Phil Spencer has been busy in the wake of Xbox's Activision Blizzard deal finally being approved last month, but that hasn't stopped the Xbox boss from sitting down for another lengthy interview. This time, Phil talked to Japanese outlet Famitsu about plenty of different aspects of the Xbox brand, including its future in the market and how the team will work with other platforms like PlayStation and Nintendo.
When asked about Xbox's future on "not just game consoles", Phil said that Microsoft needs to think of Nintendo & PlayStation players as members of the Xbox community in future (roughly translated from Japanese):
"First of all, I'm very excited and excited about what the future holds. In terms of hardware, I think it's not just a matter of adapting to what other companies are doing, but also providing something unique for Xbox users. Just as we think of ROG Ally and Steam Deck as part of the Xbox community, we need to think of the many Nintendo Switch and PlayStation users as part of the Xbox community in the future.
Similarly, we think it's important to make sure that everyone who continues to play Xbox games, including those who play Game Pass on PC, feels equal in the community. There's a lot of work to be done."
Don't worry though, plenty of Phil's focus is still set on games coming from Team Xbox. When asked about Xbox first party "consistency", Phil reiterated that the team is aiming to release a "blockbuster" roughly every three months.
"In terms of the next two or three years, we plan to release a first-party blockbuster or anticipated title roughly every three months. We're very excited and excited about it."
The full interview is very interesting, and Phil gives plenty of detailed answers throughout, so it's well worth a read if you want to hear more about what the boss has to say - especially in relation to Xbox in Japan.
What do you think to Phil's words here? Agree that Nintendo & PlayStation will be closer to Xbox in future? Let us know your thoughts.
[source famitsu.com]
Comments 86
The 1st comment sounds like a threat like "put Game Pass on your systems or never see CoD ever again because we're leaving gaming behind".
The 2nd comment makes me think the next 2 years are probably this (calendar quarters, not fiscal year quarters):
Like I said in another comment ,I think xbox should get out of the console game and just concentrate on being a publisher ,Sony and Nintendo wouldn't see them as a threat ,and then maybe gamepass on ps and switch ,that would be great ,just think of all those subs ,ms make no money from consoles,so wouldn't be that much of a loss by comparison.
@Mephisto2869 that would be horrible for consumers. Let’s hope that never happens (though it’s possibly heading that way in the distant future).
@grumblevolcano depending on budget they could be counting Flight Sim 2024 in next years, replacing FH6.
"We will think of all the Playstation users as part of the XBOX community."
🤣I can hear the screams of all the Playstation fanboys around the world.🤣
@Mephisto2869 i do think phil wants out of the console business, it was his mission from the start. he just easing us into it.
so i have 2 choices in the future, put up with a sony with no xbox to worry about or put up with the many things i hate about pc gaming.
no i will not pay the high monthly cost for super internet to stream games even if it ever comes to my area.
I like my Xbox have done for years and have my Xbox profile over a decade so they better stay in consoles otherwise anyone who doesn't have a Sony or Nintendo account is screwed along with there digital library of games
@rustyduck No, that has never been Phil's mission. Microsoft were all but ready to throw in the towel and get out of the console sector after Don Mattrick nearly killed the Xbox with his idiocy. It was Phil that convinced them otherwise, it's taken him a decade so far to right the ship and he's almost there. So to say it's been his mission to get out of the console business from the start is an absolutely absurd statement.
Is he forget to take their medicine or something?🤔
Sony don't let him release his services on PlayStation even if he'll kill Xbox as a console, because Sony have their own services already.
@ChromeMud I don’t think he meant that MS would just go right that’s it and turn everything off. Common sense would mean heading into the next Gen and beyond.
@AnVold I think if there wasn’t an xbox. Then potentially you would see a smaller gamepass potentially on PlayStation.
IMO it would be along the lines of just having the xbox 1st party line up only.
@PsBoxSwitchOwner it's doesn't matter for me. I don't use Game Pass, PS+ or any other subscription.
