Xbox boss Phil Spencer officially announced that his game of the current console generation is Elden Ring. During an interview with XboxEra, Spencer praised FromSoftware’s open-world RPG, noting its depth, challenge, and engaging world as some of the reasons why the game was head and shoulders above the rest of the games.
Spencer continued to detail how long Elden Ring lasted “in a good way” and how much he enjoyed playing its open worlds and discovering its secrets. He jokingly talked about playing as an Astrologer and kidding about playing with the character’s magic abilities to “throw rocks at people.”. In choosing Elden Ring, Spencer said he tried not to choose an Xbox first-party title so that he would not be perceived as biased.
His admiration for Elden Ring is no surprise to fans. Back in 2020, Spencer played an early build of the game and called it Miyazaki’s “most ambitious” project. Following its release in 2022, he continued to express his appreciation, and eagle-eyed fans even spotted Elden Ring memorabilia on his office shelf during past interviews.
Aside from Elden Ring, Spencer named his top franchise of the day made by a Japanese developer: Ninja Gaiden. He liked the series’ fast-paced action and technically adept fighting, but he did not specify if he was referring to Team Ninja’s reimagined trilogy or the classic Ninja Gaiden games.
Spencer’s move is a testament to Elden Ring’s continued status as one of the most successful and rewarded games of the past couple of years. The game has picked up dozens of awards, solidifying its place as one of this generation’s all-time great RPGs. With the highly anticipated Shadow of the Erdtree expansion launching soon, its popularity is in no danger of dwindling.
Meanwhile, Spencer and Xbox are preparing for their next big launch—Doom: The Dark Ages, a sequel to id Software’s classic FPS series. It will drop on May 15, 2025, and be one of the following big games to test the taste buds of Xbox head for action-packed adventures.
