ChorizoPicozo
Member
Where is the evidence for that?
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Greg Miller: Phil Spencer retirement was not planned
- Thread starter IbizaPocholo
- Start date
- Opinion Rumor Game Dev
splattered
Member
I feel like the heads at the top are going to be all in on a very powerful hybrid console design that very heavily integrates their own AI.
The whole point of making Xbox in the first place was to try and take over the living room.
If AI is to take over our lives/souls what better Trojan horse than PCs, consoles, phones, tablets, handhelds. People spend so much time glued to all of these devices and things are accelerating so quickly.
Maybe this was the plan all along, something or someone is just waiting for the technology to catch up.
Humdinger
Member
Yeah, that is pretty vague. I mean, what has Xbox done over the past couple of years that seems "planned" in a long-term sense anyhow? It's felt more like scrambling around, making-it-up-as-they-go. Lots of changing horses in mid-stream.
I don't buy the idea that Phil was fired, although I can see how the ground might've shifted rapidly over the past year, and he was nudged toward retirement faster than he expected -- and suddenly.
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Topher
Identifies as young
Yeah, but must corporate jobs are not high profile like this.
vaibhavpisal
Member
Right.
As if anyone can fire Lord Phil.
They can leave at their own volition.
He is retiring cause he has set up xbox on a good path. Would like someone else to execute it.
As if anyone can fire Lord Phil.
They can leave at their own volition.
He is retiring cause he has set up xbox on a good path. Would like someone else to execute it.
Where is the evidence for that?
Actually very easy to see. Look at the incredibly rapid (historically rapid in fact) and deep adoption of AI in all sorts of areas and at all levels. Look at the demand. Look at the applications.
A lot of you guys are clinging onto a world that is already gone. The way technology diffusion occurs, there is no going back from this. Regardless of problems the technology just has too much utility and flexibility to not be used. Pretty much the only tech genie we've able to put back in the bottle somewhat has been nuclear weapons and that's because it poses an existential risk with little benefit otherwise (you can't really use them).
The dot com crash didn't mean there was no internet anymore, and most of those early ideas for sites were correct but just too early. AI is no more likely to go away than the computer or the microchip is.
Topher
Identifies as young
The thing that stands out to me was that Sarah Bond apparently did not see it coming. She was business as usual earlier in the day on Linkedin and then suddenly resigned. I would think that if this were in the works for a long period of time then she would have been aware. Still doesn't prove anything, but, for me, none of this seems like a voluntary retirement.
Topher
Identifies as young
"Trust me bro" is a nobody with zero connections making claims that they know something. This ain't that. If you think Greg Miller is full of shit then that's another thing altogether.
ChorizoPicozo
Member
Didn't read all of that just because you were thinking that I'm saying that when the AI bubble pops means the AI goes away... I never said that.
Didn't read all of that just because you were thinking that I'm saying that when the AI bubble pops means the AI goes away... I never said that.
"Go with the waves of this technology until it pops"
Rather suggestive of it being used within gaming at least until there is a market crash and then it wouldn't be used afterwards.
If you didn't mean that, fine, but I'm responding to the idea because it is an extremely common sentiment expressed online about AI. There is no scenario in which it magically goes away and yet many people have seemingly pinned all their hopes on that happening because of a market correction.
rickybooby87
Member
Yeah totally unplanned. Retirement was in the cards for sure, but not a snap retirement, and then the unexpected resignation of Sarah, he's been the face of Xbox for decades, you don't put him down like old yeller.
For those that think it was planned, you may be O2 deprived.
For those that think it was planned, you may be O2 deprived.
ReBurn
Gold Member
Something like this is usually the reason. There are some imaginative takes this weekend, but whenever an executive "decides to pursue new opportunities" it's usually because of this.Board had enough of Phil's endless promises.
Board had enough of Phil's endless promises.
First party content like the awful BLOPS 7.
