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[Freelance Yakuza]

Microsoft’s gaming chief on Xbox games coming to PS5, next-gen hardware, and more

Microsoft wants to grow Xbox in new ways.

www.theverge.com

This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.
Why is publishing more games on multiple platforms key to improving the long-term success of Xbox?
The games themselves have just a great opportunity to grow. When you find a successful game that’s working, that’s finding great customers on our Xbox console, on PC, you think about how do I make sure those game franchises continue to grow? We can invest in them, they can continue to thrive and find new customers. The software part of the business is an easier part of the business to grow and scale. It becomes more about access, both how do the bits actually get to the screen and even some business model access.
For us, it’s Game Pass plus retail. There’s obviously plenty of free-to-play games on Xbox, but I’d say that business model diversity of giving people more choice and how they build their library, our platform needs to enable those things. And then I think the games themselves on top of that have just an incredible opportunity to reach the billions of players that are out there. You can see something like the launch of Palworld in the last month, right? It’s effectively one game that was built, they continue to update it, and it’s finding just massive numbers of players on Xbox and PC. Games just have that ability to continue to grow, and we want to make sure that our games as part of Xbox are one of the strongest parts of what Xbox is about.

You mentioned that Starfield and Indiana Jones aren’t part of the four despite rumors, but will those ever come to PS5? Can you rule that out?
I don’t think we should as an industry ever rule out a game going to any other platform. We’re focused on these four games and learning from the experience.
But I don’t want to create a false expectation on those other platforms that this is somehow the first four to get over the dam and then the dam’s going to open and that everything else is coming, that’s not the plan today. I also don’t want to mislead customers on those other platforms. We’re launching these four games, and we’re excited about it. We’re excited about the announce and everything else, but we’ll see what happens for our business.

Obviously you saw the Xbox fan reaction to some of the rumors, people worried about their digital library and the future of the console. How are you going to keep those fans, and keep the Xbox ecosystem alive?
I always take the feedback from our most ardent fans very seriously. We’re coming out of a December where we had our highest Xbox engagement ever in the history of the console, more players than we’ve ever had.

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

 

[dottme]

I don’t think we should as an industry ever rule out a game going to any other platform.

Rumor mill, start now.

 

[analog_future]

All these "leaks" and it was a huge fucking nothingburger lmao


Timdog and the like look like even bigger fucking idiots than they did before.

 

[Pelta88]

Start with 4 then open the floodgates.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

You mentioned that Starfield and Indiana Jones aren’t part of the four despite rumors, but will those ever come to PS5? Can you rule that out?
I don’t think we should as an industry ever rule out a game going to any other platform. We’re focused on these four games and learning from the experience.
But I don’t want to create a false expectation on those other platforms that this is somehow the first four to get over the dam and then the dam’s going to open and that everything else is coming, that’s not the plan today. I also don’t want to mislead customers on those other platforms. We’re launching these four games, and we’re excited about it. We’re excited about the announce and everything else, but we’ll see what happens for our business.

C'mon guys, it's as clear as a corporate speech can allow.

 

[Oddvintagechap]

All these "leaks" and it was a huge fucking nothingburger lmao


Timdog and the like look like even bigger fucking idiots than they did before.

sounds like they are easing their fanbase slowly.

 

[Astray]

So boiled frog it is.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Start with 4 then open the floodgates.

Similar to Sony. Start small and test. If it's a success, do more ports.

 

[Elios83]

All these "leaks" and it was a huge fucking nothingburger lmao


Timdog and the like look like even bigger fucking idiots than they did before.

This is the beginning of their multiplatform push and they're not ruling out anything for the future.

Spencer confirms that Starfield and Indiana Jones are not part of the first four games, but he doesn't rule out the possibility for these titles to arrive on PS5 in the future. "I don't think we should as an industry ever rule out a game going to any other platform," says Spencer in an interview with The Verge.

It's FAR from a nothing burger, it's the beginning of a new era for them.

 

[Gojiira]

An announcement of a announcement…My gawd Xbox is tiring…Just fucking speak clearly or shut the fuck up

 

[analog_future]

sounds like they are easing their fanbase slowly.

This is the beginning of their multiplatform push and they're not ruling out anything for the future.


It's FAR from a nothing burger, it's the beginning of a new era for them.

This is literally no different than the approach they've had for a decade+ now.

