Xbox Series X May Revive Beloved Original Xbox Franchise

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During a new interview, head of Xbox Phil Spencer suggested there may be fewer Xbox Series X launch games than you think. During the same interview, he also suggested a series he would like to see return on the console, and it's a nostalgic one. More specifically, when asked what dormant IP he would like to see return on Xbox Series X, Spencer quickly fired back with MechAssault.

“Mech. That’s easy. Mech, from a rights standpoint, is a little bit messy since there are some other people working on games. But when I think about MechAssault, and the IP that Jordan [Weisman] created with FASA like Crimson Skies, Shadowrun, Mech, and any more, it just has really deep and really rich stories and characters to go play in,” said Spencer. “I think it would be really cool, at some point, if we could do something with Mech.”

As you can see, Spencer suggests the rights involved may make this a tough series to resurrect, which possibly explains why we haven't seen it done yet. That said, if there's someone who can bring it back, I'm sure it's Spencer, the head of Xbox. Of course, the question was hypothetical, meaning this isn't a confirmation that MechAssault will be brought back from the grave on Xbox Series X, but, at the very least, it's a series on the mind of Spencer.

For those that don't know: MechAssault debuted back in 2002 via the original Xbox to critical acclaim. Beyond being one of the best games of 2002, it was notable for being one of the first games to support Xbox live online multiplayer. That said, the game is actually set within the BattleTech universe, as is its sequel, MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf, which released in 2004 to decent critical acclaim, but was largely seen as inferior to its predecessor. Since 2004, we haven't seen a thing from the series.

Xbox Series X is set to release sometime this holiday season.