Xbox boss says Microsoft will continue to "take risks" in the wake of Scalebound's cancellation

According to Phil Spencer, Microsoft's experience with Scalebound will not stop it from taking risks.

After Microsoft confirmed cancelling Scalebound earlier this week, many criticised the publisher for announcing ambitious projects early in development, only to end up killing them.

Fans cited examples such as Fable Legends and the Phantom Dust reboot, both of which were shown many times in marketing but didn't end up in a finished product. Xbox boss Phil Spencer responded to similar concerns from his Twitter followers, reassuring them the company is not done funding risky projects.

"I know we have to take risks, I realize right now probably sounds hollow but I agree," he said in a tweet.

Spencer agreed in another that focusing on first-party is "critical," but that doesn't mean abandoning the concept of signing projects from independent studios.

With that in mind, he said the experience provided "good learning" for him, and agreed that the company will "think more about" showing new projects early.

The executive also apologised to fans for the news, saying he shares their disappointment. "I want everything we start to turn out great, to take risks, create diversity," he added.

In other Scalebound news, director Hideki Kamiya and Platinum Games spoke briefly about the news. Although no details were shared, the creative director promised to do better in the future.