Phil Spencer On Porting Exclusives: 'Every Decision We Make Is To Make Xbox Stronger'

All I want Phil is Rare Replay on Steam and Switch. Currently replaying some Banjo - Kazooie and Viva Pinata (both stellar games) but having them natively on the go would be amazing.

If they put gamepass on playstation i would not need an xbox. And i am someone who has owned xbox since the original and only ever had a ps4

Xbox no longer means Xbox console players it means Microsoft shareholders. When you read the sentence in that context it makes sense. I can't wait for that Xbox app store on ios and android, it's going to make trillions, that's going to make Xbox so much stronger. Wow, I'm going to be so happy. Thanks Phil.

And there absolutely is some evil in the background making them do things, and that evil is Satya Nadella and Amy Hood.

It’ll make Xbox financially stronger while their hardware continues to tank. Streaming app/stick is Microsoft’s ultimate goal imo, while publishing on every platform. They’ll be making more money than ever with more games and their studios, but Xbox will be diminished.

At this point Uncle Phil is just spouting corporate nonsense.

Every time I hear this it makes me regret building up my library on series x.

It’s ok though because Phil is a gamer and everyone’s mate.

Maybe people will actually realise that he is a big a suit as the rest of them.

That aside I just wish Microsoft would be actually clear with what their strategy is going forward rather than rumours, back tracks, conversation that say more than is actually being said.

mmm... I don't know at this point.
I strongly believed in Series X.

In the rest of the interview he talks about how exclusives budgets are insane and it's damaging because you don't get growth.

Maybe try not producing 300 million mega-blockbusters? BG3 cost what 100 mil? Nintendo doesn't (reportedly) spend much more.

Rather than stoking the fire why doesn't he just give perfect clarity on the subject?

I'm not against some games making their way across to other platforms but these constant rumours and innuendo are like death by a thousand cuts - and Phil Spencer and his team are responsible as their messaging is as clear as mud.

All I want to know is that my hard earned £s are not being wasted by spending them on the Xbox store - i.e. Xbox is going to exist going forward and I'm not suddenly going to find the rug has been pulled (from beneath my digital library).

I'll never buy an Xbox ever again. Every move they are making now is because they want to kill console gaming.

Speaking of exclusives, why has there been plenty of negative stories on this site lately but still nothing about Final Fantasy 16 looking more likely to come to Xbox? Unlike the story about publishers wanting to stop doing Xbox ports, which had no official source, this one has a source - one of the game’s producers.

https://screenrant.com/final-fantasy-16-xbox-release/

@abe_hikura

Yeah, this is simple logic, but the companies just don't get it.
Same with movie, with gigantic budgets, that flop hard.

Imagine all the games we could have gotten, if they took that 300 million budget, and made 10-15 AA games instead...

Phil Spencer has made Xbox weaker than it ever has been. I've been firmly on Xbox since the 360 and now i have no doubt ill pull the trigger and get a PS5 within the next 6 months.
There's just no reason not to. The best looking exclusives coming are Hellblade and Avowed and even they just look ok. All the others look terrible. And if Hellblade and Avowed are good they'll probably go to PS5 anyway.

I am sure that there will be incentives for Xbox customers - whether that's access to games on Game Pass day/date, timed or permanent Exclusivity or whatever other 'incentives' may exists.

Take Call of Duty which we already know won't be 'exclusive' but the 'incentive' to play on Xbox as opposed to PS5 may well be its available to play day/date on Game Pass or $70 to buy and play on PS5. Its NOT exclusive or differ from the PS5 version, but you can play on Xbox for 'free' essentially.

Games like the 4 'ported' games were released first on Xbox so benefitted Xbox customers. The fact that now 'others' get to play doesn't stop the fact that as an Xbox customer, you got the opportunity to play. Games like Grounded and Sea of Thieves will 'benefit' from growing the Community of players in those games giving them more income revenue, more longevity and allowing 'friends/family' to play together regardless of their 'preferred' hardware.

CoD was extremely lucrative for ABK on Sony's hardware so why cut off that revenue stream for some pathetic 'Console' fanboy war. It doesn't benefit MS or Xbox.

Games like ES6, a Single Player game, may well suit MS best to release on Xbox first - much like Sony released Spider-Man on PS first - and once its 'old' news, no longer 'selling' consoles/Sub services, release it on other Platform(s) to extract whatever Revenue they can which then helps strengthen MS/Xbox financially too...

As others have pointed out, every decision made is to bolster the profits of shareholders, even if that means killing the Xbox brand which is the only reason I'm here.
Xbox used to be able to operate with a fair amount of autonomy from MS corp, which is why I could love Xbox's but hate MS corp. The amount of funds used by the Activision buyout means this is no longer the case and now the shareholders will control the reigns - the results are unfolding. All those who cheered that buyout failed to see it was the end of Xbox as we have known it.
My Xbox series X is already very dusty, I'm not sure it will be used much from here on, but I'm still hopeful for Avowed.

Man am I glad I ditched Xbox more than a year ago. Really sad to see, but at least I’m not stuck with a console nobody will want to buy pretty soon.

It’s telling that he said these decisions are “for the better of Xbox” not “for the better of Xbox fans.”

