Both Destiny and Guitar Hero could’ve ended up as Xbox exclusives – if Microsoft Gaming lead Phil Spencer hadn’t “passed” on signing the now iconic titles.
Speaking at a PAX West panel, Spencer reveals that Xbox considered signing Bungie‘s beloved sci-fi shooter but ultimately chose not to: “Getting the pitch for Destiny on ‘do we want to sign this’ – we ended up not signing Destiny. It obviously went with Activision, and to see what it grew into, like from a business kind of Xbox standpoint, I can look at it … and it’s just a really interesting journey in terms of what [Bungie] built.”
After briefly comparing Destiny to Halo, fellow Bungie banger and arguably one of the most successful Xbox exclusives ever, Spencer explains that the online shooter initially “didn’t really click” with him as he’s not a “big PvP player.” His mind gradually changed as the game’s second expansion dropped, though: “It turns out that’s not what it was at all like, and when [House of] Wolves came out, it definitely landed me.”
Despite his eventual love for Destiny, Spencer doesn’t dwell on the decision to not sign the game – after all, it’s one of many: “I’ve passed on some of the worst, like made some of the worst game choice decisions.” Another such game that got away was Guitar Hero, a title that Spencer says he felt at first wasn’t “going to work” for Xbox. The concept was too surreal, from the toy-esque instrument plugged directly into a console to the gameplay itself.
“[Alex Rigopulos] pitches a game where they’re actually going to make plastic guitars and they’re going to plug into consoles and then they’re going to sell tracks … “I’m like, ‘really, do we really think that’s going to work?'” The strange formula did indeed end up working. “A few people played Guitar Hero,” Spencer jokes. “I hear that was turned into a pretty good game.” He still doesn’t regret not signing, though.
“I’m not a regrets type person. Maybe that’s a fault of mine, but I passed on so many games.” Instead of looking back with frustration, Spencer tries to “look forward and be positive about the things we are doing.” With smash-hit games like Destiny, that means celebrating studios such as Bungie and their monumental work: “I just like to celebrate what the team has done. I mean, it’s incredible.”