Xbox totally underestimated Baldur's Gate 3, Larian says "so did everyone else"

Baldur's Gate 3 might be the biggest game of the year to not get a physical launch. Try as you might, you won't find Baldur's Gate 3 on a disc anywhere. It's getting a physical run in Japan, at least, but that still leaves many of us stuck with having to go through a digital storefront - something that's especially limiting on console.

We open this week's busy episode of Unlocked by discussing two big new games we just played a bunch of: Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty and Alan Wake 2. After that we discuss Phil Spencer's wish to bring back MechAssault and have a fantasy draft for which Xbox developer should make it -- along with our own picks (complete with preferred developers) for other dormant Xbox franchises we'd like to see return. Plus: we get lost wondering how the heck we're going to play all of the games in this historically busy stretch of major game releases that we're in right now, and more!

Phil Spencer has stated that Xbox players can see more AAA releases by Japanese studios come to the platform in the future. Speaking to Game Watch, Spencer said that Xbox will get more games described by the interviewer as “uniquely Japanese AAA titles” down the line.

Microsoft’s big bosses were recently asked about the big games that they would want to see return. Interestingly, Sarah Bond and Phil Spencer had completely different answers.

Given how many first party studios now fall under the Xbox Game Studios banner, it’s no surprise that Microsoft technically has the power to oversee revivals of as many dormant franchises as it can- a list that’s bound to grow further still once the company’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard is finalized. However, one name in particular that Xbox boss Phil Spencer has personally had his eyes on that may take some by surprise is MechAssault.

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced that it was raising the subscription prices for Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate in all markets except the US, Japan, Chile, Brazil, and Columbia, and as many may have expected, it looks like it won’t be the only price hike we’ll see for Microsoft’s subscription service.

Many are still reeling from the number of leaked emails that came out this week highlighting the “mindset” of Microsoft, Xbox, and one of its leaders, Phil Spencer, on various issues. The leaked emails, which sometimes spanned years, talked about all manner of topics within the gaming industry and without. But the one we wish to focus on right now is Baldur’s Gate 3. The game is one of the biggest hits of the year and one of the biggest surprises of the year in terms of success. It currently is the best-reviewed game of the year on Metacritic and has done very well sales-wise.

Few industry observers would have put money on Baldur’s Gate 3 being one of the year’s biggest hits.

Earlier this week, Microsoft was party to a monumental set of leaks that detailed everything from console plans to video game roadmaps. It also revealed email exchanges between Microsoft's execs, where Phil Spencer, Sarah Bond and others discussed potential games for the company's Game Pass subscription service.

The success of Baldur’s Gate 3 came as a surprise to many people. This includes developer Larian Studios, with concurrent player counts surpassing 800,000 players on Steam. It also seemed to surprise another big name in the industry, Microsoft.

Sign up for the GI Daily here to get the biggest news straight to your inbox

Xbox head Phil Spencer has made a statement regarding the recent FTC v Microsoft court case leaks, addressing employees in an internal email and giving a shorter, public statement on social media.