But the big issue that Phil is totally blind to is that the strategy will not sell consoles.
He can have as many store fronts as he wants on Xbox but as a platform what difference will that make.

People are unlikely to jump ship from PlayStation to Xbox and certainly won’t leave a PC rig for consoles any more as the generational leaps are simply no longer that big.

Switch will continue as a Nintendo machine with its own exclusives and be many people’s second gaming system.

But Xbox has a console is just getting worse, not better and Spencer is totally oblivious to the facts. Each day he remains in charge, the worse it will get

@awp69 More consoles doesn't necessarily mean Xbox. Nintendo seems to have new hardware in the somewhat near future so it could be for that. Alternatively, there's a situation where games are getting PS4 ports after releasing on current gen (e.g. RE4 remake, Jedi Survivor) so it could be that instead.

@abe_hikura it's just an excuse for why they literally don't try to make games outside of forza and Halo. 20+ years and they still have 3 franchises home grown. It's ridiculous.

This depends on your definition of Xbox, though.

I think a lot of people define Xbox as the physical box with which you use. So, for them, they feel like all the investment they made in the ecosystem becomes moot and should invest elsewhere so that they only have to pay one low price for a console that plays everything.

Microsoft defines Xbox as the gaming wing of Microsoft. So, in that sense, it does make Xbox stronger because it supplies more revenue (and hopefully profit) to the gaming wing of Microsoft.

Just imagine an alternate world (one where the head of Xbox actually knew what s/he was doing!)...

"The following games and franchises will always remain exclusive on console to Xbox users: [insert games/franchises eg Halo, Gears of War, Forza Horizon, Forza Motorsport, Indiana Jones, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Age of Empires, Starfield, Avowed, Fable, etc]

The following games/fanchises will release on other consoles - but only after an Xbox console exclusivity period of not less than 24 months [insert games/franchises eg Sea of Thieves, Pentiment, Hi-Fi-Rush, Grounded, Deathloop, Ghostwire Tokyo, etc]

The following games/franchises will release simultaneously on Xbox and other selected consoles but will be included DAY 1 on Xbox Gamepass - Call of Duty, Diablo, Quake, Doom, Castle Wolfenstein, Elder Scrolls, Fallout, etc]

There are more than can be included and I'm not suggesting the categories aren't up for debate - but Xbox need to make the messaging clear, knock all these rumours on the head once and for all and do it in a manner that shows strength to the Xbox brand.

What storefronts would they consider though?
PC ones like Steam, gog, egs? But how would it work on xbox?

Some off these comments are nuts 🤪 calm down play games.

@Grumblevolcano Well, there’s been a bunch of stories including the one I linked that believe that they are referring to Xbox. If it wasn’t a good possibility, I don’t think there would be stories on other gaming sites with that as the headline.

But sure, it absolutely means everything it Xbox because that’s what this site is about. Pure and simple negativity.

Phil, you've been saying that since you took over running Xbox during the One era. The Series X/S hype was real till this gen dragged and promises were broken again and now we're shifting into the Xbox is every screen nonsense. I'm tired of the corporate tiptoeing and wordplay, make Xbox great again! And advertising it would do wonders too js

@Feffster that would be almost to easy for them 😉 but yes I agree 100%

@Feffster don't forget Deathloop and Ghostwire Tokyo came to Playstation first then to Xbox a year later.

So for Xbox, our brand pivot — as we attract and maintain relevance with a younger audience — is ‘Xbox is a place where I can find the great games I want to.’
-Phil Spencer

Not console, but games. Like Sega. Or EA. Or Ubisoft. Or Capcom. Or…you get the point.

Packed my Series X away after playing Starfield. Although that game wasn’t for me, I am very much looking forward to Sea of thieves and more than likely a few more of the first party offerings that will move over the PlayStation. It’s going to happen considering Sea of Thieves is doing very well as far as pre order numbers are concerned and that will only make up Microsoft’s mind. When a 6 year old game is garnering this kind of interest, I am sure something like Starfield will do very well too.

I dont see anything wrong with this. 🤷‍♂️

It doesn’t mean everyone’s going to agree with every decision we make. But it is fundamental for how we make decisions

Hold on a minute Phil, (proceeds to read through the comments) yep pretty much spot on. Apocalyptic future predictions, en masse Xbox abandonment, etc, etc 😀....nothing new, just another day on PureXbox 😅.

@awp69

Speaking of exclusives, why has there been plenty of negative stories on this site lately but still nothing about Final Fantasy 16 looking more likely to come to Xbox

I think an educated guess would be that such an article would garner 20 comments tops. Whereas this article will very likely push past 100 just like the one from yesterday concerning the major game maker questions Xbox support amidst falling sales 😉.

Just once I'd like Spencer to be straight with us. If all exclusives are going to make the leap to PlayStation, just say so. Instead, rumour runs rife, and people are left wondering what they should do.

Until now, I have owned every iteration of the Xbox, including mid-generation refreshes. At the same time, I have own every PlayStation console, other than mid-generation refreshes. Xbox has always been my primary console, and I kid you not, I usually play fewer than 10 PlayStation games during an entire generation.

