By In a recent interview with Edge Magazine
Long before Xbox leader Phil Spencer officially took charge of the brand in 2014, he played a vital role in shaping its trajectory during the brand’s early years – and Fable creator Peter Molyneux has shared some kind words regarding his interactions with the present-Microsoft Gaming CEO.
Molyneux has been conversing with Edge Magazine (kudos to GamesRadar for the scoop!) about when his studio Lionhead was purchased by Microsoft in 2006, revealing to the publication that Spencer “used to operate from the Lionhead offices,” which meant they spent considerable time collaborating.
Looking back, he expressed that Phil is among his favorite colleagues:
“He’s one of the finest individuals I’ve ever collaborated with. I’m not expressing this to flatter him – he’s someone who genuinely loves the gaming industry and is exceptionally intelligent.
But he has been with Microsoft his entire professional life. Phil used to operate from the Lionhead offices, so we dedicated significant time to working alongside each other. And he remarked, ‘You know, Peter, I’d truly like to employ your talents more broadly at Microsoft.’
One aspect that the Fable creator appreciates greatly is how Spencer had faith in him and Lionhead Studios, mentioning that he’s “truly motivated by admiration” and that Phil essentially made him feel valued at Microsoft.
He also noted that the experience helped him overlook how dreadful it had been being a senior vice president at EA!
“Now, I am someone who is profoundly motivated by appreciation, so when he said, ‘We want to designate you a Microsoft partner,’ I thought: Awesome, they genuinely appreciate me!’ It’s just reminiscent of school, this child striving to be liked, really – that’s what it all boils down to.”
Of course, Molyneux is no longer directly participating in the Fable reboot that’s being managed by Playground Games, but he’s engaged with his own project titled Masters of Albion that we’re hoping will eventually get an Xbox console release. Based on these remarks, it seems like a strong likelihood at the very least!
For now though, let’s take a trip down memory lane – we’ll conclude with some footage of Peter from an old Fable interview below:
[source edge-magazine-subscription.co.uk, via gamesradar.com]
Fraser is the News Editor at Pure Xbox, where he dedicates his time reporting on the biggest events in the realm of Xbox and beyond.