Xbox head honcho Phil Spencer is confident that there will be consoles in the future. In an interview, he says they are “absolutely planning” for more.
Phil Spencer and his vision for the Xbox brand is changing with the times. The centerpiece of the brand is now the Xbox Game Pass, rather than the console itself. Even then, Spencer notes that streaming innovation does not mean no future devices.
Xbox is “putting the player at the center”
In an interview, Spencer received a question about their investment in cloud gaming. In particular, pundits ask if the next-gen consoles will be the last. These concerns come as Xbox is creating a more ubiquitous ecosystem for itself.
“We’re about putting the player at the center. It’s not about the device in the middle anymore,” Spencer detailed. “You see that in every other form of media: my TV is with me wherever I go, my music is with me wherever I go.
“I’m in control of the experience, and I think gaming is going through that same transformation, which is why as you say, if you’re a Game Pass subscriber you can now play your great games on our Xbox console, on your PC or now on your Android phone via streaming.”
The Xbox brand is not only about the Series X and S consoles anymore. The Xbox Game Pass offers games on demand to PC, console, and even mobile players. The introduction of xCloud allows gamers to play PC games on their Android phones.
By letting players connect to the service everywhere, the Xbox brand makes more sense beyond consoles. Even then, the hardware still matters.
Fans will see more console hardware in the future
Phil Spencer believes that there is a future market for console hardware. There is an audience where a low-cost gaming device is needed.
“In terms of future hardware, absolutely I think we’re going to see more console hardware down the road,” Spencer adds. “Just like in video, just like in music it’s not that streaming has cut off device innovation. I think we’ll continue to see that, and that’s absolutely what we’re planning for.”
Microsoft and Xbox are doing their best to create an early lead for this console generation. The Xbox Series X and S are the most powerful consoles of the current generation. While it lacks many premier launch titles, it has access to a wider catalog of games.
The console will launch this coming November 10. The Xbox Game Pass is among the most attractive gaming subscriptions on the market. Phil Spencer knows this and his work, so far, sits well with the community at large.
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