Usually, I would be absolutely ardent; I will buy the next Xbox console. Now? No. I don't think I will, but that is entirely dependent on whether or not Xbox retains the core 3 games as exclusives (Gears, Halo & Forza). If those 3 games go to the PlayStation, there will quite literally be no reason to buy the next generation of Xbox.

I have a huge digital library of games on my Xbox. I'm talking in excess of 800. I won't lose access to those games because I will simply keep my Series X. I just won't buy the next Xbox, but just a PS6. That alone will save me around £500 at current Series prices, so likely more come the next generation.

If I am thinking this way, as an ardent Xbox fan, you can bet many, many others feel the same way. It's honestly thoroughly depressing...

@Sol4ris 100%

@hoffa007 - yep, timed exclusives because of pre existing contracts. I mean for future titles in those franchises of course.

Well, I could act like most of the commenters here and make out as if the sky is falling or I could go and download one the many games on my Play Later list on Gamepass and actually play some videogames. Honestly, this stuff is so unimportant unless you immerse yourself in it.

@Fiendish-Beaver

If I am thinking this way, as an ardent Xbox fan, you can bet many, many others feel the same way. It's honestly thoroughly depressing

You know, I also see myself as an ardent Xbox fan (with a huge digital library) and just don't see the drama. But for the laughs, I would like to see the reactions here if Phili Spencer would make a statement, saying:
-After careful consideration we decided to make all future ABK, BethSoft etc fully exclusive including COD, even with the caveat of paying enormous sums to get out of our contractual clauses. The end.
What do you think the reactions would be? We have to remember Microsoft has already stated their desire to bring more games to more people, during the ABK takeover.

@PsBoxSwitchOwner I sort of agree, but we already have them confirming they're working on a high power console next gen, soft-confirming they're working on a handheld console not close to ready yet. We more or less have as much of a hardware roadmap for Xbox as we do for Nintendo and Sony. I think MS is spending more time talking about the distant future than the other two, partially because they're the only one with a hard strategy in motion for it, and the distant future for consoles in general doesn't look great, so it makes Xbox look worse.

Even Nintendo's president has talked openly with shareholders about a "possible future without hardware". Years ago. They're not ignorant to the realities surrounding hardware and software-only futures for these companies in a commodity hardware world. Reality is, with general purpose devices all around, how much longer are bespoke dedicated gaming devices viable?

Sony hasn't talked about that much. There will be a PS6. Will there be a PS7? Who knows. What we do know is Sony can't justify their dev budgets to sell only on PS anymore and is focusing more and more on PC, with whole studio acquisitions dedicated to PC-only. If the market leader can't make the math work, the model is dead.

MS takes a lot of heat for being the first one to talk candidly about, basically "the console model is dead", but the other two have more indirectly commented on it too. The console model is on a timer. No way around it. PS has a longer fuse but they'll have a different model in the future too. What replaces it? MS thinks it's PC. Meta thinks it's VR is the new console. Nintendo probably thinks it's mobile. Sony...who knows. But Nintendo's boardroom has the same conversations. And Sony's...well Jim thought it was services, then they decided it's not and threw him out the nearest airlock 5 years too late and cancelled it all and right now are re-entering orbit without parachute. No clue where they'll land or if they'll retrench and just try to cling to the console model until they can't.

Will Switch 2 really be a Switch 2? Who knows.

Lack of any real advertising (here in the UK) since the release of the series consoles hasn’t helped the situation. If I wasn’t a serious gamer since the mid 80’s and up to date on what’s happening in the gaming world, I wouldn’t buy an Xbox over a PS. But that’s the problem, even now I’d buy a Xbox mid gen refresh as I did with the One X (which I loved) but I am not new to their ecosystem, there seems no effort to bring new gamers to the Xbox as a console. I am not against some first party titles going to other systems like SOT or even games like State of Decay, as these are Service style games and will only strengthen the brands. Both have grown so much since initial launch so it makes sense to bring the revenue in to develop the games further. But some clarity on which games will stay exclusive to the Xbox would be good. I like exclusives, but a great game is still a great game if ported to a PS but I have envied PS owners for their single player exclusives since the latter stages of the PS3 era, having the majority of exclusives on a PS may make me get a PS6 when it gets announced as I would have the best of both worlds.

I get the need to make money to strengthen Xbox as a brand and their studios, but surely they don’t want to loose those who helped them build the Xbox brand.

@MrMagic everything you accuse Microsoft of doing Sony has or is doing as well. Sony started cloud gaming & subscription with PlayStation Now. Sony had the digital only PSP well before Microsoft released there digital Xbox One. Playstation is bringing there games to other platforms. PC, Mobile, Cloud being the main with the odd Xbox release by Bungie.

@Fiendish-Beaver Judging by how February went, I think Microsoft's waiting for Nintendo to reveal the Switch's successor before the multiplatform floodgates fully open.

Rumours about multiplatform exploded which caused a business update to be moved forward with very vague details outside of 4 games going multiplatform. Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase revealed Pentiment and Grounded for Switch with the full multiplatform details (those 2 also coming to PS4/PS5, PS5 release for Hi-Fi Rush and Sea of Thieves) happening later that day. So if the rumours never happened, the Direct would've been the source of the multiplatform strategy.

