Killer Instinct fans have been waiting patiently for news on a new series entry over the last few years, but Xbox boss Phil Spencer may have given them some hope for the future. In an appearance on the Dropped Frames podcast, Spencer indicated that Xbox wants to do something with the fighting game franchise, and the company was very pleased with the response to Killer Instinct‘s launch with the Xbox One in 2013. Obviously, that doesn’t bode well for the immediate future, but Spencer’s words should give fans some hope that the series could return within the next few years.
“I will just say, [Xbox Game Studios head] Matt [Booty] and I have discussed many times KI and where we would like to go with it and it’s not out of our minds that—it might be out of our minds—but it’s in our hearts and in our minds that we want to continue to do something with KI.
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“It’s about finding the right team and the right opportunity,” Spencer continued, “but it is not due to any kind of lack of desire on our part that we’re not doing more with KI because we love the franchise and the community response.”
The original Killer Instinct was developed by Rare in 1994, releasing in arcades first and then on the Super Nintendo. The game received a sequel in 1996, but the IP remained dormant until Microsoft revived the property in 2013. That game was co-developed by Double Helix, Iron Galaxy, and Rare. Whether or not a follow-up game would be developed by that same team remains to be seen, but Spencer’s comments make it sound like it could be handled by someone else.
For now, fans of the series will simply have to wait patiently. Microsoft has shown a desire to bring back some of its dormant franchises in the Xbox Series X era. Until we get a firm announcement, fans will just have to make do with Killer Instinct: Definitive Edition, which is currently available on Xbox Game Pass.
Would you like to see another Killer Instinct game released? Are you a fan of the fighting game series? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!
[H/T: Video Games Chronicle]