@Rioichi I also think that Xbox as a console is dead weight for MS. Game Pass much more important for them.
@Mephisto2869 I think Microsoft is somewhat heading in that direction. I see Microsoft abandoning a dedicated custom console in favor of just making gaming PCs that can fit in an entertainment center and can be navigated using an Xbox controller. I think Microsoft will transfer all Xbox console digital sales to Microsoft Store on PC. Basically, spend less in R&D on a dedicated box and just rely on specialized PCs instead.
But, honestly, I don't want Sony to go unchecked. It would not go the way people think.
Sure, the PlayStation community would absolutely love PlayStation being the only premium console in town, but I don't think they have really thought about why Sony does what it does: to stay on top!
If there is no one to put them in check and continue to put effort into being on top, that quality will drop and prices will increase. Why bother with competitive practices if no one can compete anyways? You know, all that stuff people say would happen if Microsoft bought its way to total control.
IF Microsoft does pull out, people better hope someone else comes in with a better offering. I, for one, would love to see an Nvidia-based premium console hit the market and really shake things up!
@BrilliantBill Probably right. And a streaming stick would be a sad thing, too.
I just really don't want to see Sony go unchecked because it would be disastrous. I am sure there will be a Nextbox...but I don't see a NextNextbox happening.
Then again, a PS7 might not happen, either if the gaming landscape changes so much between now and then.
@ChromeMud you'll still be able to use your console 🙄🙄🙄
@ebony-shabba there a software company I'm sure they could sort something ,you'd probably have to make an ms account to sign into gamepass ,if you already have one ie xbox user account you won't need one,so won't be an issue.
@Mephisto2869 Not good enough so in this scenario I would only have access to my Xbox library if I'm paying for gamepass and or streaming them if they get out of the console business as it stands now it's bad news for anyone who has any type of digital library on it at the moment the only way I see them getting out of consoles is when we don't need them no more and streaming our games exclusively
The problem with all this and just using game pass as a cloud based streaming system is the world internet infrastructure.
I’m in UK in a built up area with 6mb/sec.
If you are going big with game pass and on other consoles you need to be able to download the games like on my series x.
Even if had good internet I’m not getting the full 4K best whiz bang graphics and that’s what I want.
So if Xbox left the console market and game pass to other consoles but only streaming.
Then my GPU subscription gets cancelled.
They must provide full downloadable game with full on graphics etc
That excites me!
@ebony-shabba you'd just download them to your ps or switch ,ms won't care as you'll be joining game pass ,they've wanted to get out of the console business for years and this would be the perfect opportunity
@Mephisto2869 with licenses and everything else I don't see that happening even if I own them look how many 360 games not available now on Xbox consoles that you can own and not play because of that jumping to a totally different system would make it worse the only responsible way out is tru streaming and cloud and the worlds internet ain't there yet for it.
@OldGamer999 if xbox just became a publisher, I cant see the issue downloading their games to ps or switch.
@Mephisto2869
Only if they are made to run on those other consoles, like a multiplatform game.
As with streaming it’s made for the single server.
Anyway I hope Xbox doesn’t leave the console market it also keeps the other two far more alert.
I really don't see gamepass on PS or Nintendo because
1. Sony would not want it on PlayStation, it could lower the income they generate from their own console
2. MS more than likely does not want to split gamepass subs with Sony or Nintendo.
3. It would be a logistical nightmare to try and port all 1st party and 2nd/3rd party exclusive games to Playstation and Nintendo. It would take years and years.
4. I imagine the whole point of cloud is to take away most of the headaches I have listed above, it solves almost everything. Why port games to various platforms if a cloud option is available?
5. I imagine it would be a publishing/contractual nightmare, just the thought of it gives me a headache
@themightyant Till only 1 in 4 is a game you would actually play but hopefully it's not just smoke and mirrors but I'm a pessimist haha
@Sakai 100% this is only how it works and makes sense how much Microsoft have invested in the cloud and game streaming lately
@Sakai ms already approached Sony about gamepass they said no ,if xbox wasn't in direct competition they may say yes ,they don't have a problem with ea or soon ubisoft ,it wouldn't be all games on game pass that need to be converted, just some as a lot already exist on Sonys platform.
