Phil Spencer: Rare should, can, and will be an important part of our game future

After speaking with CVG, Xbox head Phil Spencer made one thing clear: he view Rare as "an important part of Xbox's future."

After Microsoft starting shipping out Kinect-less Xbox One packages for $399.99, Rare started re-evaluating what games it wants to make. Three of the last four games that Rare developed were Kinect games — Kinect Sports, Kinect Sports: Season Two, and Kinect Sports Rivals for the Xbox One.

Of that, Spencer said, "Right now with Rare we're at a point where I don't want the Rare brand to mean Kinect Sports. The Rare brand can be more valuable to them, to us and to gamers than that.

"I think it's about them thinking about the next game that's going to be the next 'Rare game' and really stand for what they are. I know they've got some great ideas. I've not been up to Twycross for maybe six months, but I'm planning on getting up there this fall and seeing bits for the new game. But I know they're hard at work and Phil Harrison has been up talking to them […] They've got some new ideas, they're excited about them and I think Rare should, can and will be an important part of our future."

Hopefully we'll hear more about Rare's next project soon.

You can follow Features Editor Lance Liebl on Twitter @Lance_GZ. Or you can email him at LLiebl@GameZone.com.

CVG