The directional pad has also be changed to more closely resemble the Xbox Elite controller, but the face buttons, sticks, triggers, and shoulder buttons remain very similar to the Xbox One design. Of course, theres still a place for consoles and PCs and frankly, there always will be, but through the cloud, we will be able to deliver a robust gaming experience to anyone connected to the Internet, even on the least powerful, least expensive devices, devices people already own. Later that year, production of the Xbox officially ceased, with the final tally of sold consoles sitting at around 24 million units. Its been a game changer for me. As part of Microsofts plan to acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, the software giant has created a Microsoft Gaming division. (Please note that weve edited slightly for clarity.). Ahead of Xbox's 20th anniversary, we sat down with him and Microsoft's gaming A-Team to discuss their wildly ambitious future. With plans to release the 360 in November, the company clearly hoped that an early debut almost a full year before the PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii were scheduled to arrive would put the 360 in a good position to dominate the market. Phil Spencer | Xbox Wiki | Fandom Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, thinks whether consoles will exist in 10 years is the wrong question to ask. A short time later, he was gone, and after more executive shakeups in the division, Phil Spencer was ultimately made Head of Xbox a position he still holds today. . Thats why we created Game Pass, to open up the ways that players can play more games with their friends, ultimately bringing in more players, making games more accessible to everyone. [9][10][11][12], In late March 2014, Satya Nadella announced in a corporate e-mail that Spencer was to "lead the Xbox, Xbox Live, Groove Music and Movies & TV teams, and Microsoft Studios" as part of the Windows and Devices division. You Are the Future of Gaming - Xbox Wire All eyes are on Microsoft on Tuesday, following the company's announcement that it's moving to acquire Activision Blizzard in a monumental $70 billion deal. Facebook: www.Facebook.com/RyanFlemingPDX Phil Spencer - Biography - IMDb Ghostwire: Tokyo was first released on PS5 and PC on March 25, 2022. Larson-Green took a new position within the company in February, and was replaced by former Nokia CEO Stephen Elop. We hold all teams, and all leaders, to this commitment. It exemplifies, at least for me, what uniquely we can do by bringing together the power of all of Microsoft tech stack, right, from Azure AI to Bing maps, and even spatial computing, which came together to create essentially literally a digital twin of the entire planet. Phil Spencer on Twitter: "We are full speed ahead in our mission to Heres what Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer had to say about his new role and the companys gaming efforts in an email to staff today: Welcome back from the holidays. Microsoft announced that they have more than 100 titles ready to add once xCloud is officially made public. We have a lot more work, a lot more learning, a lot more experience [left], Spencer said. When it comes to the metaverse, Phil Spencer could give Mark Zuckerberg a run for his money. And theres no better example of this than gaming. If you're looking to stay competitive while playing online multiplayer games versus next-gen console and PC players or are just looking to avoid some wonky console interface that's difficult to navigate, you may want to try using a keyboard and mouse with your Xbox One. There's something about Spencer that makes him instantly approachable; combined with his 27 years at Microsoft itself, that makes him the obvious choice to lead the company's gaming wing. The same situation occurred with Bethesda's Deathloop, which initially launched on PS5 and PC in September 2021 and then came to Xbox Series X/S a year later. The best gaming experience was still on a console or PC, Mr Spencer told BBC . CEO Satya Nadella stated that the company internally referred to the xCloud endeavor as . The Xbox Wireless Controller Remix Special Edition will launch on April 18, just a few days ahead of Earth Day on April 22. Lets wrap up by talking about creators, which I know is a huge priority for you and the entire company. The idea that they are a company of the past must have forced them to develop new products and tailor them to their customers preferences. As Spencer notes, the games industry wants to support disabled players. These games can be played on Xbox consoles, PC, mobile, and even Steam Deck. Its being used as the backend for more than 5,000 games, so a lot of exciting things that the cloud can enable. Still, Microsoft pushed forward with new features aimed at making the Xbox and its heirs the all-purpose online media hub that it was supposed to be all along, with Xbox Live Arcade launching in November 2004. I got to get this thing onto the boat and head back to--. You can change the pitch of the audio cues, and the narrator customizations that we have are the best in any