E3 2018: Microsoft's gaming chiefs on the future of Xbox

"The company is investing in studios in attempt to win over next generation of gamers"

The Guardian interviews Phil Spencer.

[Gazondaily]

Spencer being very frank here:

“We launched a box that was underpowered compared to the Playstation, and more expensive because of the inclusion of [motion-sensing camera] Kinect in every box,” he says. “Underpowered and overpriced was … not the right model for us. We had shipped some of our franchises too frequently, which had made them lose some of the anticipation that’s important in the entertainment industry. Our studios had lost leaders, which meant they were the studio that they had been before in name rather than in function.”

Glad he recognises the missteps and this E3 is proof of them making proper real concerted efforts to turn things around. Hope MS comtinues to foster talent by way of investment in its studios.

This however, is very interesting:

“The biggest challenge I feel now is gamers’ desire to continue to divide our industry,” says Spencer. “The mentality is that somebody must fail in order for someone else to succeed … we all want to think about how we grow the gaming business, to not create arbitrary decisions on what console you buy or what network you join. The more we work together as an industry, better things happen. You have an Android and I have an iPhone; I can still call you. That would be my hope: that we still compete, but we compete on creative and quality.”

Absolutely this. 1000%

[Godmars290]

So they made a system that was overpowered, more powerful than the PS4, that was still more pricey and did nothing with it. Have now made a commitment to use it, but by all counts by the time there are any real results their next system will be a thing.

Nevermind that they've done this many, many times before. Made grand, bold, statements, bought a promising studio, only to fail to deliver.

Not saying such will be the case here, just that yet again the Xbox faithful have swallowed it whole hog rather than wait for results.

Much like as an "anti-fan" I question it, but then I have examples of MS under delivering, just as I have ones of Sony failures.

[conanlifts]

"So they made a system that was overpowered, more powerful than the PS4, that was still more pricey and did nothing with it"

This is my biggest concern now. I purchased the X but will it get many more games or will they abandon it. What exactly is their model going forward. If they want their games to work on multiple devices it implies they will still be scalable. This would mean both OG xbox and Xbox X will get future games but the quality will just be less than on Xbox 2. But if they do not continue to support the X going forward and release Xbox 2 in 2019/2020 then I am done with Xbox permanently. As it is it is was a terrible move to release the X and still not have any decent games to showcase it.

[Obscure_Observer]

@Godmars290

"So they made a system that was overpowered, more powerful than the PS4, that was still more pricey and did nothing with it."

Nothing? 90% of the of Xbox One first party games got an Xbox One X patch. Original Xbox and Xbox 360 BC games are also getting Xbox One X enhanced patches. New games will be develop using the Xbox One X hardware like the new Forza Horizon 4 which will feature a 60fps mode. 60fps on a MAJOR open world racing. That´s is a lot more than Sony is doing to please PS4 Pro owners that to this day, are still waiting for some PS4 Pro enhanced patch for games like: Bloodborne, Killzone SF, The Order, Driveclub... just to name a few.

[crazyCoconuts]

I think the first part we can all agree with. Even the gamers desire to divide is true. MS vs. Sony is like a sporting event to many, and it results in some nonproductive arguments. But the reason you can't cross play between Sony and MS is that Sony is using it's market lead to further squash Xbox. I don't blame Phil for trying to influence people to get upset over this, but make no mistake: MS would be doing the exact same thing if they were the market leader. They have in the past with Xbox, and MS has a rich history of doing it with Windows. And, btw, if they're competing on just creative and quality I think we know who wins that game as well...

[UCForce]

I agree with you on that. Next year, it’s going to be different for Sony and Microsoft.

[LOGICWINS]

@UC- Yup. MS isn't going going allow what happened this gen to occur a second time. Sony and MS are going to be very evenly matched once the next consoles launch.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

So you think regular people at home like “damn Microsoft just want crossplay so more people will buy an Xbox” and not because Microsoft just wants people to game? They already don’t care if you buy an Xbox or not. They have Minecraft on PS4. They have cross buy. On Windows 10. They have a free backwards compatibility service.

[Obscure_Observer]

Awesome! Thanks Septic!

[salmonade]

Well put your Halo games on Playstation then. Phil is a bullcrap artist. Not a single chance in hell that Xbox will sell more than Playstation in the next gen.

[timotim]

I don't think that was his point my friend. With that Said, Halo is appearing on PC again for the first time in over a decade...thats more than I can say for other console platform holders.

Spencer talked about GAMERS dividing, not games...in fact, he said he wants competition, but competition done in a way that expands the industry, not divides it.

[slate91]

Thanks septic

[xX-oldboy-Xx]

The quotes from Phil sound exactly like what PlayStation owners have been saying about xbox all these years.

Hopefully they've changed their way.

[rainslacker]

Never make the mistake that MS would not be for the future of a single vision within the industry if it they don't somehow have a way to have everyone log onto their network for some reason.

Spencer can be as altruistic as he wants to be, but MS is still MS, and their desire isn't to just have everyone working together, it's to control everything, or at least be a part of whatever everyone else is successful at.

[lociefer]

As long as microsoft stays in the game we keep getting more uncharteds, god of wars, and horizons. And vise versa, so that's good.

[crazyCoconuts]

No doubt. Last thing we need is a monopoly on consoles. I'm not including Nintendo because they're kinda a different use case.
Really interested to see if GamePass gets Sony to up their ante.

[PhoenixUp]

This industry needs good competition in order further push itself to the limit.

Although I’ll never own an Xbox console I respect its ongoing effort to better itself.

[XiNatsuDragnel]

We need competitor, not a follower

[crazyCoconuts]

In their defense, they're still in the game. And when they follow, they tend to improve on the encumbant technology a bit. It's too late for MS to "win" this generation by any measure, but they'll definitely help to keep the industry moving forward IMO...

[salmonade]

I don't trust Phil or Microsoft and I never have. There is not a single chance the Xbox will outsell Playstation next gen. Not a single chance.

[Wrex369]

Make games worth consuming and you can't fail in the gaming community.

[timotim]

💯

[blanka4545]

and on pc too haha!