With its acquisitions of Activision Blizzard, Bethesda, and a robust lineup of developers under Xbox Game Studios, Microsoft has firmly established itself as a powerhouse in game publishing, juggling numerous projects. Some of these, like Rare’s Everwild and Undead Labs’ State of Decay 3, were announced years ago but seem to have languished in development with tangible results yet to be seen.
Phil Spencer, the head honcho of Microsoft Gaming, addressed these lingering delays in a chat with Xbox Era. He downplayed concerns about development hell, highlighting Microsoft’s vast resources that allow studios the breathing room they need to perfect their games.
When probed about which upcoming first-party titles he’s most eager for, Spencer mentioned State of Decay 3, Everwild, and an intriguing new project from Tim Schafer’s Double Fine Productions.
Expressing his fondness, Spencer said, “State of Decay is one of those franchises I’ve adored since its inception. I also admire the innovative work at Double Fine and Tim’s approach to team feedback. And just recently, I visited Rare to see the strides they’re making on Everwild.”
He didn’t shy away from acknowledging the lengthy gaps without updates on these games. “Yes, it’s been a while,” he admitted. “But we’ve purposely allowed these teams the time they need, and with our extensive portfolio, we can afford to do so. This is a vision Matt [Booty] and I have cherished for ages, and it’s gratifying to reach this stage where we support the teams in this way.”
Microsoft isn’t in a frenzy to push out games prematurely, thanks to a jam-packed 2025 lineup including Obsidian’s Avowed, 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. Not to mention the expected arrival of another Call of Duty installment.
Spencer also noted a forthcoming visit to The Coalition, where he’ll check in on the much-anticipated Gears of War: E-Day, since the series’ last release in 2019. “I’ll be visiting next week,” he commented. “I feel like a kid in a candy store every time I get a sneak peek inside.”
