Xbox Boss Phil Spencer Comments on Licensed Games

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Key points

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



Xbox boss Phil Spencer has explained why he's wary of licensed video game production and outlined why Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is the exception to that rule. Bethesda is coming Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will be released on December 9th, launching first on Xbox and PC consoles, with a PlayStation 5 port arriving later in 2025. The Great Circle it's the first Indiana Jones licensed game since 2011 The world of Indiana Jones adventures.

Licensed video games are a complicated beast. Historically, video games based on films were not very desirable, as they were mostly of poor quality and only intended to tie in with the latest thing to premiere in theaters. The practice shifted in the mid-to-late 2000s, as developers and publishers devoted their resources to other ways of producing licensed video games, usually doing their own thing on a per-IP basis. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is an example of this, as it is not a game based on a specific film in the series, but takes inspiration from its story to create something new. Xbox boss Phil Spencer recently discussed the challenges of making licensed games.


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Speaking to Game File (courtesy of IGN), Spencer discussed the complex nature of licensed games and how to get them into streaming and subscription services like Xbox Game Pass. The main reason Spencer is so hesitant about licensed games is racing games in particular being removed from the list, due to the company losing their licenses. The most immediate and relevant example regarding Spencer's statement is that of Xbox Forza Horizon 4 will be delisted on Dec. 15, even though the game has seen a lot of success since its original release in 2018. “We've seen it in racing games that have to be delisted, because they lose some licenses,” Spencer said. “So I'm always very careful, if we take a license, to do it for creative reasons, [that] the team has a goal around what they want to do.”



Licensed games require passionate teams, says Phil Spencer

The other reason Spencer is so hesitant about licensed games is that they require a creative team that is passionate about the license. Indiana Jones and the Great Circledeveloped by MachineGames with the supervision of Lucasfilm Games, it is an example of what Spencer is looking for. Spencer says that the developers at MachineGames really “love” the world of Indiana Jonespraising the story of The Great Circle saying that it is one of its strongest parts, especially with the way the game puts the player in the shoes of Indiana Jones through its first-person perspective.

We've seen this in racing games that need to be removed from the list, because you lose certain licenses. So I'm always very careful, if we take a license, to do it for creative reasons, [that] the team has a goal around what they want to do.


When asked if Spencer was concerned about the license Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will eventually expire, Spencer says he feels “amazing.” Xboxthe partnership with Lucasfilm and Disney. To corroborate the strong relationship between the companies, he mentions how Arkane is still in development Marvel's Blade and who recently visited the development team.

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