Absolute slithering 🐍
@Mephisto2869 it is alot easier to include various platforms at the start or near the start of a services inception. That ship has sailed for me. It's much more difficult after several years worth of content has been designed specifically for one platform.
The idea of Cloud is that it will allow gamepass access to almost any screen available eventually, without the hassle of porting to various platforms. This will be MS end goal, not a very long and expensive porting mission to Playsation and Nintendo. Why port a game at considerable cost when you can stream it from your smart TV with a dualsence or joycon. Just the way I see it going
As it pertains to all this discussion about MS leaving the console business....
I've been thinking that this could be a reality since around spring of 2021. The future of Xbox is undoubtedly Game Pass and they're already treating the Xbox console as simply just ANOTHER place to play, instead of being THE place to play, which was the first sign that a future without consoles may be in the cards for Microsoft. They don't need a console to be #1 as the business has changed greatly since the 90's and the "my box sold more than your box" narrative is stale and passe.
A light piece of streaming hardware, much like a Firestick or Roku, may be the future of Xbox since they're really after the Game Pass subscription more so than anything else. Let Nintendo and Sony have the premium console market and let MS focus on getting Game Pass onto anything with a screen and an Internet connection. MS could sell a stick bundled with an Xbox controller for $99 w/3 months of Game Pass included.
If I'm Microsoft I'd rather have 100m-150m (fingers crossed) monthly subscriptions with all that revenue pouring in on a monthly basis than focusing on producing expensive hardware that doesn't sell as much as the competitions. You're games will be available on Nintendo and Sony's hardware anyhow so you'll be making money there, alongside the Game Pass subscriptions, which would undoubtedly grow once you dump all the Activision/Blizzard stuff on the service alongside whatever other companies MS decides to buy as the years unfold.
@GamingSince84 That will happen but not for a while yet as most people don't have access to high enough speed internet for it to work I have 500mb internet and the streaming isn't great on that as it is
@ebony-shabba Time will tell. I don't think Microsoft is going to care too much if people's Internet is as good as they'd like it to be if there is the opportunity to further capture the market and save some money on the backend. But you could be right.
@GamingSince84 Hopefully we need at least 1 more generation of Xbox consoles
As much as I appreciate the effort, 'X-box' is not synonymous with ALL video games. It's a little audacious to suggest otherwise. And it's very backwards. Xbox is part of the community. Not the other way round.
Does this mean Microsoft will bring their games on both Nintendo and PlayStation platforms in the future? I wouldn't mind if Mastercheif collection comes on Switch.
People who buy and play first party xbox games on PS, Nintendo, Steam, ROG Ally or wherever are customers of Xbox and Microsoft, therefore members of the Xbox community. It's that simple, any other interpretation of what he said is over-thinking things. Consoles aren't going anywhere, but people need to get out of the console war mentality. This is about gaming, not just selling games to people who buy your plastic box.
@PsBoxSwitchOwner why do you think that ?
@Sakai hey we all have different opinions about this topic, no wrong or right answer,who knows for sure ,I do believe the next xbox will be the last though, and it will turn into something else entirely, its clear xbox future is in gamepass ,whether that includes a console ,we shall see
@GamingSince84 totally agree with everything you said ,I cant remember Phil actually mentioning the series x in an interview,its all game pass,I've been saying this since the launch of gamepass,that xbox want it on every conceivable bit of tech ,I dont seem to get ridiculed as much anymore.
@Mephisto2869 Sony will never have full Gamepass on their hardware. We can all agree that, due to the 3rd party games where Sony would lose sales.
So a ‘small’ gamepass of first partyy games, wouldn’t hurt Sony revenue, as they were never going to have the games anyway. Plus they would get a small cut.
