Xbox Could’ve Secured Exclusivity For Destiny But Phil Spencer Refused

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Abdullah Waseem

At T4G, my task is to cover the latest news around the gaming globe ASAP and with the utmost precision. I adore all the games and respect all the devs behind the amazing games that we get all year. So, whether it’s a PC or a Console game, I got it all covered. 

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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.

Abdullah Waseem

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.