- The Xbox boss has revealed that the company turned down the pitch to publish Bungie’s Destiny.
- They skipped Bungie and eventually went towards Activision, owning the Call of Duty IP.
- Spencer also commented on how he has passed on so many big games over the years.
The Destiny IP from Bungie, which is currently owned by Sony, could have gone a very different path. According to the Xbox boss, Microsoft was offered to publish the original Destiny, but they turned down the offer.
Why it matters: Destiny was among the most popular MMORPGs of its time and a commercial hit, especially on consoles. While Destiny 2 isn’t in the best of shape, the original could have been a huge hit.
Spencer also commented on other games Xbox passed on. Some of them eventually turned into big hits, so looking back, Microsoft’s decisions don’t look the best. Among these games are Guitar Hero, Genshin Impact, and even GTA 3.
Also, Microsoft was offered to publish a Marvel IP, so Spider-Man could have been another Xbox exclusive in an alternate reality. Perhaps this strong lineup could have even compensated for the Xbox One’s drawbacks.
I’m not a regrets kind of person, maybe that’s a fault of mine. But, I’ve passed on so many games.
– Phil Spencer
If Xbox had published Destiny, they would’ve probably acquired Bungie eventually. However, the gaming giant saw a very different path, with Sony acquiring Bungie later on.
The Xbox boss says that they skipped the deal and focused on Activision, which they eventually acquired. If we think of it in the long run, the decision to skip Bungie over Acitivison was somewhat smart.
While Destiny still has a huge fan following, it doesn’t come close to the popularity of Call of Duty. Eventually, some of Spencer’s decisions turned into regrets, while others have been great for the company.
Considering the fact that the biggest chunk of Microsoft’s revenue came through Activision in 2024, this was a wise choice. However, Xbox may not have needed to focus on acquisitions so much had it built strong third-party exclusive partnerships just like Sony.
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News Reporter
Abdullah is an avid gamer who primarily plays single-player titles. If you can’t find him anywhere, he’ll probably be at his desk playing The Witcher 3 for the millionth time. When he isn’t playing games, he’s either reading or writing about them.
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