But if MS does go without hardware in the future oils they need it on a Sony hardware?! Probably not, but that depends on internet etc and whether having hardware gives a ‘better’ version
I’ve read all the comments on this and to be honest with yourselves for a minute, did anyone really think when MS messed up the Xbox one launch that they would be sitting here owning not only Bethesda but now ABK? The leaks are already out that they have next generation hardware in the pipeline, and remember it costs as much to develop a console as it does to ship and support it. There is very little reason to cancel those plans. Phil has stated before MS will be there with a Xbox for as long as people want to connect a box to their TV’s. However leaving the door open that Mobile and PC could be where tomorrow’s kid’s will prefer to play. We (hardcore) gamers laugh at mobile and yet so many kids including my daughter prefer to play games that way and i have a media/gaming room in the house with a 65 inch Oled, $4K sound system and all 3 consoles and she prefers to play on her iPad. PC is back with a vengeance and leading a lot of studios revenue portion. There is no way to tell what the console space will look like in 10 years, but one thing is for sure it’s not growing in revenue, in fact since PS3 generation it’s been shrinking in revenue and Mobile and PC have been the cash cows. Nothing i am saying is shocking, smarter than what some on here said nor is it to be for sure, as the gaming business can change directions in a over the night type of feeling. But for so many to say MS is going to just leave for GP seems off to me. There is no for sure sign they will or won’t at the moment as all the focus has been fighting in courts to spend 69 billion to make sure they are a part of the industry for a long time to come.
@Mephisto2869 Now why would they do that when PlayStation and Nintendo are pretty much just a bunch of loser clowns at this point and neither one of them can be trusted any longer. Xbox is about to demolish the competition without even trying. I say that while I am currently upset with Micorsoft and the ads situation on Xbox.
@ZYDIO good grief ,do your parents know you use their phones/laptop.
Ok, first I'm accused of being an old man. Now I'm being accused of being a child. I'm starting to feel like Benjamin Button.
And so it begins.
@PsBoxSwitchOwner why would Sony not allow GP on Playstation? EA Play & Ubisoft Plus are already onboard. Losing third party loyalties? Sony would take a cut from GP revenues as well! It is a win-win situation for everyone.
@Ver No PS6? keep dreaming my man. It is time to get accustomed to dualsense’s button layout. MS is clearly becoming a publisher in the near future.
@Ver “Never argue with a clown. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience”
@ZYDIO the loser clowns that make the best games
@Dan1283 I agree that Sony makes some good games but not the best. Nintendo on the other hand, keeps re-releasing the same games over and over and over, just updating them. They have been milking the same series and IP since the beginning. Seriously are they incapable of coming up with something new and creative. How many Mario Kart, Mario Party and Mario whatever games do we need. No first party makes the best games anyways. If you want my opinion, I think the next gen or the one after that, Xbox, Playstation and Nintendo will be 100% in the cloud with no hardware. You will just load up the apps on your Smart TV, Roku, Apple TV, PC, phone, tablet, etc. I'm sure it will be where you can still purchase digital games or subscribe to a service like it is now. You will just connect your favorite controller and stream away. That is what I want no part of until they rewrite the ownership rules/laws of digital media and guarantee access and preservation as well.
@ZYDIO I do completely agree with you on everything you've said there I love nintendo and Sony games but they are constant sequels I think something needs happen it's not getting any better gaming isn't in general
@Dan1283 both nintendo and Sony give people what they want ,their games sell in there millions and are highly regarded, cant blame them for using the same formula,Sony have been particularly quiet this year ,but they have a multitude of studios yet to release games ,I think 2024 is gonna be a good year for them now that all this ABK nonsense is finished, nintendo has the new switch so hopefully we will see that next year too,and ms has like a million studios we will hopefully see a few games from them next year..for the multi console owning gamer,gaming has never been this exciting for years,im an old man,I know 😂
@Ver youre a very silly billy
@Ver you sound scared ,its ok to be,change is a scary thing.
@ebony-shabba You're never going to like all 4, got to set expectations correctly. Maybe 1-3 of 4 might be your jam. But they have been saying this is their aim for around 3 years since the Bethesda acquisition, good to see we are nearly there.