So my guess would be that Switch successor reveal will be the debut announcement of more Xbox exclusives going multiplatform and at that point, the floodgates are completely open.

@NEStalgia
😅
And Sony's...well Jim thought it was services, then they decided it's not and threw him out the nearest airlock 5 years too late and cancelled it all and right now are re-entering orbit without parachute

That reads terrifying, but at least Sony and PlayStation owners don't have to contend with the thought of major game maker(s) not supporting the platform...

@cragis0001 The difference is those weren't intended to replace the traditional home console model, they were just additional to it.
Every move Xbox is making is a move to destroy the traditional model.

Man, to be a fly on the wall in those senior leadership meetings.........

As far as I know, none of the Pure Xbox community are in charge of multi billion dollar companies- so joyfully hopefully he's just smarter than us and has a plan????????

Have not turned on my Xbox since the end of December, not bought any 3rd party on X. I really am concerned about ecosystem investment, their business plan is a tad confusing

@Sol4ris For now. But remember when ps exclusive meant ps exclusive and not "ps + pc"? The tides are changing there too, just slower. Assuming they don't burn up on reentry. We don't actually know their plan. They don't likely actually have one right now. The next 2 or 3 years is Jim's festering legacy. It's just Totoki cutting absurd money sinks for months or years before rebuilding.

@MrMagic you sure about that 😂😂. The PSP Go was to get rid off expensive storage cartridges. If it was successful we would have definitely seen a digital PlayStation years before Xbox. Cloud is still a pivotal part of Sony's plan & runs 4k on PlayStations network. It will one day make a console a thing of the past for some. If releasing Xbox games on PC is helping kill Xbox hardware. What's gonna happen when the whole PlayStation catalogue is there also. If it's more profitable to kill hardware Sony will do it.

I suspected the "fall of consoles" as the "primary" form of gaming was going to happen, I just expected consoles to limp on for a few more generations until Xbox and Sony go "We're cloud first, hardware is for the hardcore". I wasn't expecting Xbox to basically hand Sony the market on a plate.

______

I really hope Microsoft isn't expecting us to keep buying Xbox consoles as Game Pass machines.

Now assuming they don't manage to convince Sony to ALSO drop exclusives or future Xbox are also PCs

It goes like this. Xbox drops exclusivity, console sales stall, third parties don't want to invest in Xbox versions of their games as PS sales increase, Xbox user base shrinks, and third-party game pass support dries up, leaving only Xbox-made games on gamepass, which according to spencer is looking to be, what, 4 games (plus a couple of smaller ones) a year? Imagine if Disney+ of Netflix announced we'd only get 4 films and 2 TV shows for the entire year?

That's the same doom spiral that nuked the Wii U. Sales slowed, third-party support dropped, huge gaps in the lineup as it basically fell on Nintendo to supply all the games, and the sales dry up.

They just don't get it with these high end blockbuster games, most would happily buy a game a bit like Elden Ring in scope (for example) that doesn't have fancy super realistic graphics and cinematic cut scenes but a game that is reasonably lengthy and has good gameplay for the price of today's current games.

In the end photo realistic looking games won't appreciate over time compared to games like Pacman & Tetris because people have enough crap out in the real world never mind in a simulated sandbox.

They really need to make the next Gen a PC basically without any of the PC hassle. That way a dev just has to make a PC game and it can work on the "console". Eliminate the extra time of making an Xbox port. The worry without that option is that if they do go semi/full third party they will lose support of more and more titles because there will be less of a need to own Xbox hardware to play their games. There isn't any example in history of a third party publisher with it's own console....I don't see how it can work without it being able to play PC games and requiring an Xbox port.

@MrMagic Yup, it's all for the cloud and a digital only future, they do small implementations/phases every other year since the first Xbox came out, that is what they want to achieve just like sitting on you're ass doing nothing whilst everyone else keeps the system going and the money flowing in, just like windows because if no one created software/programmes for windows or gave feedback for bugs it would have being dead in the ground years ago.

@Feffster

>All I want to know is that my hard earned £s are not being wasted by spending them on the Xbox store - i.e. Xbox is going to exist going forward and I'm not suddenly going to find the rug has been pulled (from beneath my digital library).

Xbox addressed this in the February podcast. They explicitly said people can "feel confident" in building a "digital library" because they commit to "game preservation" and a "multi-year hardware roadmap".

Up to you to believe in it or not, but they already tackled the matter head-on.

I don't know how it makes Xbox as console stronger in the long run. Microsoft just earn more money in short run. But it makes PlayStation and Switch stronger for sure.

@TheLastHarbinger - except they absolutely have not “tackled the matter head on” - the current and continued clumsy messaging is leading to a loss of confidence in the Xbox brand. A loss of confidence may lead to a loss of (Xbox) customers, etc, etc

I’m invested in the Xbox brand, all I’m asking for is clear messaging about the future to allay concerns rather than the constant stream of unclear drivel that Phil and co seem to spout. I don’t think that’s too much to ask for.

