As we've already mentioned today, Xbox boss Phil Spencer was recently interviewed by CNBC on a wide variety of topics as part of Tokyo Game Show 2022, including Sony's recent concerns with the Activision Blizzard acquisition.
Spencer talked about various matters relating to the deal during a short segment, and had some particularly enthusiastic responses to a question about whether putting Call of Duty on Xbox Game Pass could "create problems" for Sony and owners of PlayStation consoles if the ActiBlizz deal goes through.
In short, he thinks Game Pass embodies what competition is about:
"When I look at something like Game Pass specifically, I think it's the output of competition in our market. We sat back as Microsoft and Xbox and we thought, 'how can we innovate and create value for players', and we came up with a new model for customers building out their library of games, and gamers love it."
"I think that's what competition is about. Competition is about driving competitors to innovate, driving competitors to do new things like cloud, like subscriptions, like building new intellectual property. Everything we've been focused on is, 'how do we compete effectively [and] how do we deliver more to our customers?'"
And yeah, we get it! The line of questioning doesn't seem to make much sense when PlayStation already has its own PlayStation Plus subscription service anyway, and to be fair to Sony, it doesn't sound like the company is overly fussed about Call of Duty being on Xbox Game Pass - it just wants the series to stick around on PlayStation, too.
Interesting comments nonetheless! What do you make of them? Tell us down below.
[source twitter.com]
Comments 46
Heh innovate - building up new ip…by buying up all the old ones.
Phil Spencer really should just keep quiet over it all and let the lawyers work it out
That sounds a bit better from Phil, a bit more fight like. This is what we do at Xbox.
I disagree with the article of sony not being fussed about cod coming to gamepass. I think its the main reason sony is being a stickler about this. They know the impact of cod being a gamepass launch will be huge. Free with gamepass or 70 bucks for ps5? Yeah they know what they are doing.
Sonys arguement is null and void...call of duty will still be on playstation..so don't pretend it's anything to do with the gamers...ps users can still buy the game on playstation if they still want ...what you are worried about is losing all that money from the ones who will go over to Xbox to play it over on gamepass
If that was true Phil then why are you buying Activision & not innovating lol
@Bleachedsmiles it's just another example of Spencer talking out of his arse lol
Tired of Phil Spencer acting like the “good guy,” innovating and protecting IPs. This is total bunk. Xbox Game Studios have proven the past couple years that this isn’t the case. Instead of talking with platitudes, Spencer needs to make actions to show that Xbox isn’t just a cobbled together mishmash of purchased studios for Gamepass supremacy, but a place where genuine new content is created for the strength of the brand and the gaming industry. I know I’m in the minority, but Spencer’s Gamepass bravado has made me the most tenuous I’ve ever been with the Xbox brand.
@Kaloudz Yeah but MS doesnt need to do that. Just the mere fact that it is a GP launch exclusive will be more than enough of an edge they need without exclusive content. Plus right now they cannot make exclusive content because of the current contract that they wish to extend.
Phil innovating by doing a 70B acquisition.. technically it's an innovation, never been done on that scale.
And if we are being honest, Sony is not fussed about CoD on GP because we are still riding out a 30USD to a year conversion loop holes. When those run out, games on GP will be less of a problem (live service game like CoD intended to be played over a year or more will cost you same to buy as 4 months of GP).
@Kaloudz Me too! I'm so sick of hearing about this bs.
@Royalblues I don't like Sony paying for exclusives either. BUT there is a crucial difference. There is NOTHING stopping Microsoft opening their wallets and doing exactly the same, they could pay for exclusives too. (I don't want them to, just stating a simple fact). It's currently a fairly level playing field in that regard. I say 'fairly level' because Microsoft would understandably have to pay more to secure exclusives as they are the underdog and would theoretically be holding back more sales on PlayStation than vice-versa.
That IS different to just buying up whole publishers with dozens of studios and making most of their future games exclusive. That isn't a level playing field anymore. Sony, and others, just can't compete then, the pieces have been taken off the table. Hence why the regulators are rightly looking into this and not that.