@Dr_ENT it was offered few years ago, Sony say no!
@ZYDIO Hold on, did you just say that Sony and Nintendo are both incapable of coming up with anything new when Microsoft have literally just spent around $100 billion buying up a load of popular IPs across Bethesda and ABK rather than come up with anything new and creative of their own with such an obscene amount of money?
That's not how Sony sees it. I do believe Nintendo just does their own thing though, I doubt it sees Xbox as part of their community.
These are the shortsighted things you get when trying to be the grown up in the room.
I'm with Phil on this though, it should be a gamer community overall with fanboyism put to rest.
@iplaygamesnstuff the fella just sweetening all those ps and Nintendo subs, he wants on game pass when it finally reaches those consoles,makes sense ,xbox is gamepass now ,you even see it on this site ,its all xbox forums talk about ,when a new game is released every other comment is 'ill wait till its on gamepass' its clear thats the way ms wants to go, to even the biggest of fanboys.
@iplaygamesnstuff It's nothing to do with being the grown up it the room, it's more the fact that they are the only ones that have put themselves in the position where they can, or possibly even need, yo say that. Microsoft have acquired some of the most popular games around with large communities into the millions on other platforms, such as Minecraft on Switch and CoD, ESO and Minecraft on PlayStation and he needs to reassure those communities. With the exception of Bungie with Destiny, who operate virtually independently of Sony to a degree that they don't even really feel like part of the PS community, neither Sony or Nintendo are really in that position. Were Nintendo to suddenly take ownership of Fortnite and Sony to buy EA they would then be able to say something similar.
@Dr_ENT My hand and my common sense won't let me get used to the PlayStation controller. It has been absolutely ergonomically incorrect since the Dual Shock 1 was hacked together to complete with Nintendo.
@Kevw2006 It doesn't matter how you get there as long as you get there. Anyways, it seems like Nintendo is 100% stale, PlayStation has a few new ideas and Microsoft is buying up everything and at least trying with new ideas and IP.
@Mephisto2869 Been saying Xbox consoles will be a dongle and controller for over a year. Phil can say whatever but their actions speak volumes.
@ZYDIO what new ip ?
@ZYDIO I think the dual sense is fantastic ,far far superior than the stock xbox pad.
Good to hear they’re at the stage where they’re looking to release a big game every 3 months. They almost managed it this year but that needs to be really consistent in the future. No excuse with the number of studios under the Xbox umbrella now.
Not sure why people think MS will stop making Consoles. Being in third place sounds bad but it’s a very nice place to be when even a system that has as disastrous a start as XB1 can still sell over 60 million units. That’s 60 million people buying peripherals, subscriptions and the major revenue stream of third-party games. Abandon hardware and they run the risk of those users abandoning the ecosystem altogether.
@Mephisto2869 Starfield, Avowed, Redfall, Ghostwire: Tokyo and Hi-Fi Rush. I'm sure there are a lot more that's all I can think of off the top of my head.
@Mephisto2869 I feel the exact opposite and that is exactly why we have so many options.
@electrolite77 I would abandon the ecosystem if they stop making hardware. Actually I've already pretty much abandoned the ecosystem because of ads. But if the ads thing didn't happen, it would be if they abandon hardware. That's where I draw the line. I'm not going to participate in the gaming industry if they take away physical software and hardware. I already have enough hardware and software to last me the rest of my life, so I really don't care if they come out with anything new at this point.
@ZYDIO ghostwire was on ps5 first and the rest where more or less finished and multiplatform before the acquisitions,don't really count.
@Mephisto2869 Why does it not count if it's multiplatform?
@ZYDIO Did you not already abandon the eco system because you had to close an advert one time?
I seem to remember reading a week or so ago that you were selling all your xbox consoles and games and contacting your attorney to sue Microsoft
@ZYDIO ms didn't develop any of those games, they was responsible for none
@Mephisto2869 The problem here is why would I buy an Xbox if I could just play Microsoft games via Game Pass on a Playstation.