@Feffster I do get it to a degree with the uncertainty but I also have to ask about what people actually want from them? They've told us there's a super powerful next gen console in the works. They've told us there's a native handheld in the works by not denying it and leaning in the narrative. And they told us that's not ready for market by telling us they're "exploring" it. And they've said that they're focusing on making sure the investment in your library is respected (or whatever language they used) and carries forward.

I get that whether you believe them or not is up in the air. But other than confirming a next gen console and a possible "second pillar" handheld, and a focus on long term digital library accessibility (like PC stores)...what else do you expect them to talk about? 11th generation? Sony's not talking about PS7, Nintendo's not talking about Switch 3, and they're closer to a Switch 3 than Sony or MS is to PS7 or Series Z.

I mean I get it, their PR is terrible, I agree. But in terms of future commitment to hardware what else more than they've already said would they be able to say? "We're definitely making a new console 2 gens from now?" Even Nintendo hasn't confirmed that. For all we know they're building an iOS Nintendo partnership behind the scenes to follow Switch 2. The designs for Series Y/PS6 aren't even final yet. Sony's just trying to get the Pro out the door they haven't even confirmed really exists yet.

I totally understand the concern but there's a certain point where it becomes a request for Patcher levels of guessing out of a hat. Maybe they'll do 11th gen hardware, maybe they won't. But if they're trying to sell game pass and consoles are still relevant at all into an 11th gen, it's not like they can sell Game Pass on PS or Nintendo, so they're going to need something other than PCs to sell it on.

@somnambulance Because the point is not to sale more consoles but have more subscribers on Game Pass in any platform(PC, console, cloud).

Don't understand the outrage, or people saying 'well timevto move to PS5'. Why? Personally I much prefer the Xbox, both in looks and usability. The controller alone imo makes up for the few games I may miss on another platform. I'll still have my Nintendo library too. There's really not enough on PS5 that I want to play. All the best games run fine on PS4 pro anyway.
I'll stick with my Xbox thnx.

‘Every decision we make is to make more money’.

Fixed it for you.

Trust in Phil… Xbox is in a good spot and everything changes over time. An Xbox needs to run like a PC nowadays so understanding that fact is key to some of the decisions lately. Watch for the Xbox PC coming soon (in Surface or handheld form)

@NEStalgia - well said and I agree with much of what you say. From a personal viewpoint I’m not expecting them to confirm that there will be a guarantee about a certain number of future generations of console, I appreciate that’s not realistic. I watched the recent Podcast with interest and the attempts made in it to address the concerns of Xbox customers.

Despite the assurances made in that Podcast the rumours/speculation keep on coming. I don’t think Microsoft has been clear enough in their response, but that’s just my opinion and I appreciate others may see it differently.

@Feffster Nah mate, they hit the nail on the head: "Xbox consoles will continue, keep buying digital games" (paraphrasing). That's a clear-cut promise and doesn't get more direct than that.

But yeah, at the same time they send confusing messages such as this Polygon interview. Up to you to decide on what to believe: Xbox's express February promise or the doomsday scenario we can interpret out of this weird-ass Spencer corpospeak.

@TheLastHarbinger @Feffster Yeah I totally get that their PR has been all over the board. They seem to make everything seem bad.

Ironically I was one of the people very cynical about the whole multiplatform podcast and the implications on hardware. And then the next week I watched PlayStation implode and admit they can't afford what they've been doing anymore and start shutting things down. If Phil speak is painful, listening to Herman talk about shutting studios down to strengthen their capacity to deliver the games players expect was pure torture. And then suddenly Xbox felt like the stable one.

Partially the communications mess is I think because they're talking about future strategies that are prone to change and they can't be super concrete. If you read the full interview all these articles though Phil is pretty direct about the fact that he sees the end of the subsidized hardware console model over as Moores law is slowing down. Doesn't mean he sees the end of hardware, but that he sees the games business model changing so that we just buy our hardware outright rather than below cost. More like PC. And more like Nintendo. The only time Nintendo took a loss on hardware was WiiU. I think that fills in more of what their software strategy is and why. I think it's less about "becoming third party" and more about, if they're not paying for your hardware on the promise of making it back in overpriced games, then things like other storefronts, multiplatform games because you don't need to be locked in etc make more sense.

I think Xbox needs to sell devices to play games on from gp and the Xbox store. I don't think those devices need to be bespoke devices separated on an island away from its much bigger PC cousin. On the inside. I think Xbox will change a lot internally. But I think the user experience won't change very much at all. Switch I think redefined how the public thinks of consoles, and Steam Deck proved consoles can be actual normal PCs. I think Microsoft took a lot of interest in that. It's the intersection of all their strengths.

PlayStation.. We really don't know what their strategy is now. Neither do they. Jim's ideas went out the door with him. They could get someone with revolutionary ideas. They could just beg Layden to come back who largely is on the same page as Phil. Interesting times.

@somnambulance " It’s a pity we get more news about what Xbox’s financial moves are or the plans Phil shills out than news about upcoming games these days."

i really don't think we are getting avowed or indiana jones this year.

