E308: Microsoft's Phil Spencer on Bungie's E3 teaser, absence

by Xav de Matos { Jul 16th 2008 at 2:34AM }

A few hours prior to the madness that has become of the Bungie Announcement cancellation, Joystiq had a chance to speak to newly appointed general manager of Microsoft Game Studios Phil Spencer. The bad news, writes Joystiq, is no one was aware of the impending "changed" announcement agenda at the time but the good news is Joystiq was wise enough to ask why Bungie was left out of the press conference and about Microsoft's publishing partnership with the famed developer.

Spencer: "Our relationship with Bungie was always about a triple-A creative studio building content for our platform, and our working relationship brought about Halo 1, Halo 2, Halo 3 – which I think are great games. If that's the core of the relationship, creative people building content for our platforms, I don't think the relationship has changed. We have a relationship with a very talented studio who wants to create games for Xbox.

When Joystiq inquired about Bungie's teaser site and possible E3-timed reveal Spencer had some interesting comments on the matter. Jump in for more.

Joystiq: Speaking of Bungie, there wasn't any mention of Halo games or Halo projects during the presentation yesterday and there wasn't any mention of Bungie or Bungie working on any other projects. Bungie has been teasing something on their website for the last couple weeks, and it seems like they're ready to announce it but they're doing it independently of Microsoft. Is that indicative of any kind of change in that relationship – that they wouldn't have that game announced at the E3 conference?

Spencer: We focused the E3 event on games that are coming this holiday, from a first-party perspective. If you look at the games we talked about in the briefing, the games that you will see – Banjo, Viva Pinata, Fable 2, Gears of War 2, Lips, Scene It – these are all games that you're going to see this fall. That was the decision we made – we did the same thing last year, if you'll remember – to try and really introduce people to the games as they come towards completion, we'll show them what we have and what is coming. The relationship to Bungie and the projects that we're working on together – we don't have anything to announce today – but it's in our plans.

We can't say for sure if Spencer means whatever Bungie is working on wouldn't be available this year, but it at least explains the absence. Microsoft, being the publishing partner of Bungie properties, as stated in a quote from Luke Smith, would have the say on any reveal or announcements. It's possible Microsoft decided Bungie didn't need to reveal its "Ace" just yet.

Joystiq will have the entire interview with Spencer soon.

Tags: bungie, e3-08, e3-2008, e308, interview, microsoft-game-studios

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Justin @ Jul 16th 2008 2:42AM

I still blame Microsoft for not allowing Bungie to reveal a probably-will-be-awesome game title.

Dan Dizzle @ Jul 16th 2008 5:44AM

New Halo game announced! http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2008/07/16/microsoft-confirms-bungie-is-developing-new-halo/

Xepherys @ Jul 16th 2008 2:43AM

http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=137709

I'm telling you, it's all viral marketing, publicity, soon-to-be-ARG...

Glitch W @ Jul 16th 2008 2:54AM

You know as odd as it seems, the whole ARG thing makes more sense when you consider that Luke Smith said that playing a joke like this wasn't bungie's style.....

And Bungie's style is ARG for new games it seems

Xepherys @ Jul 16th 2008 2:55AM

Glitch, that's pretty much what I'm thinking...

West @ Jul 16th 2008 3:46AM

*GASP!* It wouldn't be a "joke" if it turned out to be an ARG! It's like my debate class all over again!

ChaoStar @ Jul 16th 2008 2:49AM

I like how Spencer conveniently left out Resident evil 5 and Final Fantasy to make a point.

UNSCleric @ Jul 16th 2008 2:50AM

Maybe this is the guy the mysterious Kotaku post was talking about? This may be the guy to blame right here.

http://kotaku.com/5025667/

UNSCleric @ Jul 16th 2008 2:51AM

Upon reading more, I think it is safe to say Phil Spencer is the main person to blame when it comes to Bungie's announcement being pulled.

lmalave2 @ Jul 16th 2008 3:12AM

My take on it: Microsoft was surprised by the $399 80 GB announcement and possibly also by the strength of Sony's video store offering (lots of studios signed up).

