Microsoft's Xbox division has a new head, former Microsoft Game Studios leader Phil Spencer, and he's determined to get gamers back on-side following the competitively weaker launch of the Xbox One.
When Microsoft first showed off its next-generation console, many felt it had forgotten about its core demographic. Much fuss was made over the ability to watch TV through the console's HDMI input, while concerns about its requirement for an always-on internet connection to play even offline single-player games were dismissed. The public spoke, and Microsoft was forced to dramatically alter its plans with the dropping of the always-on requirement and the decision that the bundled Kinect sensor platform could be left disconnected from the console with no ill-effect.
Now, Spencer is eager to convince gamers that under his auspice lessons will be learned. 'There is a lot of learning that I did as a leader in the organisation,' he explained in a video interview with Microsoft's Larry 'Major Nelson' Hryb, 'when I just heard how our message resonated with people and some of the decisions that we made, that I think were actually the wrong decisions, and we had to revisit those decisions.'
Describing the anger that gamers showed towards Microsoft at that time as being personally hurtful, Spencer has vowed that the division won't be making the same mistakes again. Calling the current sales of the Xbox One 'great' - despite Sony's PS4 considerably outselling its more expensive rival - Spencer described a future in which Xbox will be the key driver in Microsoft's rebirth 'as a consumer[-oriented] company.'
Missing from Spencer's interview responses were any reference to the company's plans for supporting PC gaming on its Windows platform. If you're curious as to how the new Xbox boss comes across on camera, the interview is embedded below.
When Microsoft first showed off its next-generation console, many felt it had forgotten about its core demographic. Much fuss was made over the ability to watch TV through the console's HDMI input, while concerns about its requirement for an always-on internet connection to play even offline single-player games were dismissed. The public spoke, and Microsoft was forced to dramatically alter its plans with the dropping of the always-on requirement and the decision that the bundled Kinect sensor platform could be left disconnected from the console with no ill-effect.
Now, Spencer is eager to convince gamers that under his auspice lessons will be learned. 'There is a lot of learning that I did as a leader in the organisation,' he explained in a video interview with Microsoft's Larry 'Major Nelson' Hryb, 'when I just heard how our message resonated with people and some of the decisions that we made, that I think were actually the wrong decisions, and we had to revisit those decisions.'
Describing the anger that gamers showed towards Microsoft at that time as being personally hurtful, Spencer has vowed that the division won't be making the same mistakes again. Calling the current sales of the Xbox One 'great' - despite Sony's PS4 considerably outselling its more expensive rival - Spencer described a future in which Xbox will be the key driver in Microsoft's rebirth 'as a consumer[-oriented] company.'
Missing from Spencer's interview responses were any reference to the company's plans for supporting PC gaming on its Windows platform. If you're curious as to how the new Xbox boss comes across on camera, the interview is embedded below.
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