With the Xbox Series X coming this fall, many are no doubt already wondering what major franchises could make their grand return on the console. Rumors have already pegged the Fable franchise to be making its way back to Xbox over the next few years, while fans already know that Battletoads will return in the near future as well. However, it seems the head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, has an idea about which classic Xbox franchise he'd personally love to see return to the console in the coming years.

Speaking to IGN on their Unlocked podcast, Spencer was quick to reveal which classic game would have his vote to return to screens if the opportunity arose. The answer was MechAssault, one of the first big games to launch with Xbox Live compatibility when it released all the way back in 2002.

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"Mech. That’s easy," Spencer quickly answered in response to the question of which game he'd love to see make a return. "Mech, from a rights standpoint, is a little bit messy since there are some other people working on games. But when I think about MechAssault, and the IP that Jordan [Weisman] created with FASA like Crimson SkiesShadowrunMech, and any more, it just has really deep and really rich stories and characters to go play in. I think it would be really cool, at some point, if we could do something with Mech." Evidently Spencer has a deep running love of the series, with the popular industry figure believing that it could still make for an exciting experience if re-imagined for today.

MechAssault

For those who never played the original MechAssault, the core concept saw players operating giant, heavily-armored battle suits known as BattleMechs. The title allowed for users to engage in both intense multiplayer showdowns as well as a lengthy campaign that, much as Spencer indicates, operates in a fictional universe that's steeped in rich world-building. It was a massive success upon release, with many seeing it as one of the first major incentives to buy into Xbox Live.

From Spencer's indication that he's looked into the rights behind MechAssault, it's clear there's interest from the head of Xbox in adapting the franchise to modern consoles. However, it seems the company might be out of luck if Spencer's claim that the rights situation is "messy" is anything to by. Hopefully, in time, Xbox will be able to figure out how to bring the classic Microsoft franchise to modern consoles, especially as innovations in multiplayer gaming could revolutionize the property in a number of exciting and unexpected ways.

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Source: IGN