Whatever project Bungie is working on is one of the biggest trump cards that Microsoft has left between now and the holidays to combat Sony directly. I now predict that the reveal has been postponed until the same week in September that Sony's new model goes on sale.

And I don't think that Bungie was entirely powerless in this. I think at some level Microsoft persuaded the executives at Bungie that Bungie in general and this mystery game in particular were too much invested in the XBox 360 to let Sony beat them this holiday season. After all, the more 360 owners, the larger the customer base that Bungie can sell this game to. I think that in the end that it was Bungie that also went along with this, but they had to release a letter like they did to show solidarity with their bitterly dissapointed developers and fans. And Microsoft may have even agreed to take the heat since, hey, they're no strangers to being recipients of hate...

UNSCleric @ Jul 16th 2008 3:16AM

Yeah, cause the PS3 is such a threat with all those games they have coming out....

Xepherys @ Jul 16th 2008 3:16AM

I think you are overthinking it. The announcement now or then would do the same (little) to disuade people from buying a new console. And most fanboys already HAVE a 360. It's not a useful business move. *shrug*

Xepherys @ Jul 16th 2008 3:19AM

BTW, did you see the text change on the image pre- and post- apology letter? It's been added to my link above (with some other updates) but you can see it here:

http://www.xepherys.net/albums/Miscellaneous/03_04.jpg

First one seems to say DEATH ANGEL in leetspeak (noted by Animus on the Bungie forums), the other says something else. I enlarged and sharpened the text for comparison. It's DEFINITELY different. Any thoughts?

Velorium @ Jul 16th 2008 3:29PM

no idea, it's mirrored though (the part is there yet, see?) this is what it looks like to me, question mark meaning i can't distinguish it. (starting from top to bottom)

ja? ? n?th?

lmalave2 @ Jul 16th 2008 3:26AM

Well, we really can't judge how impactful the timing of Bungie's announcement will be until we actually see it, right? :)

The point is, Microsoft overall has the momentum now coming out of E3. The only major thing Sony has going between now and the holidays is the new 80 GB model. It would make sense for Microsoft to try to completely steal Sony's thunder that week so that XBox stays in the spotlight with the new 60 GB Model, new Dashboard, Netflix downloads, Real-prizes online gameshows, etc.

lllllll @ Jul 16th 2008 3:55AM

KEEP IT CLEAN

Xav de Matos @ Jul 16th 2008 3:57AM

That's real cute Peter. Let's not continue fueling the fire. KTHXBAI.

Ralf Mansson @ Jul 16th 2008 3:56AM

Something is going on. ilovebees (dot) com is back up with some wierd stuff. Click around. Can someone more into this than I find out what's going on?

Xav de Matos @ Jul 16th 2008 3:58AM

actually it never shut down... so that's always been there.

Ralf Mansson @ Jul 16th 2008 4:59AM

Thanks for the info.

mikazi @ Jul 16th 2008 4:25AM

Could it be that MS wanted to have it a day after Sony and Nintendos keynote, just in case they announced something "Wow!", you know to steal their thunder :) . But seeing as there wasn't anything "Wow!" in either of they keynotes they thought that they didn't need to announce it.

Xav de Matos @ Jul 16th 2008 4:30AM

You sir, hit the nail on the head.

JerkfacedFed @ Jul 16th 2008 8:26AM

bingo, i cant believe some how some people can be so off about this. especially that dumbass who thought that microsoft was running scared about sony upgrading a 40 gig model to 80...omfg panic attack...its obvious that microsoft realized that they dominated this e3 and didnt need to waste a huge bungie reveal at this time. as soon as sony makes a meaningful move (could be a while) the new project will be unveiled. too easy.