Xbox lead Phil Spencer reveals the 4 most-requested franchise revivals from fans — which would you like to see the most?

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Microsoft has wrapped up its Tokyo Game Show festivities, but news is still trickling out.

At the Tokyo Game Show, Microsoft’s Xbox showcased a diverse lineup of games from both large and independent developers. Highlights included a new installment in the Gungrave series, updated looks at Ninja Gaiden 4, and official releases of Monster Hunter Stories 1 and 2. The biggest announcement was Forza Horizon 6, confirmed to be set in Japan and launching on Xbox and PC in 2026.

In a recent interview, Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, talked about several things and may have given clues about the future direction of Xbox’s growing collection of exclusive games.

At the Tokyo Game Show, Phil Spencer played several games, including the new Ninja Gaiden 4. He also visited studios like Capcom, Square Enix, and Pokémon developer Game Freak. Microsoft is working with Game Freak on a project called Beast of Reincarnation, but Spencer said those teams will share details about their work when they’re ready.

When asked about the recent popularity of Japanese settings in video games, Spencer explained that interest in Japan is growing in many areas of western culture, including anime and television shows like ‘Shogun’. He described Japan as a beautiful and diverse country with stunning landscapes, from oceans to mountains like Mount Fuji.

Spencer explained that they decided to reveal Forza Horizon 6 in Japan because the game takes place there. He mentioned this location was the most requested by fans, going all the way back to the original Forza Horizon game, a point previously highlighted by Xbox Games Studio head Matt Booty.

Spencer explained that when the game teams are developing and presenting their work in Japan, they aim to showcase things that will excite fans there. He also addressed the accidental early reveal of Forza Horizon 6 and shared that we’ll be seeing more of the game next year, with speculation pointing to a release in the first half of 2026.

During the interview, Spencer repeatedly highlighted Xbox’s recent promises, including the Xbox Ally, which was prominently featured at the Tokyo Game Show. He also discussed several Xbox games currently in development. Spencer mentioned that fans have frequently asked for revivals of classic Xbox franchises like the JRPGs Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey, as well as Crimson Skies and MechAssault.

Mistwalker, the studio behind Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey, recently brought their Apple-exclusive game, Fantasian, to Xbox. I often get asked about Lost Odyssey, but people also frequently inquire about Crimson Skies and MechAssault. Crimson Skies was an aerial combat game with a unique dieselpunk style, while MechAssault was an action game focused on giant robots. Unfortunately, none of these games have had a new release in many years.

Could we see new Blue Dragon, MechAssault, Crimson Skies, or Lost Odyssey games?

The MechAssault game is connected to the BattleTech franchise, but Microsoft doesn’t completely own the rights, making it difficult to invest in further development. Microsoft currently licenses BattleTech to other companies, like Harebrained Schemes for their strategy game and Piranha Games for MechWarrior 5. It seems Microsoft’s legal team hasn’t fully approved expanding the BattleTech IP because older agreements don’t cover modern things like cloud gaming or merchandising. BattleTech started as a popular tabletop strategy game with a rich history, books, and video games, but it’s largely inactive now.

Microsoft has the rights to make video games based on the MechAssault and BattleTech universes, but Topps, a company famous for trading cards and collectibles, owns the overall franchise. Topps is currently led by Michael Eisner, who used to be the CEO of Disney. Because of complicated legal agreements and old licenses, Microsoft likely won’t be able to do much with these properties beyond allowing others to create games based on them.

If it hadn’t been for a complicated and frustrating mess of licensing problems, BattleTech had the potential to become as popular a tabletop game as Warhammer. Unfortunately, we’ll likely never see what could have been.

Like some other older games, getting Crimson Skies back might be tricky due to licensing issues. It’s not certain if Microsoft completely owns the rights to the game, as it originally started as a tabletop game from FASA. When FASA went out of business, Topps bought some of their properties, but it’s unknown if Crimson Skies was among them.

Microsoft appears more secure in its rights to Crimson Skies. The fact that they made it playable on newer Xbox consoles through backward compatibility, but didn’t do the same for MechAssault, suggests we might see a Crimson Skies revival in the future.

Both Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon have a stronger chance of being revived – perhaps through updated versions, complete remakes, or even new games in the series. With Microsoft increasing its investment in Japan, bringing Mistwalker back to work on these franchises would be a major win, particularly now after the changes with Expedition 33. Traditional turn-based Japanese RPGs might become popular again in the West, and Microsoft could benefit from this – especially considering its focus on cloud gaming and handheld devices, as these games work perfectly on those platforms.

Microsoft’s efforts to bring back older game series have been hit or miss. While games like Microsoft Flight Simulator and Age of Empires have been huge successes, others, such as Phantom Dust and the recently cancelled Perfect Dark, haven’t fared so well. However, with the success of Xbox Game Pass relying on a constant stream of new games, Microsoft can’t afford to stop trying.

Microsoft is working on many new games, as they revealed during their Xbox Showcase last June. It’s worth wondering if any of the four game series they highlighted are among those currently in development.

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2025-09-30 14:11