Xbox has quite a significant amount of franchises and popular IP under its belt, so many, in fact, that a few have fallen under the radar. Many of the best Xbox games never got a sequel, let alone end up becoming a fully-fledged franchise, and that’s a huge shame. Of course, they still garner their own fanbases and end up obtaining cult classic status, leading to many requesting that Xbox finally revive them and give them another chance.
Well, recently, Phil Spencer revealed which of Xbox’s most underrated franchises fans want to see revived, and the selection is rather surprising. More importantly, however, is that of the games fans have picked, only one of them truly deserves the comeback they all want. This game was sorely overlooked at the time despite the impressive names behind it, and has even gone on to inspire one of 2025’s best games.
Phil Spencer Revealed The Four Most Requested Xbox Franchise Revivals
There’s More JRPGs Included Than You’d Think
In an interview with IGN Japan, Phil Spencer was fairly candid about the dormant Xbox franchises fans want to see returned the most. Amazingly, two of them, Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey, were JRPGs, games that actually rank among some of the most popular RPGs of all time. The other two were the cult classic Crimson Skies and the lesser-known yet still impressive MechAssault.
MechAssault and Blue Dragon were the only games Spencer mentioned that actually got a sequel, but even they became inactive after their second entries. It is a shame that any of these frankly exceptional games never managed to garner a full franchise, especially considering the likes of Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey had huge names behind them. Blue Dragon, for instance, featured the art of the late and great Akira Toriyama, who is famous for his work on the Dragon Ball manga and anime series, as well as the Dragon Quest games.
Now that we’ve entered the era of Xbox remasters, it feels like there’s a chance one or even multiple of these franchises could see a return. Xbox has especially shown a dedication to supporting the Japanese video game developers, so it’s possible we may see the return of Blue Dragon or even Lost Odyssey. However, of all of these IPs, only one of them should really be brought back, as it was truly ahead of its time.
Lost Odyssey Deserves To Be Brought Back
It Is A Classic That Has Potential Even Today
Lost Odyssey has undeniably and frankly unfairly fallen under the radar. While Xbox 360 fans may remember this genuinely impressive JRPG gem, most will either have forgotten it or missed it when it first launched. It managed to achieve decent sales when it came out in 2007, but Xbox clearly didn’t feel like it did well enough to warrant a sequel. It is a shame too, especially considering that the game is exceptionally unique and was completely innovative within the turn-based JRPG genre.
Crucially, this is the game that went on to inspire 2025’s GOTY contender, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, as the game’s developers admitted in a PlayStation blog post. That’s not surprising considering the heavy Final Fantasy influences, with it being written by Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, and featuring music from FF veteran composer, Nobuo Uematsu. It was developed by the same studio as Blue Dragon – which was founded by Sakaguchi – but felt like a more refined and confident title overall.
There is something so special about Lost Odyssey that hasn’t really been replicated since it launched. From its engrossing turn-based combat, unique setting, epic narrative, beautiful soundtrack, and stunning visuals for the time, Lost Odyssey isn’t just a great JRPG, but one of the best. If Xbox is truly to compete with the likes of Square Enix and Nintendo in the JRPG space, then it absolutely needs to bring back Lost Odyssey.
- Released
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February 12, 2008
- ESRB
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T // Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
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Mistwalker, Feelplus
- Publisher(s)
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Microsoft Game Studios
- Engine
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Unreal Engine 3
- Multiplayer
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Local Multiplayer