 

[MiguelItUp]

All these "leaks" and it was a huge fucking nothingburger lmao


Timdog and the like look like even bigger fucking idiots than they did before.

Yuuuuuup. Just a reminder to not believe "everything you read and see" unless it's actually confirmed and has proof. So many people freaked out about nothing and it was ridiculous, lol.

 

[xHunter]

Pretty much the same as this:

Phil Spencer says not every Xbox game will come to PC

After the discussion in recent days about Windows 10 and Xbox being a single platform, as well as the announcement that Quantum Break would be coming to PC at the same time as the previously exclusive Xbox One, we weren't exactly sure what that meant. Were we coming to a point where Xbox discs would

www.pcgamesn.com

And look at where we are now.

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

This is literally no different than the approach they've had for a decade+ now.

Bruh don't L yourself like this

 

[Crispy Gamer]

This is what I expected the message to be with Phil speaking they'll drip feed games throughout the years

 

[Elios83]

This is literally no different than the approach they've had for a decade+ now.

Then why they felt the need to announce an update in business strategy?
More and more games will be announced.
Spencer is already not denying it.
This is just a way to introduce the change little by little.

 

[Magic Carpet]

Well that was fun to watch at 1.5 speed.
Back to my PC with Laura Croft, Almost done with the first reboot and will start Rise of the Tomb Raider either tonight or tomorrow.

 

[Bond007]

Pretty much what i expected.
This is gonna be a gradual thing. Microsoft can afford to- Sega couldnt.

There isnt a no here. Corporate speak to ease the fans

 

[LiquidMetal14]

Thank goodness for this waste of time Microsft

Phillip Mortemer Bartholemule Spender

Math Buttox

BOND, SARAH BOND

 

[IDKFA]

Interesting. Sarah Bond said in the podcast that they have a hardware announcement this year?

Will this be the Series S/X refresh or will this be the rumoured handheld?

 

[TheGodfather07]

Thats a whole lot of buzzwords just to say we're going to publish more games on Nintendo and PS platforms. Yeah, that includes starfield and indiana Jones. Phil spencer confirmed it by not ruling it out. Unless you really naive, you know what that means.

 

[analog_future]

Bruh don't L yourself like this

I'm sorry your balloon has deflated today, but what I'm saying is absolutely true.

Then why they felt the need to announce an update in business strategy?
More and more games will be announced.
Spencer is already not denying it.
This is just a way to introduce the change little by little.

Did you even watch the presentation? They specifically made it clear that their business strategy with Xbox is not changing. They had to put this together because of so many incorrect rumors gaining traction.

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

Then why they felt the need to announce an update in business strategy?
More and more games will be announced.
Spencer is already not denying it.
This is just a way to introduce the change little by little.

They probably felt the need to move up this business announcement because rumors were running rampant from tons of “insiders” that MS is killing off Xbox hardware and going full third party.

 

[Raonak]

It's only gonna be 4 games.

But let me spend the next 20 minutes explaining why multiplatform is great

 

[SmokedMeat]

Stop saying bad things about Starfield! I love that game now!

 

[Oddvintagechap]

This is literally no different than the approach they've had for a decade+ now.

how isn’t it different? That they took a week to have some meeting with all the marketing, advertising, and PR teams.

Easy could have addressed Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment, Sea of Thieves and Grounded.

Sony already has Destiny. Would make sense to release community driven games across many platforms since they are reliant on it’s multiplayer being lively with players.

Other two are so low stakes.

 

[TrebleShot]

4 games , for now they basically just announced its multiplat they think people are stupid

 

[Mowcno]

"You mentioned that Starfield and Indiana Jones aren’t part of the four despite rumors, but will those ever come to PS5? Can you rule that out?
I don’t think we should as an industry ever rule out a game going to any other platform."

Basically the messaging is exactly how I thought it would be. Every game is now a "will they won't they" for if they decide to port it at some point in the future.

 

[NEbeast]

All these "leaks" and it was a huge fucking nothingburger lmao


Timdog and the like look like even bigger fucking idiots than they did before.

Where there is smoke there is fire.
Read the damn article. The door is now open for more games going to other platforms.
If Starfield is never going to ps5 he would outright say it.

 

[Ozriel]

Yeah, after that podcast this just seems like grade-A hopium on your part.

Then why they felt the need to announce an update in business strategy?
More and more games will be announced.
Spencer is already not denying it.
This is just a way to introduce the change little by little.