To be clear I don't like exclusives at all, and would like as few as possible - gaming, media, art should be open to all - but that's not the world we live in right now sadly.
@Kaloudz That's what I'm saying. I was all for it at first, but it's run pretty stale now. I just want the deal to go through so we can stop hearing about it. 😅
@Royalblues They both rely on third party for their overall sales. Nintendo is the only one exempt from that practice.
Meanwhile he is also taking about hostile takeovers of every publisher on the market by financial force. Tired of the good guy persoan
@fizban3332 I totally agree, I think Game Pass is the ENTIRE issue SONY has, because once COD hits there and they lose their ridiculous rights to locked down content, gamers will jump to Xbox. Phil was bang on with what he said here.
@Rmg0731 Hostile takeover 🤣😂🤣 do you even know what that means?
If I was Phil/Microsoft, I just wouldn’t say a word about anything. Let Sony and whomever throw a fit, and stay quiet and close the deal. This whole feud is similar to a bad breakup. The one who doesn’t respond to all the bad mouthing and drama is the one who typically moves on gets on with their life.
@Bleachedsmiles
MS has provided plenty of innovation in consoles. They partnered with Bethesda to bring RPGs to console. They made FPSs viable on consoles with Halo, XB has always set the standard for online functionality for consoles, achievements were invented along with gamer profiles on consoles by XB, the adaptive controller has assisted in accessibility for consoles, gamepass set a new standard for game subscriptions, and I would like to understand why new IPs are so much better then existing IPs? A great game is a great game, it doesn't matter whether it is a new IP or not.
You look at Sony this gen and they have not been a new IP powerhouse at all. Horizon, GT, God of War, Uncharted Remastered, Spider-man MM, etc. Their biggest releases this generation are all existing IPs.
"Play it Day One on Xbox Game Pass"
That sentence alone is the whole reason Sony is throwing it's tantrum, complaining about gamers rights (funnily enough only the PS ones though) and being a real jackass on the subject. Sony knows with a marketing push and that sentence on buses, tubes and between football matches at halftime they'll lose a fortune.
Good, Sony should try to innovate themselves as a response to this rather than simply try to squash the competition with petty complaints.
A lot of words for what amounts to it makes us a lot of money and we'd like to make more. Just be honest. All this I love the fans and know what's best for them is boring and fake.
@Kaloudz It even funnier to watch when you don't play or care about call of duty. Both sides say the same thing and don't seem to notice this is all just marketing.
@fizban3332 Exactly. We've seen what Sony thinks about sub services. Primarily, that big AAA titles shouldn't release day and date on them in order to preserve the massive income on premium launch titles, that comes from millions spent to cause hype and FOMO.
Releasing their own titles after a delay, paying to keep games off of Game Pass but not Xbox, and this whole drama.
Sony do not want to compete with Game Pass on even terms, and would rather pay to undermine both services.
@NeoRatt Who said xbox haven’t been innovative???
Who said new ips are so much better than existing IPs?
Why people go off on little rants that have nothing to do with what they’re replying to I’ll never know…
Also, we’re in year 2 of this gen. Xbox game studios is still currently living off an ip diet they’ve been dining on for the past 3 generations…and you wanna call out Sony???
I think this issue could easily be solved if Microsoft keeps releasing CoD titles physically/digitally indefinitely on PlayStation but doesn't offer them on a service like they will with Game Pass on Xbox. That's the main reason why they are acquiring all these companies after all, to bolster the offerings of Game Pass. That way they will still have a major advantage over PlayStation in that you can play CoD for a much lower price than on PlayStation.
Sadly though, reading between the lines, it sounds like Microsoft wants to take away CoD from PlayStation as soon as possible. Which I don't mind but if this is going to drag out then they should just make a sacrifice and keep CoD on PlayStation. Just get it over with, I don't care. I just want my ActiBlizz titles on Game Pass already lol.
@Royalblues Sony aren't making the exact same game with different skins they make very good games with great stories if you want an example of 'the exact same game with different skins' then look no further than the forza horizon games
lol the comments section again. What a mess.
Hats off to the few posters that try to bring some balance and proper discussion.