game that Ive seen.. Find Ryan online at: [4] He is currently the head of the Xbox brand and leads the global creative and engineering teams responsible for gaming at Microsoft. Blind Driving Assists are just one example of Xboxs continuous support of disabled players. The Xbox branch at Microsoft had been without a single, official leader since Don Mattrick, the president of the division, left the company last July to become CEO of Zynga. Elop, said Nadella, will work with Spencer and Myerson when it comes to the Xbox platform. As Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella writes in a publicly shared, company-wide memo, having Spencer report to Myerson is meant to keep gaming close to the group developing operating systems across devices., Combining all our software, gaming and content assets across the Xbox team under a single leader and aligning with the [Operating Systems Group] team will help ensure we continue to do great work across the Xbox business, and bring more of the magic of Xbox to all form factors, including tablets, PCs and phones, Nadella said of the appointment. On the surface, the system looked like it had a chance to compete with the PlayStation 4, which had been announced earlier that year, but rumors swirling about the Xbox One potentially requiring an online connection and limiting the sales of used games overshadowed news of the system itself. I mean, the cloud and Azure have sort of fundamentally allowed us to truly put people at the center of gaming, enabling them to play the games in high fidelity, as you said, wherever, whenever they want on any device. Microsoft aimed to incorporate a cloud gaming service with their existing Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership, starting September 2020. Blind Driving Assists are a series of settings that disabled players can activate that translate visual information into audio cues. Not everybody is built the same and we wanted to make sure we were accounting for that, he said. That built-in catalog is an extra value on top of all the new games available on the system that take advantage of its impressive technical specs. Phil is one of the best things to happen to the Xbox brand, to ignore everything and cherry pick things without context is weird. Theyre expanding that economic opportunity, too. Alongside audio indicators, Helsley explains that another feature within Blind Driving Assists, the steering guide, took several years of fine-tuning before it was in an entertaining and usable state. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, You can also access most of these through the Game Pass cloud computing program. The original Xbox launched late in 2001, nearly nineteen years ago. Not every racer needs the same accommodation, and the team wanted to ensure that everyone could find an appropriate range when using this setting. He has also been a frequent guest on podcasts, radio programs, and TV spots. He began his journalism career back in 2010 while still in high school, and subsequently graduated summa cum laude from Ohio University's E.W. The console will be packed with a new controller that mostly resembles the Xbox Ones controller design, but with a dedicated share button similar to the Nintendo Switch and PS4. In todays world, companies are continually being pushed to modify and expand their products and services; Microsoft has chosen to appease their loyal customers in an effort to keep them around. Xbox head Phil Spencer hopes for industry-wide game preservation And because studios continuously learn from each other, these initiatives have the potential to shape how developers approach designs and features for blind/low vision players. The release of the Xbox 360 in the U.S. on November 22, 2005, and in Europe and Japan the following month, resulted in sellouts in nearly every market except Japan, where the system still struggled to find an audience. According to a recent report from Bloomberg, Spencer emphasized Microsoft's dedication to finalizing the deal despite acknowledging the . The company must continue to expand its manufacturing to include various systems customers can choose from according to their individual needs. Head of Xbox Phil Spencer makes his long-awaited return to Unlocked for an exclusive one-hour interview. The company made nearly all of its first-party games cross-platform compatible, enabling friends on PC and Xbox One to play together and even allowing players to switch between the two platforms without losing progress. Many still remained skeptical of what they saw, seeing nothing more than a fancy PC dressed up as a gaming console. Now, the brand is set to reimagine itself yet again when the Xbox Series X releases this holiday season. Initially known by its internal development name Scarlett, Microsoft officially unveiled the Xbox Series X during The Game Awards 2019. The History of the Xbox | Digital Trends We are full speed ahead in our mission to bring players more ways to play their favorite games. Spencer, who most recently served as the chief of Microsoft Studios, will now lead that. Shortly after Mattrick's