Well Office is strong. Who uses LibreOffice ah a niche audience got it. So many similar Microsoft tactics in their Windows/Office space does sometimes unfortunately happen in their Xbox team as well, it's getting predictable.

Other than having back compat, an app store with a CD player or other things Sony won't offer on their own console. Sure. It's always shareholders these days for them. The Xbox was always a Microsoft product under the TV to them just more so than ever. Even the using Edge to do things on your Xbox aside (and it being many places too like Office) it's not surprising they go hmm what audiences on Switch/PS, what games will suit, what ones have that appeal. What ones achievements or online Xbox Live will help too hmm Grounded or Sea of Thieves hmm as well Hi Fi Rush is singleplayer right? It fits the people into cartoony, action games (I like Hi Fi Rush in many ways gameplay and artstyle).

You can put software anywhere look at Office. Internet Explorer or Edge/Chromium Edge. Why should they stay when they can be anywhere. Games anywhere. Xbox mobile, PC, TVs, PC handhelds if not another OS or Steam Big Picture, console, cloud, anywhere people will allow it then obstacles of other platforms.

Then again the amount of Xbox/PC similarities with their tactics over the years and mindset of software never fails to not be the case sometimes.

The can't beat them join them or can't beat them find another plausible solution is always fun.

The they will come to us eventually via these methods and it isn't not allowed it is possible to do this and that. It proves it can happen, in many case it has happened with other companies, past Microsoft.

From Sega Saturn/PC to third party or the Windows CE and well Sony/Microsoft in Pocket PC 2000s era seeing hardware going of phones, iPhone, tried tablets 3.1, XP, Surface onwards. From Microsoft Gameboy Colour games of PC entertainment packs to GBA alongside the Xbox as had no handheld even though in a way Pocket PCs of the 2000s were Pocket Windows besides well Laptops.

There is many things going on they have done in the past, can do or will do/do.

Gamers: We hate exclusives, why can't we play with our friends on other consoles? Why can't we play on portables?
Microsoft: Were making more games available elsewhere, even some of our exclusives....
Gamers: How could you do that to us, we've been so loyal?

Lol The hysterics here are truly laughable. If leaving Xbox because they want to make it easier for gamers to play together (while they make money, no one doubts that), then you were never loyal. You were selfish. MS was the first to support cross play btw. Sony only supports it begrudgingly and would still love not to.

If you don't buy an Xbox console but end up subscribing to GP somewhere else, MS still wins and makes more money than if you had bought the console. You get access to more games, regardless of hardware. How is that bad?

Does anyone think it's coincidence they finally confirmed they are also working on a portable? MS sees the future and it's not console sales, even though they plan to continue building consoles. GP is currently quadruple the size of PSN and now MS has the merger behind them, they have even more games coming to GP. It's all good IMO.

@Moby but Phil took away our ammo to use against our enemies, the evil ponies. Seriously all the stuff you mentioned is great for MS and their bank account but it doesn't really do anything for Xbox loyal fanbase except being shown the middle finger by MS as the best xbox games eventually go over to Playstation whose many fans aren't even invested into xbox while Sony ain't giving MS a damn thing. 🙄

@GrandValkyrie how are you harmed if a game is available on Xbox and PS? Sony didn't want cross play either but got dragged into it because yMS supported it. Then the devs and players hounded them until they relented. I'd say that's a win for all.

Why do you care about Sony as a "loyal Xbox fan"? Even if no other third party dev made games for Xbox moving forward, MS has a large enough studio base to continue making a plethora of games for decades.

So how exactly are you screwed?

I’ve had all the xbox consoles. I’m done.

Phil Spencer, giving Xbox fans everything under the sun except those AAA bangers that sell systems.

@LX_FENIX Under Phil Spencer, XBOX has become the world biggest publisher with over 40 studios and 19.000 employees. Do you remember the state of XBOX before 2014? Spencer literally saved XBOX from closing down by Microsoft. Spencer has made a lot acquisitions durign the period 2018-2023. In 2018, XBOX aqcuired Ninja Theory, Playground Games, Undead Labs and Compulsion Games. They created a new studio, The Initiative. In 2020, XBOX aqcuired Bethesda and, in 2023, it had Activision Blizzard.

XBOX has become a true powerhouse under Phil Spencer leadership. He's doing fine with having Game Pass as the main service and going multiplatform for more sales at full price by selling their games to PS/Switch platforms.

Xbox is now a weak and lame brand thanks to Phil Spencer. In-game chat ruined. Achievements ruined. Game hubs pointless. They only care about virtue signaling now, instead of creating good exclusive experiences.

@Moby someone on the internet actually talking sense. It’s a miracle.

@MrN0vmbr yep.

@CallMeDuraSouka same here. I’m not investing any more in to this platform. I want Indiana Jones (which let’s face it will probably be on PS5 anyway), but short of that I won’t be buying anything more in this ecosystem. I honestly regret buying so many 3rd party games on Xbox the last few years. Could have been building a PS library instead.

