Phil Spencer thinks today’s Microsoft would keep Bungie

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The head of Microsoft’s gaming division told Axios that he understands why Bungie, arguably one of the most famous Xbox gaming studios, made the decision to become independent at the time. At the same time, Spencer believes that now the company could find ways to keep it.

  • On Tuesday, Bungie will celebrate its 30th birthday with its hit game Destiny 2, and on Wednesday, Xbox will release the newest game in the franchise that Bungie has created but is no longer developing: Halo.
  • Microsoft acquired Bungie in 2000 and released its first Xbox console along with the 2001 hit Bungie Halo: Combat.
  • Bungie made several more Halo games before becoming independent in 2007 and creating the Destiny shooter series for Xbox, PlayStation, and eventually PC and Stadia.

According to Spencer, the Xbox has learned a lot since then and is well aware of the big ambitions of the creators of Halo.

  • Asked if a split was inevitable or if Microsoft could hold them back, he added, “Could we do it today? I think we could. ”
  • But he said he understands why they left. “They had big ambitions at the time. They sold their business for a certain amount of money. They saw what Halo has become. And it’s like, “Okay, Microsoft made more money from the success of Halo than Bungie.”
  • He mused, “If you say,” Hey, I think I can do another project like this. I really want to take another chance, “I can understand the beauty of that as an independent company.”

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