Following Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision-Blizzard and its extensive lineup of development studios, the company, and its Xbox division has now emerged as the largest third-party game publisher to date. It’s no surprise, then, that Xbox head Phil Spencer’s recent remarks about the release of upcoming Xbox games on other platforms, including Nintendo and PlayStation, sparked significant interest—they’re a logical step for the company.
During an engaging conversation on Gamertag Radio, Spencer shared insights into Xbox’s future, noting, “I want people to be able to experience the games that we build, the services that we offer on as many devices as we can.” Yet, he also emphasized a love for their native experience, explaining, “We obviously love the native experience that we have on our own platform and our own hardware, and that’s something that will continue for us.” This enlightening chat with Danny Peña and Parris underscored the evolution of Xbox, touching upon past eras from the original console days to the Xbox 360.
For context, let’s rewind a bit in console history. Remember Sonic The Hedgehog? Beyond his movie fame, he’s been a face of video games for years. Those games were initially exclusive to Sega consoles until their console manufacturing downsized with the Sega Dreamcast’s fall against the superior PlayStation 2. Sega’s retreat opened the door for Microsoft’s Xbox to step into the market.
Interestingly, the original “DirectX Box,” which morphed into the Xbox, initially embraced backward compatibility with Dreamcast titles, aligning with Windows CE compatibility already existing on Dreamcast. Despite not traveling this path to the final product, the Xbox still enjoyed Dreamcast-era games like Jet Set Radio Future.
At first glance, Spencer’s comments could be misconstrued as a desperate move from a struggling console brand. However, Microsoft itself is a vast and powerful entity. As Xbox evolves into the largest game publisher, their strategy is pivoting towards maximizing game sales, irrespective of platform exclusivity.
Spencer stated, “We want everybody to be able to play on Xbox, and it does mean more of our games shipping on more platforms, not just PlayStation. We love the work that we do with Nintendo, we love what we do with Valve on Steam, and that’s going to continue.”
Some might wonder if Xbox is echoing Sega’s trajectory, but that’s far from reality. Thanks to Microsoft’s financial muscle, Xbox isn’t going anywhere soon. Yet, future Xbox consoles face a challenge: providing enticing hardware against competitors like the potentially portable “Switch 3” and the formidable PlayStation 6, both of which will lean heavily on exclusive titles.
Nonetheless, if the focus shifts too much from Xbox as a substantial hardware presence to merely a collection of games and services, Microsoft must tread carefully. After all, widespread accessibility could mean losing the unique Xbox identity.