@Fenbops

in high positions tweeting ridiculous virtue signalling nonsense

I'm a big fan of inclusion and representation, regardless if it's in gaming or otherwise . Are you not?🙂

@Ken_Kaniff i don’t either tbh. more games for everyone , xbox isn’t losing anything they’ll still get the games too :/

edit - you know what, actually - i do. $ony will continue to get worse and regress from everything that made the ps3/4 great . they no longer have to try anymore

I completely agree, @Grumblevolcano. It is only a matter of time, and timing, before everything goes multiplatform. I don't think that Spencer is the one that is making the decisions, but he is the one that Microsoft is putting forward to make the announcements and take the heat...

I mean, it would be a giggle, @Sol4ris. We'd get maybe a hundred comments here, but can you imagine the uproar (and the hate!) that would happen over on Push? Oh, boy! That would be something to behold... 😂

@NEStalgia I agree. I always thought that Microsoft's strategy is just ahead of the other two, but after reading Polygon's interview, it has been confirmed. We always say that we can't look at the current generation the way we looked at the 16-bit wars, but many people on these sites still do it and still have the same mindset, like, the only metrics they use is the number of consoles sold (and they say 3x when it's 2x).

Microsoft's strategy includes younger/newer players, while Sony has been targeting the same PS fans for generations. Microsoft is just planning beforehand. There will be consoles in the future, some kind of dedicated gaming hardware at least, but this generation proves that the console wars are now pointless. Nintendo achieved success with its tablet and ports but we don't know what's next for them. Sony can't feed their PS5 for over a year and Square Enix's indefinite PS exclusives haven't sold that well on PS5.

Microsoft is targeting the whole player base as a whole. The future is more or less the same for the three, but Microsoft started first and Nintendo might be more interested in the mobile market than the other two, because of the kind of games they make, although who would say no to 4K 60fps Nintendo games on Xbox/Windows/PS... except the die-hard fans on NL that want those that play some Nintendo games unofficially to be incarcerated, I mean.

In any case, as you said, they have confirmed that our digital libraries are safe, that there is a powerful next-gen console in the works and that we may see an Xbox handheld soon.

What happened to the great decision to add Direct Input and Velocity Architecture features? I really want to know what happened to that decision. Sony quietly beat Microsoft to their own advantage and trounced them. You literally made it weaker by doing nothing.

@nomither6 I don't think that would happen. Because Sony needs Playstation to succeed to survive. Plus they make some of there biggest profits off of first party games. Because they get 100% of the sales revenue.

@Moby
Sony and Sega had the first crossplay game two months before the original Xbox hit the market. And there’s a reason Xbox is just now getting Final Fantasy 14. Microsoft wouldn’t support crossplay when it released and Sony would.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capcom_vs._SNK_2#:~:text=Players%20from%20both%20platforms%20could,regions%2C%20but%20without%20online%20support.

https://www.eurogamer.net/final-fantasy-14-a-realm-reborn-isnt-coming-to-xbox-due-to-microsoft-not-allowing-cross-platform-play

@Banjo- Yeah, I mean consoles themselves are a biproduct of the 80s. It was a very unique, bespoke consumer electronics device with a select availability of software titles and was very very distinct from "computer games" of the time. But as soon as gaming hardware moved to optical media and away from cartridge daughter boards, the lines started blurring. PS1's success with that and starting to dip into PC developer's interests is what spurred MS into Xbox to begin with. They had a pure monopoly on computer gaming, particularly development, and PS threatened that.

PS3, WiiU, 3DS were the last truly bespoke "consoles" everything since then is a variation on commodity general purpose computing trying to apply the old model. PS4, 5, X1, XS are variations on PCs but still not a pure PC OS and interface. Switch is a customized tablet running customized android. Even Dreamcast was a Windows box.

Most arcade - ARCADE! - machines are Windows PCs now. If you look in the cabs in real arcades, most of the boxes inside are just PCs. If the coin-ops moved on to PC.....like 10 years ago....console is truly a relic.

Dedicated hardware isn't but the "console" idea was always amazing technology from the future for low prices paid for by locking in with high priced games from a single source. The razor and blades model. (Razer and blades?)

I wouldn't say PS is targeting only old players, I'd say among kids/young gamers if you say "console" they're all going to say "Playstation." But their own business model they invented to cut into the market of subsidizing amazing hardware is failing them because the hardware is too expensive now, and stays expensive longer. And making games for "hardware from the future" costs too much to have a limited market.

MS has to come from behind but their model is more fit or the times. Sony's starting ahead, but they have a serious "technology debt" problem where their whole business model doesn't fit the situation anymore even though they're easily the most popular. They've admitted the problem but I don't think they will have a solution for a while.

Nintendo...no idea where they go. They also acknowledge the problem. They don't have Iwata anymore to think outside the box. Switch 2 will be a more powerful switch. They've already said their own games don't need any more power than a 2011 tablet. (?!?!) I think they're really at home in the mobile space. And Japan is all about the mobile space. But I can't see Nintendo just becoming a lowly app store developer. It doesn't work for their company culture. And they won't let anyone else make a box for them either. Post-switch2 will be interesting.

