Xbox Boss Phil Spencer comments on licensed games

by

Key takeaways

  • Xbox boss Phil Spencer is wary of licensed games due to licensing issues and prefers creative reasons.
  • Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is an exception to Spencer's approach, as it was developed by a passionate team and is not tied to any particular movie.
  • Spencer feels confident about the Indiana Jones license and emphasizes the importance of strong relationships.



Xbox Boss Phil Spencer explains why he's wary of producing licensed video games and why Indiana Jones and the Great Circle That's the exception to the rule. Bethesda forthcoming Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Will be released on December 9, starting on Xbox consoles and PC, with a PlayStation 5 port coming later in 2025. The Great Circle be the first Indiana Jones Licensed game since 2011 Indiana Jones Adventure World.

Licensed video games are a tricky beast. Historically, video games based on movies were not very desirable, due to the fact that they were often of poor quality and tied to the latest thing premiering in theaters. The practice took off in the mid to late 2000s as developers and publishers devoted their resources to other ways of producing their own, licensed video games, often based on IP. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle One such example is, because it's not a game based on a specific movie from the franchise, but it takes inspiration from its history to create something new. Xbox boss Phil Spencer recently discussed the challenges of making licensed games.


IHOP's Xbox-inspired logo from its current partnership with Xbox.

related to

Xbox is teaming up with IHOP

Xbox announces a partnership with breakfast chain IHOP, making the pancake establishment the brand's official breakfast partner.

Speaking with Game File (courtesy of IGN), Spencer discussed the complex nature of licensed games and how they hold up to streaming and subscription services like Xbox Game Pass. The main reason why Spencer is so hesitant about licensed games is because the company loses the license due to the games being delisted. The most immediate and relevant example regarding Spencer's statement is Xbox itself Forza Horizon 4 will be removed on December 15, although the game has seen a lot of success since its original 2018 release. “We've seen it in racing games that have to be delisted, because you lose certain licenses,” Spencer said. “So I'm always very careful, if we're going to take a license, that we're doing it for creative reasons, [that] The team has a goal of what they want to do.”



Licensed games need passionate teams, says Phil Spencer

Another reason Spencer is so hesitant about licensed games is that it requires a creative team passionate about the license. Indiana Jones and the Great Circlewhich was developed by MachineGames under the supervision of Lucasfilm Games, is an example of what Spencer is looking for. Spencer says the developers at MachineGames really “love” the world Indiana JonesAppreciating the story The Great Circle This is one of its strong points, especially given how the game puts the player in the shoes of Indiana Jones from a first-person perspective.

We've seen this in racing games that have to be delisted because you've lost a certain license. So I'm always very careful, if we're going to take a license, that we're doing it for creative reasons, [that] The team has a goal of what they want to accomplish.


When asked if Spencer was worried about the license Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Finally going to expire, Spencer says he feels “great.” XboxA partnership with Lucasfilm and Disney. Confirming the strong relationship between the companies, he mentioned how Arkane is still developing Marvel's Blade And he recently visited the development team.

Leave a Comment