departure, Microsoft announced a major reorganization under which Julie Larson-Green became the head of the Xbox hardware and studios groups, while Myerson was given leadership of development on the Xbox One OS. To that end, Im excited to announce effective today that Jerret West, CMO of Gaming, and his marketing team will move from Chris Caposselas organization to report directly to me. The Xbox Series X ditches the slim design of the Xbox One S and Xbox One X for something far bulkier. While the last-gen Xbox One isn't as powerful as the Xbox Series X, it's still a worthwhile console and has a huge library of great games. The head of Xbox and executive vice president of gaming at Microsoft, Spencer says popular games like . It was there that the Xbox developer first connected with Bungie Studios, the creators of a third-person shooter Halo: Combat Evolved. Under his tenure, Microsoft has built up a stable of key franchises such as Halo, Gears of War, Fable and Forza. If you've already upgraded to the Xbox Series X, don't worry: The vast majority of Xbox One games work on the Series X and Series S with Microsoft's Smart Delivery program. / Sign up for Verge Deals to get deals on products we've tested sent to your inbox daily. Accessibility is not about competition. To Understand the Metaverse, Look to Video Games Please check your email to find a confirmation email, and follow the steps to confirm your humanity. Some of the coolest things Ive seen over the past year is how people have used Minecraft to create new worlds in order to maintain even a sense of community and belonging thats so important in times like these. The various flaws in these early models forced Microsoft to repair and replace countless systems, and eventually led to an extension of the consoles warranty to account for all of the issues. Once the Activision Blizzard deal is finally completed, the company's leadership will also report directly to Spencer moving forward. More games are also on the way. Phil Spencer Reportedly Assures Staff Xbox Will Persist Even Without [8][13], In September 2017, Spencer was promoted to the Senior Leadership Team, gaining the title of Executive Vice President of Gaming and reporting directly to CEO Satya Nadella. Turn 10 Studios developers, an accessibility consultant, and Xbox head Phil Spencer discuss the development process behind Blind Driving Assists, the importance of community involvement, and Xbox . Despite renewed enthusiasm in the Xbox brand following the decision to remove consumer-unfriendly features, the Xbox One has found itself in a nearly constant struggle to match the sales of the PlayStation 4. The first set of reports surfaced on (of all places) LinkedIn, where several designers and developers added vague descriptions of a mysterious new project they were working on with Microsoft. ", "It's been a remarkable year for Xbox and I am honored to lead the team". Phil Spencer is the head of Xbox, as CEO of Microsoft Gaming. We deeply value individual studio cultures. Not long after the 360 arrived on the market, the term Red Ring of Death began sending shivers down the spines of Xbox gamers. Phil Spencer interview: The head of Xbox dishes on Game Pass, Xbox Once the Activision Blizzard deal is completed, the company's leadership will also report directly to Spencer. But in the rush to get the 360 into households, some serious problems with the system got a pass. By submitting your email, you agree to our, Phil Spencer takes over as head of Microsoft's Xboxdivision, Sign up for the It was nowhere near the sales totals of the PS2, which went on to sell over 153 million units, but the Xbox did outsell both Nintendos GameCube (which sold 21. million), and Segas Dreamcast (which sold just 10.6 million). [19], Spencer received the Lifetime Achievement award at the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. The Xbox head Phil Spencer has reportedly attempted to reassure members of the Xbox team that the cancellation of the Activision Blizzard deal will not negatively . Although itd be amazing if we only had to depend on game streaming services instead of PCs and gaming consoles, we havent arrived at this level of innovation quite yet. Phil Spencer, as CEO of Microsoft Gaming, plays an integral role in executing these visions and continuing to develop the best Xbox games, fostering a culture of inclusivity and. Before its official launch, the game will feature two test periods! Phil Spencer takes over as head of Microsoft's Xbox division Phil Spencer: Im thrilled to be joined by Satya Nadella to talk about how Microsoft broadly can drive gaming forward. 