After announcing that Microsoft had purchased the rights to the Gears of War franchise from Epic Games and had appointed Black Tusk Studios to work on the same going forward, there have been nothing but questions. What about new IPs? What about what Black Tusk had been working on prior to Gears, which was showcased at E3 2013?

Corporate VP for Microsoft Games Studios Phil Spencer took to Twitter to answer any and all questions. In regards to fresh new IP, he stated that, “As you see more of Quantum Break, @SunsetOverdrive and unannounced hopefully you’ll see new IP magic again.”

Spencer also revealed that the purchase of the Gears IP wasn’t because there aren’t any new IP in development. “New IP is critical. Launch of XB1 to now and I like the new IP we invested in: Ryse, Crimson Dragon, Max, Loco with SO, QB coming.” He also clarified that, “We did nothing to scrap the work BT had done prior to Gears IP acquisition.” The current stance seems to be that whatever was showcased at E3 2013 was merely a tech demo meant to announce the company.

Finally, as to whether a new big franchise – one on the scale of Forza and Halo – was coming, Spencer stated that, “I always hope everything we ship turns big of course. We have games in development with same scale and potential as those.”

What are your thoughts on the matter? Let us know below.

The rights to Epic Games’ Gears of War franchise have been sold to Microsoft, with Black Tusk Studios assuming development responsibilities. What’s more, series producer Rod Fergusson has joined Microsoft in order to assist Black Tusk on games in the franchise.

When asked about Black Tusk’s unannounced IP that was showcased at E3 2013, Microsoft’s Phil Spencer declined to comment. After conveying worry about that new IP, Spencer replied that, “I care a lot about new franchises, we have announced new IP and we have unannounced new IP.” This seems in line with the previous news of Crackdown 2 developer Ruffian Games possibly unveiling their next project tomorrow.

For those who believe Black Tusk won’t be working on the new IP (which they are) and whether they’ve clarified it or not, Spencer tweeted, “You can imagine with something as big as Gears there is a lot for them to get their head around.” So if you’re not hearing about that unannounced game, it’s because Gears of War is a whole new beast for Black Tusk to handle.

That being said, what could their new game and what other unannounced titles does Microsoft have in mind? Let us know your thoughts and speculations below.

Not much is known about Black Tusk Studios’ unnamed AAA title that debuted at Microsoft’s E3 presser last year, except that it will be exclusive to the Xbox One. Now, job listing for a lead writer on the project indicate that Black Tusk is looking to create a “hero’s journey” type of tale.

The listing reads, “We are looking for a seasoned storyteller who can help us bring Microsoft’s next big IP to life. This individual will help us develop the characters, story arc, emotional tone, pacing, dialogue, and flavor of a story that will shape the spirit of this new franchise.”

The writer will “Act as a champion of story, characters, and emotional engagement across the game and game team,” and “create a cast of distinctive, engaging, and imperfect characters that players love (or love to hate)” among other things. Finally, he/she will have to “Define a compelling story that takes the player on a hero’s journey, with a keen eye to story structure and pacing.”

Does this indicate that the first game in this new franchise is still a ways off or are Black Tusk preparing for future games in the series? Stay tuned for more updates in the coming days.