Honey Bunny
Member
Bro imagine the bullshit he must have heard in that meeting with Satya
reinking
Gold Member
Ruin what culture? It has been crap for a while. I am not sure another "gamer" is what is needed at Microsoft Gaming or Xbox right now. There needs to be an adult to make adult decisions and not just cater to the circle jerk of fanboy run marketing that has been created over Spencer's tenure. I am a little disappointed Asha is trying to fit in right now with cringe tweets. I would rather see less of that and more transparency about where MS Gaming and Xbox are headed. She doesn't have to be a big gamer to run the business, she just needs to understand video gamers and the market. Less tweeting, more showing. I'm here for it if she can get Xbox on track to what a console business should be. If not, I guess "Xbox" (MS Gaming) games on PC will have to do.
Aressa
You can't die before your death
If he actually had confirmed firsthand info it wouldn't be teased on a podcast.
Sanepar
Member
He looks to be a good Guy and probably would have good hits next 2 years(Fable, gears, Forza Horizon 6) but for me his biggest sin was to create Gamepass, tanked IP value and made games on ps5 mandatory to recover dev costs. Gamepass was the worst thing ever to happen to Xbox platform.
Topher
Identifies as young
Sure it would. Happens all the time. Again, if you think he is making this all up then that's up to you.
Humdinger
Member
Good point about Sarah. It seems more like she was let go (with the option to resign), and you do that suddenly. Back to the chicken board with ye.
Phil seems a different case to me, though. Unless we assume he was lying, he had talked to Satya about retirement last year. And there have been rumors swirling about his retirement for years now. I think those rumors had some basis in reality. It also makes sense, if I put myself in Phil's head, that he would want to retire soon. I mean, consider how bad things have been for him the past two years. His grand vision for Xbox has failed spectacularly. The 80 billion in acquisitions he championed turned out to be a stressful and costly mistake. He had to close a lot of studios and fire thousands of people who worked under him. Despite his assurances, Xbox all its core exclusives to Sony and essentially waved the white flag in the console race. He got a ton of negative publicity.
If I were him, I would want to go, not hang around and try to smile through it all, keep up the PR show. I would know my time was over. So, I do think he was aiming to retire.
On the other hand, I don't think he was aiming to retire quite so soon, lol.
Orbital2060
Member
No more Phil around, its weird.
But also all the baggage from the Xbox One launch is gone, with him. He was a lightning rod for all that shit, unfortunately.
But also all the baggage from the Xbox One launch is gone, with him. He was a lightning rod for all that shit, unfortunately.
Topher
Identifies as young
I hear you. And without proof this is all speculation. However, Frank Shaw said last year that the claims by Insider Gaming that Phil Spencer was going to retire after the next console launch were entirely "made up". That puts Spencer retiring after 2027 at the earliest. I would have thought Phil Spencer would see the 25th anniversary of Xbox through at the very least. This happening right after the financials were announced and the fact that the "retirement" is effective tomorrow......just doesn't pass the smell test to me.
But if Greg Miller really does have info then I imagine others in the media will have it soon as well. We will see.
DenchDeckard
Moderated wildly
I was thinking there would deffo be one more device from them....now I'm not 100 percent sure.
Negotiator101
Member
Except he wasn't fired
I suppose you can write your opinion but to basically state a lie as fact just makes you look like an idiot.
geary
Member
Sarah probably was passed for promotion and choose to leave. That linkedin message could have been also the PR person.
Is tough to believe these C suits have time for social media, unless is something special happening in the industry/world. They have a "man" for everything
MrAlwaysRight
Member
It's worrying that Satya Nadella is so out of touch he doesn't even realise that the steep drop off in revenue is largely because of the campaign to not use Microsoft Products at all because of their technology being used in the war in israel.
Topher
Identifies as young
I don't think those plans have changed.
Sarah probably was passed for promotion and choose to leave. That linkedin message could have been also the PR person.
Is tough to believe these C suits have time for social media, unless is something special happening in the industry/world. They have a "man" for everything
Possibly. The resignation on the tail end of Phil Spencer's "retirement" and Asha's promotion definitely makes it seem like Bond quit because of being passed over or given the option to resign instead of being fired. No way to know, obviously.
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Jesb
Member
Can they even change course now. I'd think it's too late. Contracts are probably already signed to make those chips no?
