Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, assured fans that the Xbox console isn’t going anywhere, despite a new push into cloud gaming. This comes after Xbox launched a new ad campaign titled “This is an Xbox,” which showcases the brand’s cloud gaming capabilities across various devices like smart TVs, phones, handheld PCs, and laptops. The campaign has sparked some concern among fans who worry that Xbox might be transitioning away from traditional consoles.
However, Spencer addressed these concerns, stating, “We’ll definitely do more consoles in the future, and other devices.”
Spencer acknowledged that while some fans may prefer the simplicity of a single console, the gaming industry is evolving. “Xbox isn’t just one device; Xbox is on your smart TV, Xbox is on your PC, Xbox is on your phone, and we’re in the middle of that transition,” he said. The Xbox brand has grown significantly in recent years, particularly after the acquisitions of ZeniMax Media and Activision Blizzard.
These acquisitions have brought popular franchises like The Elder Scrolls, World of Warcraft, and Call of Duty under the Microsoft umbrella. Despite the growth in Xbox’s game library, Spencer noted that the console market isn’t expanding. “Our biggest growth in Xbox players is on PC and cloud,” he said.
Xbox assures console presence
“The console space all up isn’t growing, across all of them. We love those customers, but in terms of continuing to expand and grow Xbox, it’s about PC, it’s about cloud, and it’s about making our games more available in more places.”
When asked about the possibility of a mid-generation hardware refresh, similar to Sony’s recently released PS5 Pro, Spencer implied that it might not be necessary.
He emphasized that new hardware should offer unique value to players and creators, and that incremental upgrades are less impactful than they were in the past. We think about hardware that can create unique value for our players or creators on our platform,” Spencer said. “We don’t need to do incremental hardware for our own benefit.
Does a new device really give you a unique experience on screen in some way? [It’s] less like the old days, going from the original Xbox to 360; that was standard definition to high definition. Now, [it’s] harder to show the benefits.”
Looking to the future, Spencer expressed his desire for Xbox to remain a vibrant and successful brand.
“We are trying to expand, ‘What does an Xbox mean?’ I want Xbox to be something 20 years from now,” he said. “I think in order for Xbox to be vibrant, be successful, it needs to be about multiple pieces of hardware.”