@pip_muzz 'Good, Sony should try to innovate themselves as a response to this rather than simply try to squash the competition with petty complaints' .. as opposed to Microsoft trying to squash the competition by just buying the biggest publishers lol
I love the fake outrage. Some of yall so bored with your games you spend your days crying and bitching online instead of you know... actually playing video games. It's buisness like it or not and if you want to be a "smart" consumer you'll follow the value. Sony and MS don't give a ***** that yall mad about whatever dipshit reasons yall conjure day in and day out. They care about money and the ways to seperate you from it, like lying. Some of yall make this ***** way more complicated than it needs to be. Gamepass is a fantastic value at this point that's only going to grow from the ABK merger. That's subject to change of course but that doesn't need some salty ass gamers cosign to be true. No joy gamers always trying to make everyone as miserable as they are.
@Bleachedsmiles it was made in reference to GamePass.
Royalblues wrote:
So far MS have made their intentions clear that apart from MMO/F2Ps and a few specific exceptions like COD, Minecraft, etc. where in game monetisation or a larger community is better for them, or there is an existing player base, then most future single player games will NOT come to platforms without Game Pass.
What does that actually look like? Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Starfield, Doom, Wolfenstein are other IP's are unlikely to be seen again on other platforms. Those include some of the oldest, most celebrated IP in gaming.
Included in that is games from the following studios that unless they fall into those specific categories won't come out on other platforms: Bethesda, Arkane, id, Machines Games, Tango Gameworks, Round House, Alpha Dog and more.
Plus if the ABK deal goes through and they adopt the same policy this will include future games from another 20+ studios including Infinity Ward, Treyarch, Sledgehammer, High Moon, all 9 Blizzard Studios, Raven Soft, Toys for Bob, Beenox, etc. (except COD... for at least a little while anyway) again unless they fall into one of those categories.
That is a LOT of potential games taken away from being multiplatform. Compare that to literally a handful of paid exclusives. It's REALLY not in the same ballpark.
Royalblues wrote:
Yes they would, but that doesn't make it right. Nor does it make it a weak argument. Ask yourself WHY are regulators looking at this deal so closely compared to others. You know the answer. SCALE. It has absolutely EVERYTHING to do with it.
I fully accept Sony, Tencent, other would do the same if they could, and have done on a smaller scale. Again that doesn't make it right. SURELY you can see Spiderman (2 games + 1 to come), FF7R (1 game) and a handful of other paid exclusives DOES NOT equal the same scale as Bethesda + Activision Blizzard King. That's over 30 studios. Scale absolutely does matter. Plus there was nothing stopping MS paying for exclusives themselves. (although I don't want that either)
As I said I'm against most industry consolidation, and more exclusives, despite the fact that it directly benefits me through more games included on Game Pass etc.. Why? Because it doesn't benefit the majority of gamers who only have one platform, creates a more fractured playerbase, increases tribalism, etc.
Though there are some plus sides like Arkane, Double Fine, Obisidian not having to worry about funds (it's not all bad)
“Innovation” for Phil means buying studios who can actually make games.
@Bleachedsmiles I can’t help but feel his own contradictory rhetoric is what’s ultimately going to drive regulators to distrust Microsoft’s intentions.
(Potentially rightly so as well)
@NeoRatt good post, I agree Microsoft have been really innovative in many areas, though frankly all the major manufacturers have been in different ways. Industry innovation is a combined effort, prompted by healthy competition and we’d be worse off without any of them.
However there are a couple of misconceptions
I hear this a lot, but frankly it’s revisionist history. Plenty of FPS had been viable and successful on console years before Halo. Everything from Wolfenstein 3D, Doom 64, Goldeneye, Timesplitters, Turok, Perfect Dark, Medal of Honor and more all predated Halo and were both great games and successful. However Halo did wow with its scope, graphics and push the bar forward in many ways including online multiplayer.
Again there were plenty of RPGs on console long before Bethesda and Morrowind. Everything from the Ultima games to Elite, Front Mission to Kings Field. Not to mention many other JRPGs, CRPGs and TRPGs. Though the inclusion of a hard drive on the OG Xbox definitely expanded horizons and possibilities and made certain games viable on Console for the first time.