Your comment #62, that I read later, is flawless, reaching as far as reality goes and not creating nonsense in the process. I get bored of convoluted, completely hypothetical, partial, pointless comments. You later said that Phil is less precise than the others about the future because he's including the long-term future, like when he said that our digital libraries would still be available somewhere. That podcast was reassuring and they have the infrastructure already. Nintendo, of course, they are more accurate because their favourite words are, "We have nothing to say." They are able to hide or delay in some territories a new platform just to clear their current stock, as they have done many times. They will announce Switch 2 when it's the best moment for them and they don't care about anything else. I remember that Microsoft announced Xbox One S and X at the same time and Xbox One S launched much earlier. That's something I don't see Nintendo ever doing.

Yes, it was more Jim that targeted PS fans, I think, because he just behaved like a massive fanboy himself, that also made him lose any credibility in the process, but the new CEO seems open-minded about "other platforms". It's been an hilariously contradicting ride, all their recent changes in business strategy and PR. They started marketing PS5 as a true new generation compared to Series S|X, but Mark Cerny avoiding answering about the real-scenario TFLOPS, then they released cross-gen games for longer than ever before. Then, the few PS5 exclusives there have been, ported. Then, closing traditional studios and focusing on online multiplayer games. Finally, the change of CEO and multiplatform future... It will be interesting to see what Sony and Nintendo do next. Microsoft? They are the most straightforward, but yet the most questioned.

@Banjo- Jim was like an anti-fan. His finger was so far from the pulse he had no idea what the market actually wanted, which is how he wasted billions and years of development time perusing his idea of what customers probably want because investors say its hip. The actual internet fans that defended him because he represented their favorite product, while destroying said product is just depressing.

We don't know who the real PS CEO will be. Totoki's stepping in as an interim executive, but he's actually the Sony Group Corp CFO - the top dog suit from HQ sent to clean up Jim's mess and get the books in order to be able to report to investors "I took care of the problem." It was after Totoki apologized to investors and asked PS to "better manage it's budgets" that Jim suddenly decided the commute from UK to Cali is just too difficult to keep doing. And Totoki was kind enough to fill that vacancy temporarily while searching for a successor. Who will better manage the budgets.

So he's open to "other platforms" though he clarified that to really mean PC, but ultimately they're looking for a real leader for PS. Ideally they find some visionary leader with bold ideas to revitalize things and think outside the box. An Iwata or a Phil type figure. Maybe they get Shaun Layden to come back since he knows the brand and the market well. It was Jim that sent him packing for dare questioning him. I'm pretty sure a "we're sorry we trusted the bobblehead, here's a fruit basket and a Bandicoot tshirt, want Jim's chair or a new one?" would get him back in. He lived the product from day 1, and is in general agreement with Phil on a lot of things (not all, he doesn't see day 1 sub releases working for example.)

Jim, really did a lot of damage, he's really the second coming of Matrick. Not quite as destructive, but without quite as many resources to bail out with. Herman, his mini-me needs to be out as well. But it was just jaw dropping watching them walk back Jim's entire tenure as pretty much a mistake. And they couldn't hide it because they were bleeding money from it. And fans were defending him for years. Look at the money!

It's funny, if you go back on the NL PS thread years ago you'll find me, grumble, ralizah, octane, tasuki talking the day kaz and Kodera retired and Jim was promoted basically going "whelp, there goes PS" We were right.

People keep questioning MS but I think Sony are the ones in a do or die situation. They LOOK healthier right now, but inside they're in trouble. That's fine by me though. All these companies do their best when they're scrambling. The latter years of PS5 may be awesome as a result. Assuming they don't get a bad replacement for him. Matrick's still lurking out there, lol.

@lacerz so a one off agreement that did not work on the PS2 btw (if you read the article) and an article from 2013 before the push for cross play really gained any momentum. Sure that's technically correct, but doesn't really change my point. MS making more games available to more players regardless of console is good for gamers.

@Moby Just a little education on console history. Cheers!

@NEStalgia I think they are in a weird situation. Because many of their fans are so extreme, like Nintendo's, that might be another reason why they are more secretive. It's a very unusual generation, isn't it? For the three of them. Microsoft finally really "Play-ing Anywhere", Sony and their change of direction multiple times in a row and Nintendo, well, Nintendo is Nintendo, unpredictable and unreliable and winning with a remixed Wii U with Wii U ports.

@Banjo- Japanese companies are generally secretive, but I think most of the problem was just Jim. He ACTIVELY killed all their PR routes ,stuck himself in what they had, and pretty much ran as a monopoly. And was probably trying to hide how much money he was blowing by saying nothing. Now it's all out there, but that era's done. It'll be exciting to see if they get new leadership with vision and fun rather than more bean counters maximizing box office returns. (Not including Totoki, he's the suit from HQ sent to clean up Jim's damage and tidy things before getting someone to really run it, he's not the new leader.)

I don't think it was fan extremes, I think Jim really just had no vision and chased trends watching everyone over his shoulder and reacting while sitting in the #1 seat.

Phil may have a good plan. Or a bad plan. And seems to have a constantly changing plan. But at least he as a PLAN.

@Banjo- I added a sentence to my comment at the end 😜. They way you describe him, Jim sounds like Don, but I think that Don believed in what he did (TV-TV-TV) while Jim seems more obsessive and compulsive. Do you remember his call and emails to Phil? Almost harassment 😅.