Microsoft to detail the future of Xbox this Thursday
Expect to hear Microsoft’s plans for Xbox moving forward this Thursday
This Thursday, Microsoft will be releasing a “Special Edition” of their official Xbox Podcast, where the company will be detailing the future of the Xbox business. This podcast comes as the result of rumours that several Xbox titles will be going multiplatform. These multiplatform rumours primarily focus on games like Hi-Fi Rush, and Sea of Thieves.
Last week, Xbox boss Phil Spencer has confirmed that there will be a “business update event†this week that will discuss “our vision for the future of Xbox. This podcast is that event, and it will be release on February 15th at 8 PM GMT.
So far, Xbox has remained silent about the reports that many Xbox exclusives may be coming to PlayStation and Nintendo platforms. This has lead to many gamers to declare the “death of Xbox”. This is despite the fact that the exact details of Microsoft’s multiplatform strategy are unconfirmed. This has also created a sea of unsubstantiated rumours that Gears of War, Halo, and other top tier Xbox titles could be coming to PlayStation 5.
Please join us for a special edition of the Official Xbox Podcast.
Hear from Phil Spencer, Sarah Bond and Matt Booty as they share updates on the Xbox business. pic.twitter.com/TxwWJVUbgx
— Xbox (@Xbox) February 12, 2024
Why Multiplatform may be a good move for Xbox (in some cases)
While Microsoft could make a lot of money by moving many of its exclusives to PlayStation, it would be a mistake for Microsoft to abandon exclusivity entirely. Gamers need reasons to own an Xbox over a PlayStation, and game exclusivity is a way to do that. That said, delivering gamers to a larger audience can give Microsoft a larger revenue stream, giving the company more money to invest in future titles.
Moving games like Hi-Fi Rush and Sea of Thieves to new platforms would give Xbox an income boost without doing major damage to the Xbox brand. Microsoft already has multiplatform hits like Minecraft. There is little reason why Microsoft shouldn’t try to replicate that success with live-service style games like Grounded or Sea of Thieves.
Why the future of Xbox requires change
Microsoft has invested heavily in Xbox in recent years. Their acquisition of Activision Blizzard cost the company $69 billion. Their acquisition of Zenimax/Bethesda cost an additional $7.5 billion. Microsoft needs to recoup that investment, and they are legally required to continue releasing some games as multiplatform titles. This includes franchises like Call of Duty.
It will be interesting to see what Microsoft’s exact plans are moving forward. We expect the brand to remain within the console business, and we expect to continue to see Xbox exclusive games. However, it looks like some Microsoft games will not be locked to their Xbox platform. Only time well tell how fans will react to this weeks Xbox announcements.
You can join the discussion on the future of Xbox on the OC3D Forums.
