(IGN) Phil Spencer and the Battle for Xbox’s Soul

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Article by Ryan McCaffrey.

Some interesting stuff is in here.

I spoke to two former longtime Xbox employees, separately, and both lamented the current state of the business. One told me, prior to this week's awful studio closures, "I had lengthy conversations with a bunch of Xbox founders, and we all came to the same conclusion: it's no longer Xbox, but
Microsoft Gaming."
 
Just put Steve Balmer in charge.

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I read it all but the article reads like a bunch of nothing. I was expecting more. But it's good to see more and more sites doing this.
 
I read it all but the article reads like a bunch of nothing. I was expecting more. But it's good to see more and more sites doing this.
It's basically an excuse piece from Phil Spencer. Which is not surprising.

The insight from the Xbox employees is the interesting part.

It's sounds like ABK is taking over and becoming Microsoft Gaming.

It makes sense, ABK was a much bigger company than Xbox.
 
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Microsoft Gaming makes sense. Xbox is an anchor at this point. Just make it open ecosystem and I have no problem with it. Multiplat will help them sell games. Just keep the forward compatability team going and thats all that needs to be done.
 
A couple of months ago there was a popular photo I cannot find right now, but it was an Xbox stand with basically little to no Xbox branding but Microsoft gaming branding... People mocked other people for making the suggestion Microsoft was retiring the brand...

Welp. It kinda looks more like that now.
 
Battle for Xbox's soul??? The problem is far less existential and more simplistic. Case in point:

I'm at the Target right now. Why are they stocking refrigerators where their flagship gaming console should be? Let's start there.

fxz0ssH.jpeg
 
"Now, console sales are down. Post-COVID recession. Game Pass slowing. The acquisition was more costly and time-consuming than anyone expected. And the focus on fighting the FTC probably cost them time they would have spent thinking through the people and studio implications.

I love the irony of this whole situation.

MS dickriders championed the acquisition because they thought it meant COD on GamePass, less COD focus from Activision studios, maybe the return of games like Tony Hawk etc but instead it's just the status quo in Activision with the added bonus of the collapse of Xbox from the weight of the whole thing.
 
Even when they are trying to be critical of the corporations that spend a lot of marketing dollars on their useless digital adspace, the big outlet still come across as ball cleaning brown nosers.

"Maybe, and forgive me if I am speaking out of line here.... you could have done some things a little differently, sir."
 
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Battle for Xbox's soul??? The problem is far less existential and more simplistic. Case in point:

I'm at the Target right now. Why are they stocking refrigerators where their flagship gaming console should be? Let's start there.

fxz0ssH.jpeg

I know you know this, but I'm gonna say it. It's because this soul of Xbox that people think is still there to save, well it's been stolen, consumed, and shat out a long time ago. It was about halfway through the 360's life cycle.

I love the irony of this whole situation.

MS dickriders championed the acquisition because they thought it meant COD on GamePass, less COD focus from Activision studios, maybe the return of games like Tony Hawk etc but instead it's just the status quo in Activision with the added bonus of the collapse of Xbox from the weight of the whole thing.

Amazingly enough, it might not even be status quo for Activision under Microsoft. It's probably going to be even worse.
 
You are a coward Ryan. You know what needs to be said but you won't. All of your kind have played their part in all of this. You, the other so called "journalists ", the grifters/shills , YouTubers taking that Patreon cash from the zealots. All of you.

You have an interview coming up with him, you won't risk that opportunity .

If you truly cared and were passionate you would have been far honest and objective years ago but you won't, because that risks access to certain things in your professional life.

Complete waste of time and it only benefits yourself.
 
Battle for Xbox's soul??? The problem is far less existential and more simplistic. Case in point:

I'm at the Target right now. Why are they stocking refrigerators where their flagship gaming console should be? Let's start there.

fxz0ssH.jpeg
The fridge is that convincing. Fooled even the electronics department.
 
Battle for Xbox's soul??? The problem is far less existential and more simplistic. Case in point:

I'm at the Target right now. Why are they stocking refrigerators where their flagship gaming console should be? Let's start there.

fxz0ssH.jpeg

Well


....


It's the best product they've output actually

Cold beer in a fridge, it can do that

Tim And Eric Idk GIF
 
Battle for Xbox's soul??? The problem is far less existential and more simplistic. Case in point:

I'm at the Target right now. Why are they stocking refrigerators where their flagship gaming console should be? Let's start there.

fxz0ssH.jpeg
Matt Booty's brain is so fried he probably has this under his TV thinking its a real Xbox Series X.
 

Article by Ryan McCaffrey.

Some interesting stuff is in here.
Ryan better bring the heat to Phil on June 9 after that showcase!! I'm PUMPED for that. Better not be a bunch of softballs. Let's get some straight answers! BUT I STILL LOVE YOU PHIL!
 
Ryan better bring the heat to Phil on June 9 after that showcase!! I'm PUMPED for that. Better not be a bunch of softballs. Let's get some straight answers! BUT I STILL LOVE YOU PHIL!

It will be briefed/rehearsed somewhat. No way that interview goes ahead without that.

Chances are it will be of the same phoney humility it was with the XCast RedFall interview last year.
 
It will be briefed/rehearsed somewhat. No way that interview goes ahead without that.

Chances are it will be of the same phoney humility it was with the XCast RedFall interview last year.
I truly do not think Phil was being phony. I think Phil meant all of that. I just think that MS took the keys away from Phil and they are now running Xbox like they run every thing else. I think Phil is a good dude and wants to do things that are gamer friendly (and yes obv profitable) but not bean counter friendly. I think MS gave him a chance to prove he could do it the gamer friendly way and make money and they think he failed and they are now calling ALL of the shots.
 
What a load of creamy stinking horseshit!

The wider MS is not to blame for Xbox shitting itself down the crapper. Phil Spencer and the cronies in his leadership team are.

You don't get to blame MS when the wider company opened their fucking war chest and gave Xbox $80+bln to go on a spending spree. Did they seriously think that after spending such eye-watering amounts of daddy MS's money, MS wouldn't in turn be expecting increased profitability from the Xbox gaming business?

Spencer bled money on GamePass for years and splurged tens of billions to try to buy their competitor out of business, instead of using that money to build Xbox up as a profitable venture. I'm not surprised the higher-ups are seizing control of the ship. They now own Xbox and Spencer's ass... they fucking paid more than $80bln for that shit.
 
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The industry is going to get fucked if publishers demand more revenue success instead of good games.
We recently had studios closing down due to lower sales. 2024 is going to end up brutal for alot of devs.
 
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