment and I honestly believe a good move for both companies."
Ultimately, Spencer didn't want to do a hostile takeover of Nintendo, so he settled for playing the "long game" when it came to acquiring it. This same email also reveals that Microsoft was interested in acquiring Warner Bros. Interactive around the same time as Bethesda, although the lack of any WB IP ownership was its undoing, Spencer is also as intrigued about acquiring Valve as it was Nintendo.
It's worth noting that this email is from over three years ago, and these acquisition ambitions might have been quelled following changing economic conditions and the rocky and expensive process of acquiring Activision Blizzard. 

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The best RPGs for Xbox Series X
best-single-player-nintendo-switch-games

If there's one genre the Xbox series of consoles has struggled to really break into in the past, it's RPGs. Yes, each system had a standout title or two, like the original Xbox having Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and the 360 having Lost Odyssey, but this particular family of consoles was always seen as secondary to RPG fans compared to Sony, or even Nintendo, machines. With the release of the Xbox Series X, Microsoft has made a strong effort to fill that gap in their library and has already done a great job of publishing, or at least supporting via Game Pass, some of the best RPGs in recent memory.

What counts as an RPG today covers a wide range of games. They can be turn-based, real-time, action-focused, narrative-focused, first-person, and more. So many games incorporate RPG elements now that it can be a little tough to find one that doesn't anymore. However, for this list, we're picking only games that are RPGs at their core, or at least have it as the main component rather than a game that just throws in progression bars and nothing else. Still, that leaves a lot of ground to cover. If you're feeling the itch for a new RPG to play on your Xbox Series X, we've picked out the best from a range of titles that should fill the exact experience you're looking for.

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