GameSpot may receive revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and from purchases through links.

Microsoft Explains Halo Wars 2, Scalebound, Crackdown 3 Delays

"Whenever we announce a title or we share when we think when a launch will be, we do that based on the information we have at that time."

87 Comments

Three big-time Microsoft-published games, Halo Wars 2, Scalebound, and Crackdown 3, were originally set to come out in 2016. However, they were all delayed and are now slated to launch next year.

Now, Xbox marketing boss Aaron Greenberg has explained the thinking behind pushing these projects. He told DualShockers in a new interview that the creative process sometimes necessitates delays.

"As you go through that creative process, some times things happen fast, some times they take longer than you expect," he said. "For us making the games great, making sure the stories are great, the graphics are great in these immersive experiences, is a priority."

In some cases, this takes more time than originally planned, Greenberg said, and it can result in a delay.

"Whenever we announce a title or we share when we think when a launch will be, we do that based on the information we have at that time, and then later, when we get more information and we learn more about the game, that may change the timing of the release," the executive explained.

No Caption Provided

Other times, games are delayed for scheduling purposes. Greenberg said Microsoft's holiday 2016 lineup is already stuffed with first- and third-party games like Gears of War 4, Forza Horizon 3, ReCore, Dead Rising 4, Battlefield 1, and Titanfall 2. "There's more than enough games."

"Look at Halo Wars 2 as an example. We did not need to force it into an already crowded holiday season, so to have Halo Wars 2 in February was a very deliberate decision about when that title made sense," Greenberg explained. "We make the same evaluations on the other games as well, and I think you'll see us being a little more thoughtful about spreading that portfolio out throughout the year."

Go read the full DualShockers interview here.

Greenberg said previously that Microsoft's holiday 2016 lineup was so strong that it didn't need Crackdown 3 to come out this year.

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

Join the conversation
There are 87 comments about this story