It's telling so many Sony fanboys keep coming to Pure Xbox just to throw dirt on Phil, MS and Game Pass. I'm sort of surprised those aren't removed as trolling. Especially as I see it's the same culprits every single time. Maybe it's about clicks.
On topic: Game Pass is still way better than PS Plus and I have both. The sheer variety of games on GP trumps PSPlus and then if you add day one releases and really good cloud gaming you've got a winner. There's a saying in Poland that best sums up this situation. Roughly translated it goes: Dogs keep barking, the caravan keeps rolling.
@Zochmenos I don't think gamepass is innovative it's just the Netflix template applied to games lol
I'm not a fan of microsoft buying huge devs and make it exclusive on their system since that's kind of what monopoly do, I think it's better for gamers if activision still make cod available on playstation system (like minecraft), and make cod available on gamepass on xbox.
Unless hes been misquoted or understood, this makes him look a snake. In one one sentance he states its all about innovation, but then he justifies buying the biggest game franchise for 70 billion. What innovation phil?
Game pass? Sony were first with ps now. Duh, if you give money away, people will line up to take it. Make game pass properly proffitable and maybe youve achieved something, right now its simply the way you try and buy loyalty, and buying markets is not innovation.
This war of words is boring now, as is the reporting which siimply looks to stoke the flames.
Phil has every right to pursue the buisness deal they've negotiated, and I hope with a few commitments they make it happen. But that doesnt mean he gets a free pass to BS us. Buying a commodity cause your unable to make it yourselves is not innovative at all, its the usual rich man move, the kind of men who feel they are entitled to everything. In their eyes, they always win cause they are brilliant, but they are just the rich kid who buys all the top equipment but still cant use it properly.
I hope to god when this goes through they learn how to effectively manage so these teams feel the benefit of the investment and they can get creative again. Their track record seems a little poor, so they need to step up to make this work, less BS briefing and more effective management of whats not working, like Halo and 343. Grow some balls and save the ip, please!
@Zochmenos would you not agree that a subscription service isn't really innovative even in the gaming sector ps now was a thing well before gamepass
It's also interesting that he's used the word competitors when he's previously said he doesn't view playstation or Nintendo as such & reserves that word for other tech giants such as Amazon & Google
@Royalblues
Thanks for a great reply. Yeah, I've read all of it and think you're right. That's what led me to buy an Xbox this gen. I saw this commitment from Phil and Co, then the Bethesda acquisition pretty much coaxes any self-respecting gamer to buy at least a Series S to play their games (I'm talking about consoles, of course). Series X is a way better console than PS5 and all Xbox needs is some bangers to show those non-believers that they are back after the hiatus they took with Xbox One.
@Royalblues
Again, agree with you on all points. 2023 can't come soon enough. It has to be said, though, that this gen has been nothing like the previous ones and I'd wager it's going to stay this way for a long time. Possibly till next gen, if there is a next gen. I can see MS letting go of consoles and just going all in on cloud gaming. Thanks to Xcloud I no longer fear this as my experience with it has been really positive, with Forza Horizon 4/5 being the only exceptions (stable 60 fps required).
As for consoles and sales, I got mine instead of a mobile phone from T-Mobile as the smartphone market is drier than the rivers in the north of Italy.
@Zochmenos 'why didn't PS Now work for Sony the way Gamepass is working for Microsoft' define working because as far as I'm aware they've never said weather gamepass is profitable or not
I think making COD exclusive to Xbox would be a ***** thing to do. They are def in the right to put it on Game Pass tho. Maybe Sony should pay MS to put it on PS+ extra.
@Royalblues I love how virtually no one here reads tech new apparent no company outside Sony has send anything negative or bad or actually cares about it so far and when it comes to countries there doing there do diligence but most experts say it's not if but when. All these inquiries will most likely let the merger go through but it will take longer and most countries care more about the allegations then the actually mergers affect on competition and there have been some countries that have let it though
So many sony fans suddenly "have never liked exclusives."
bring the salt mr spencer 😂👌👍
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