Phil Spencer wins an award for his leadership at the Grand Game Awards
, by Thibaut
Among the ceremonies dedicated to video games around the world, we now have the Grand Game Awards. They aim to reward the industry's greatest achievements in the MENA region (Middle East, Egypt, and Maghreb).
The third edition took place on December 19. As you might have expected at this point, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was crowned Game of the Year. It also won 10 other awards, including Best Narrative, Best Soundtrack, Best Performance, Studio of the Year, and the Fan Award.
However, one award caused quite a stir. Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, won the first Industry Icon award for his leadership at Xbox over the past 11 years. In 2025, however, the American giant laid off several thousand people across many sectors. Xbox closed The Initiative, canceled Perfect Dark, and other projects.
Spencer still recorded a video speech. He said that his teams will continue to "listen to gamers, support creators, and invest in offering more choices."
Source: grandgameawards.com