Couldn't hide the truth in earnings reports anymore with acquisition. I think the last one was disastrous.
geary
Member
And usually these decisions taken on that level are with at least 6 months before the date, even if it is announced 1 month before leaving.
Do you know, how hard is to headhunting these roles?
And people thinking Satya just pick the new CEO in a evening while watching Netflix have no idea through how many interviews new appointments need to pass. Also because you need a replacement to the role you are leaving behind before taking the new role.
These corporations are not your corner store, when the owner do what they want.
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Topher
Identifies as young
Yeah, and I really don't see how they reconcile Asha's "return to Xbox" messaging with "no more Xbox hardware". Besides, both MS and AMD announced their partnership for multiple devices including console. Phil Spencer "retiring" doesn't change that.
I think the biggest changes will be in services.
Sohurmk833
Member
There is no signed contract in existenten that cannot be unsigned a day later.
saintjules
Gold Member
I spoke to my guy about this. When my guy was at Xbox a few years back, Phil's retirement WAS planned. It's just the timing of him leaving wasn't. I'd imagine he was ready for this when the time he'd get pushed out coming.
It really is a shame. His entire career ending in some Friday news dump. Unfortunate.
It really is a shame. His entire career ending in some Friday news dump. Unfortunate.
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Topher
Identifies as young
Imagine it is easier with an internal promotion. Asha created her Xbox gamertag last month. I think Satya saw the writing on the wall before the financials were released and had a plan in place that was executed last week. My guess, anyway
Negotiator101
Member
He perfectly fits the criteria of a Microsoft retirement, plus 55 and 15 plus years of service, of course this was planned, possibly fast tracked but far from being fired as some have suggested
Jesb
Member
That would require both parties to agree to it. AMD doesn't have to agree to change the deal.
MatrixReloaded101
Member
People don't read, Phil will be helping with transition until the summer and Sarah Bond's statement said she had been working with Asha for weeks leading up to the announcement.
Most people thought Phil would retire by the end of the year anyway before the announcement was made on Friday.
Most people thought Phil would retire by the end of the year anyway before the announcement was made on Friday.
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RoboFu
One of the green rats
No you don't announce anything. You don't just kick out the ceo even if you are firing them. It's a whole weird ass thing that companies do these days " to not disrupt, keep employees from freaking out, and not raise investor alarms ".
It doesn't work but that's what the consultants tell everyone.
Sohurmk833
Member
In the worst case scenario MS has to pay a contractual penalty which probably amounts to chump change for them. There's always an exit for companies like that.
Negotiator101
Member
They didn't fire him
seriously think for yourself instead of following the Gaf lemming mentality.
digoutyoursoul
Member
I remember his smart arse response about how well paid he is during his RedFall reaction interview, the "I hear commentary that if you just build great games" one.
It's unbelievable really, if he had been doing the job he had somewhere else I doubt certain individuals would have given him such a pass.
It's far too late now anyway, I wish whoever takes over well but I can't see it turning around in a overwhelming positive way, too many people have done the damage not just this fella.
It's unbelievable really, if he had been doing the job he had somewhere else I doubt certain individuals would have given him such a pass.
It's far too late now anyway, I wish whoever takes over well but I can't see it turning around in a overwhelming positive way, too many people have done the damage not just this fella.
ReBurn
Gold Member
It will probably require a change in services if they want to be able to exit hardware. They need a successful hardware platform in order to keep Game Pass viable. Nobody is really down with "everything is an Xbox" and only accessing games via the cloud. The world just isn't there yet.
The services do need some changes. $30 per month for the top tier of Game Pass is a bad look. It's more of a broken promise than anything.
Humdinger
Member
I think so, too. I expected him to continue through to the end of this generation, actually.
I do think he planned to retire -- just not this soon. I think he was nudged out the door earlier than he himself would have liked/preferred.
p.s. Good point about it happening right after financials. I didn't know that.
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One of the problems with Xbox, among its many, is that when I read this, I don't know if it's a joke or reality...
They didn't fire him
Obviously, Xbox doesn't have any problems, and therefore there's no reason to fire Phil Spencer. Phil left because he wanted to.
I'll list one of Xbox's problems: fanboys who think Xbox never has problems.