Microsoft, owning a vast number of game studios, boasts one of the largest collections of game franchises in the gaming world – possibly the largest. Despite having so many titles, some games are more highly anticipated for a return than others. In a recent interview with IGN Japan, Xbox head Phil Spencer discussed some of the most requested game revivals, as well as other industry topics.
During the interview, Spencer mentioned that the most popular older games people ask for from Microsoft are the Japanese role-playing games Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey, along with the Western-developed titles Crimson Skies and MechAssault.
Both Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey are role-playing games (RPGs) created by Mistwalker, a studio founded by Hironobu Sakaguchi, who was previously with Square Enix and is famous for creating Final Fantasy. Blue Dragon was Mistwalker’s debut project, and the characters were designed by Akira Toriyama, known for his work on Dragon Ball and Dragon Quest. Lost Odyssey, on the other hand, featured character designs by Takehiko Inoue, the creator of Slam Dunk and Vagabond. While Inoue may not be as recognizable to Western audiences as Toriyama, both artists are highly celebrated in Japan, making these games particularly special for Japanese fans.
Both Crimson Skies and MechAssault first appeared when the original Xbox was new. Microsoft collaborated with FASA, the company that published games like BattleTech and Shadowrun, at that time. Crimson Skies was an exciting flight-action game taking place in a reimagined 1930s America where flying was a common way to travel and fight. MechAssault was a fast-paced shooter featuring the mechs from BattleTech, and it was among the very first games to utilize Xbox Live functionality.
When it comes to a potential return for these games, the Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) are more likely. This is because Mistwalker is still operating and holds the rights to both franchises. Windows Central reports that Microsoft added Crimson Skies to its backwards-compatibility list a while back, but MechAssault wasn’t included. Although both games have complicated rights situations-Topps currently owns the rights to FASA’s properties-Crimson Skies has a better chance of making a comeback.
So, besides chatting about the games everyone’s been asking for, I heard Spencer talk about why they chose Japan for Forza Horizon 6. Apparently, it was the most requested location in the game’s 13-year history, and he said Japan just has amazing landscapes. He also mentioned the partnerships Xbox has with Japanese developers, like for Ninja Gaiden 4 and Beast of Reincarnation, but he smartly said he’d let those teams share details about their games when they’re ready.
Read More
- Shape of Dreams Best Builds Guide – Aurena, Shell, Bismuth & Nachia
- Gold Rate Forecast
- Brent Oil Forecast
- Kingdom Come Deliverance 2’s New Update 1.041 Delivers Hotfix 1.4.1 Addressing Quests, NPCs and More
- All Grow A Garden Cheats And Console Commands
- Creation of Hollow Knight: Silksong’s Pharloom map reveals cut areas & major changes
- Ray Tracing in Dying Light The Beast? Yes! And no… It’s complicated!
- Can’t guess “When the Sun rises this appear” in Cookie Jam? Here’s the correct answer
- Evernight Team Comp In HSR – Honkai Star Rail
- Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza Kiwami 2 are coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on December 8 (Update)
2025-10-01 15:41