@Sakai Well, I didn't actually get around to selling it. If you read what I posted the other day, you will find out the fate of my Xbox collection. Until my Microsoft account sells, I am utilizing my game pass ultimate subscription and streaming games on my laptop using a friends controller.
@Mephisto2869 What is your criteria for being considered developed by Microsoft? Because you say they didn't develop any of those games and they don't count before the acquisitions. I think almost all Microsoft studios are acquisitions of some kind at some point. So I'm wondering how is it not considered developed by Microsoft if they own the company that developed it? At the same time people claim PlayStation is developing a lot of wonderful games, yet they are in the same boat. Those games were developed under studios that were acquired by them at some point. Double standard. Like I said before it doesn't matter how they get there, it's that they get there. Whatever needs to happen to bring great games to people on whatever platform is all that matters.
@iplaygamesnstuff I know that you didn't ask me this question, but I'll put in my two cents. I don't think that is a problem. That's exactly what is trying to be accomplished. It doesn't matter if you buy an Xbox, it doesn't matter what platform you are on. Microsoft wants you to have access to their ecosystem on any device. So I'm sure they would be just as happy that you were playing game pass on a PlayStation or an Xbox or a Switch or whatever. I think all they care about is that you're paying them a monthly fee to make them money and give you a good experience playing the games you want to play, where you want to play them. At least that's what they say.
@ZYDIO If Microsoft does this, Nintendo may be the only viable console for many. I personally will never buy a anything Sony so Playstation is out of the mix. There won't be a reason to own an Xbox.
@iplaygamesnstuff Get ready, the landscape of gaming is about to change drastically in all areas. If you don't like what happening, I suggest collecting current and past games and systems to keep enjoying gaming. Especially with cloud gaming and the irresponsibility of the companies with their handling of game preservation.
@ZYDIO I don't have to buy any games, I'm ready. 🤷♂️
@iplaygamesnstuff Me either. I still have plenty, even after my recent "purge event".
@iplaygamesnstuff you wouldn't, ms would phase it out
@ZYDIO you're original comment states ms has made new ips where Sony has not,when in fact they've made nothing,and just bought existing ones that have been in development for years ,and you actually name dropped an ip which existed first on a Sony platform,do you not realise how ridiculous this sounds ,kind of makes you look like a bit of a fanboy,ive just re-read your last comment,and its a bit nuts.
@Mephisto2869 phasing out their player base isn't a great strategic move
@Mephisto2869 I just call it how I see it. I don't keep up with who owns what or when what came out. I was just guessing. If you read what I did the other day to my Xbox collection you would know that I am anything but a fanboy and call out whoever I think is wrong and agree with whoever I think is right. I am not some weak ass slave to a corporation. I have actually worked for quite a few big tech companies including Microsoft and resigned from all of them because they are all full of s_h_i_t. It seems to me that you may be what you are calling a fan boy, because you seem determined to prove me wrong or to get me to agree with your opinion. I don't give 2 f_u_c_k_s about any of these companies and will never take sides based on brand. I do not like where any of technology is going lately, and I am voicing my disapproval. I may not be 100% educated or accurate with my statements either. I have a life and don't live on the internet. Like I said before, they have created a few new IP recently and acquired some as well. Again, does it matter how they got there as long as they got there? Bought or created, it's all the same. If they create new IP it will come from a studio under them which was probably purchased at some point anyways. What is the obsession with new IP anyways? Nintendo seems to be doing just fine without creating new IP and everyone loves them and isn't giving them a hard time about creating new IP. Why pick on Microsoft and Xbox? Any new IP Sony creates will probably fall under the same conditions that Microsoft has. They either purchased the studio that created the IP or they create the IP with the purchased studio. It doesn't really matter and all thinking about all of those technicalities does is complicate the matter and lessen the enjoyment of the whole situation. I just want good entertainment and I want to be a customer, not a product. Provide a reliable, good quality product with no strings attached and I'm happy. Anything less and I speak up.
I can understand why sony won't allow GP on their console, but Nintendo? They should allow it
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