Phil Spencer Talks The 4 Most-Requested Xbox Franchise Revivals

Here is a 185-word summary of the key points from the article: Xbox boss Phil Spencer discussed the most highly requested game franchise revivals from Microsoft's back catalog. The top four include the Japanese RPGs Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey, as well as the Western titles Crimson Skies and MechAssault. Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey were developed by Mistwalker, the studio founded by Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi. They featured character designs by renowned Japanese artists Akira Toriyama and Takehiko Inoue, making them standout titles for Japanese fans. Crimson Skies and MechAssault originated in the early days of the original Xbox, developed in partnership with FASA. Crimson Skies was an action-flight game set in an alternate 1930s America, while MechAssault featured the BattleTech mech combat franchise. While the Japanese RPGs are more feasible for revival as Mistwalker still owns the rights, the Western titles face more complex rights issues. Microsoft has added Crimson Skies to its backwards compatibility program, making it the more likely candidate for a potential revival. Spencer also discussed Microsoft's partnership with Japanese studios for upcoming games like Ninja Gaiden 4 and Beast of Reincarnation.