Phil Spencer is the head of Microsoft’s Xbox division and gave a refreshingly candid interview with the YouTube channel “Kinda Funny Games”. In it, Spencer explains why Xbox currently has little chance against the PlayStation 5 and Nintendo’s Switch and how they plan to change that.
The more than 40-minute YouTube video mainly revolves around the blocked deal with Activision Blizzard and the poor release of the new co-op shooter Redfall.
In the end, the host wants to do a “quick questions” round. Spencer is addressed about some members of the Xbox community feeling that the console division is being neglected – with PC and cloud being more in focus.
Spencer then launches into a sort of fundamental monologue and explains: It is no longer enough to release good games for a console. Those days are over. However, they have their own vision of an ecosystem and do not want to continue trying to outshine their competitors.
The new shooter Redfall was supposed to be one of the major Xbox hits of 2023, but it was not well received. Here you can find the trailer:
Spencer: Digital libraries are the key
What does the new reality look like in the console market? Phil Spencer explains that there were once clear distinctions between console generations. Back then, in the days of physical storage media like CDs or cartridges.
Nowadays, that is different. One should only look at games like Roblox, Minecraft, or Fortnite. Such games run over years and generations – Minecraft could already be played on the PlayStation 3, even though a version for the PS5 is apparently on the way.
Many games are now available as digital downloads, and old versions can also be used on the new devices. They have “lost the worst generation that one could lose” – namely with the Xbox One.
During this time, many players have built their digital libraries. If one switches consoles in the new generation, these investments are lost: “90% of people go into a store to buy a console and are already part of one of the three ecosystems [Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo] and have their digital libraries there”.
According to Spencer, new games would change little about that: “There is no world in which Starfield gets an 11 out of 10 and people start selling their PlayStation 5 – that won’t happen”.
Spencer says that nowadays one needs their own vision, an individual strategy to continue being successful with Xbox in the future.
Xbox is not a better PlayStation, but something of its own
How does Xbox plan to continue to keep up? They do not want to be overshadowed by PlayStation’s strategy: “I know there are people who want us to become a better, greener version of what the blue people are doing. I can tell you: That would not be a ‘win’ for Xbox.”
Rather, they are focusing on inclusive solutions, wanting to give players the choice of which device to play on at any moment and continuing to focus on the strategy with the Xbox Game Pass.
Spencer says: “We need to go out and do our own thing – with the Game Pass, the stuff we are doing with XCloud, and the way we build our games.”
You can find the complete interview here, the statements on the console market start at 34:50 min:
An exciting insight with honest admissions from the Xbox boss. What do you think about it? Leave us a comment – even if you have questions on the topic.
If you want to know more about the latest Xbox Game Pass promotion, check it out here: You can now gift the Xbox Game Pass to friends and play co-op games together