They were emphatic about the fact that there’s no dam burst to be seen. He’s not going to deny this, of course, since there ARE other titles that fit the description of ‘smaller title with no more growth’ or ‘community driven games that need more audience’. Stuff like Ori, for example. Flight SIM, down the line.

But the fervent dreams of day one ports of most Xbox first party games seems to be misplaced.

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

Yeah, after that podcast this just seems like grade-A hopium on your part.

Have many times does this game need to be played

 

[AltogetherAndrews]

Engagement, eh? That overpaid twat is just taking the piss now.

 

[Elios83]

They probably felt the need to move up this business announcement because rumors were running rampant from tons of “insiders” that MS is killing off Xbox hardware and going full third party.

A situation that could have been avoided by clearing things like the usually do, with executives constantly on socials addressing things immediately. They needed time because they needed to sort out the PR issues.

This is just the beginning, Spencer already stated that he can't rule out anything for the future.
They needed to say something to calm down fans. It's up to them to be smart or to become a mission accomplished for the damage control team.

 

[MisterXDTV]

They probably felt the need to move up this business announcement because rumors were running rampant from tons of “insiders” that MS is killing off Xbox hardware and going full third party.

Do you think people will believe that it's 4 games and done???

Xbox hardware and software sales will fall to insignificant numbers

GamePass is not growing....

Do the math

 

[Bojanglez]

that’s not the plan today

But tomorrow......

 

[Ozriel]

Have many times does this game need to be played

I know if you want to play all their revealed 2024 AAA first party games, you’ll have to do it on Xbox, PC or Cloud.

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

I know if you want to play all their revealed 2024 AAA first party games, you’ll have to do it on Xbox, PC or Cloud.

And last year you would have said the same thing for Sea of Thieves or Hi-Fi Rush

i'll bet on the hopium, not the copium

 

[GHG]

So boiled frog it is.

Well seasoned, brined and Slow cooked.

 

[Ozriel]

And last year you would have said the same thing for Sea of Thieves or Hi-Fi Rush

i'll bet on the hopium, not the copium

Sea of Thieves released in 2018.
HiFi Rush sales have slowed to a trickle on Xbox and PC.

That’s the selection criteria.

You might have to start posting “I’ll wait until 2027” in all Xbox threads now

 

[arkhamguy123]

all that drama for 4 rinky dink little AA games

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

Sea of Thieves released in 2018.
HiFi Rush sales have slowed to a trickle on Xbox and PC.

That’s the selection criteria.

You might have to start posting “I’ll wait until 2027” in all Xbox threads now

Cook little froggy, cook

 

[PharaoTutAnchAmun]

sounds like they are easing their fanbase slowly.

They preparing them slowly...only four games...(but they wont tell what the games are)...come on Phil...a then a few games more and more and more

 

[Metnut]

Reading between the lines with what was said in this interview and the podcast, it looks like they are gonna keep games exclusive to XBox for at least one year and then consider porting over.

I’d be shocked not to see Starfield release for PS5 by holiday season 2024.

Their comments about the new hardware was exciting. Seems like they aren’t really doing a pro but might just do a whole new gen in 2026 or even late 2025.

 

[Elios83]

It's 4 games but also this:

“I do have a fundamental belief that over the next five or ten years exclusive games, games that are exclusive to one piece of hardware, are going to be a smaller and smaller part of the game industry,” Spencer said during the podcast.

and this:

Spencer confirms that Starfield and Indiana Jones are not part of the first four games, but he doesn't rule out the possibility for these titles to arrive on PS5 in the future. "I don't think we should as an industry ever rule out a game going to any other platform," says Spencer in an interview with The Verge.

 

[adamsapple]

I know if you want to play all their revealed 2024 AAA first party games, you’ll have to do it on Xbox, PC or Cloud.

 

[Ozriel]

Cook little froggy, cook

 

[Ozriel]

It's 4 games but also this:



and this:

…Warren selectively crops that quote since he doesn’t want to admit he was completely wrong.
The full quote for that includes ‘Console + PC’ as part of what he’s talking about. And that’s where we’re seeing the industry go, even with PlayStation.

Nintendo’s the only holdout.

 

[kruis]

All these "leaks" and it was a huge fucking nothingburger lmao

Timdog and the like look like even bigger fucking idiots than they did before.

 

[SNPlayen]

Bloodborne remake confirmed