Xbox Prioritizes Development Time for Unreleased Games Like Everwild and State of Decay 3

With Microsoft now having control over gaming giants like Activision Blizzard, Bethesda, and an impressive lineup of studios under Xbox Game Studios, it’s no wonder they’re a powerhouse in the game-publishing realm. They’ve got a slew of projects in the pipeline, but we’ve been left waiting for ages for some of them, like Rare’s Everwild and Undead Labs’ State of Decay 3, which seems to be lost in development limbo.

Phil Spencer, the head of Microsoft Gaming, recently addressed these development delays in an interview with Xbox Era. He pretty much downplayed any concerns, explaining that Microsoft’s vast resources allow its studios the luxury of taking the necessary time to refine their games.

When asked about his most anticipated upcoming games from their first-party studios, Spencer pointed to State of Decay 3, Everwild, and a new project from Tim Schafer’s Double Fine Productions.

Spencer reminisced, “State of Decay is a series I’ve loved since the original. I believe in the creative process at Double Fine and how Tim encourages team input. And just recently, I’ve visited the team at Rare, and it’s exciting to see the strides they’re making with Everwild.”

Although these games have been shrouded in silence for an extended period, Spencer isn’t overly worried. “Yeah, it’s been a while,” he admitted. “But we’re able to give those teams the time they need, which is fantastic, and all the while, maintain a strong portfolio. It’s something Matt [Booty] and I have dreamed about for so long. It’s great to finally reach this point where we can afford to be patient.”

In fact, Microsoft isn’t feeling any rush to churn out new titles. Their 2025 lineup is already jam-packed with exciting offerings like Obsidian’s Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2, id Software’s Doom: The Dark Ages, Compulsion Games’ South of Midnight, the revival of Playground Games’ Fable, and Ninja Gaiden 4 from Team Ninja and PlatinumGames. And, of course, we can expect another installment in the Call of Duty franchise.

Spencer also hinted at a visit to The Coalition, the team behind Gears of War, to check in on Gears of War: E-Day, another project that’s been cooking for some time. The last entry in the series was back in 2019. “I’ll be visiting next week,” he remarked. “Honestly, I feel right at home when they open the doors for me.”