2023 Vox Media, LLC. Phil Spencer is the new boss of all things Xbox, Microsoft confirms. However, second place also led to a tremendous amount of innovation from Microsoft. A free update called The Spider's Thread will release on the same day for all platforms, including Xbox Series X/S, PC and PlayStation 5. After experimenting with the Project xCloud initiative, Microsoft recently announced that players would be able to access a cloud gaming service. With Stadia, a cloud-based gaming service, becoming incredibly popular with gamers, Microsoft had to step up so they could stay in the competition. In fact its a milestone for our company, our business and our industry. Thanks so much, Satya, for joining us today. NY 10036. it's moving to acquire Activision Blizzard, Activision Blizzard deal means a lot for Xbox as a whole, Microsoft begins adding Activision Blizzard games to the service, Activision Blizzard in its efforts to develop new metaverse platforms, New Xbox home page shows a simple layout for gorgeous backgrounds, Apex Legends: Arsenal introduces big changes for World's Edge and a new Firing Range, Dell XPS Desktop (8960) review: A monster powerhouse with a minimalist design, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Lightsaber stances explained, Brave Search makes its final split from Bing but keeps Google fallback, Mags delivered straight to your door or device. 80 LEVEL on Twitter: "The Xbox head Phil Spencer has reportedly It will take many years before streaming video games becomes mainstream, the head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, has said. A few weeks ago, Xbox Chief Product Officer Marc Whitten said he was leaving Microsoft (after helming the division for some 14 years) for a similar position with Sonos. In this Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom trailer breakdown, Logan Plant highlights Link's four new powers, along with bringing some speculation surrounding some hidden bits tucked away in the gameplay. The role that Spencer now occupies has been in flux ever since Don Mattrick left in 2013 to take over as CEO of Zynga. This meant that aside from learning how to consult on this specific project, Cole needed to familiarize himself with cars. Phil Spencer named Microsoft Gaming CEO following Activision Blizzard The now-former head of Microsoft Studios will consolidate and oversee the Xbox and Xbox Live creative teams, as well as Xbox . Awards on February 24, 2022,[20] and the Andrew Yoon Legend award at the New York Game Awards on January 17, 2023. See CNN's Richard Quest play video games with Xbox head Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Regardless of the preferred platform, the creation of Blind Driving Assists is indicative of the growth of blind/low vision accessibility. Spencer, who most recently served as the chief of Microsoft Studios, will now lead that division as well as the entire Xbox business, including Xbox Live, Xbox Music and Xbox Video. published 29 September 2016. You will hear much more as we head into E3, but we are at the beginning of an incredible new chapter for Xbox and I cant wait for the days and years ahead, Spencer said. If ever there was a knockout punch at a press conference, this looked to be it. Interview: Phil Spencer's Xbox journey, from intern to CEO 10 Things We Noticed in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom - Video Feature, Resident Evil 4 Remake: The Mercenaries Mode - Leon S Rank Gameplay, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny - Official Trailer 2 | Star Wars Celebration 2023, Fan-Favorite Deadpool 2 Character is Returning for Deadpool 3, Zack Snyder Finally Explains His Thoughts Behind Justice League's 'Knightmare' Scene, King of the Hill Actor Confirms Revival Will Feature a Time Jump, CMA Says Microsoft Would Lose 'Substantial' Money By Making Call of Duty Exclusive in 'All Plausible Scenarios', New Update Available Today For Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, The Biggest Games Coming in May and Beyond, Moon Mystery - Official Kickstarter Trailer, Resident Evil 4 Clockwork Castellan Locations. The systems lineup of exclusive games has been extremely limited, with Microsofts first-party development teams unable to compete with the much larger collection of Sony studios, and many of the Xbox Ones best games were also released on PC. Something went wrong. While this was nothing to scoff at, the number fell far short of Microsofts initial prediction of 50 million Xbox consoles in households around the world. initiative, Microsoft recently announced that players would be able to access a cloud gaming service. Mercenaries mode is a special mode in Resident Evil 4 Remake that challenges players to survive and score as many points as they can against waves of enemies, with all sorts of ways to extend time, gain score multipliers, and more. With his team and game development partners, Spencer continues to push the boundaries of creativity, technical innovation and fun across gaming genres, audiences and . It is being marketed as the worlds most powerful console, with speculation that it could end up being even more powerful than Sonys PlayStation 5. I will be hosting a webcast with investors at 6 a.m. PT with Phil and Amy, as well as Bobby Kotick, the CEO of Activision Blizzard, to share more details on our big ambitions for gaming. Xbox may be heading toward PC-style upgrades By Mike Epstein March 1, 2016 Microsoft Vice President and head of Xbox Phil Spencer said he believes the game consoles of the future will. I love that I can go from my PC to my Xbox to my Duo, picking up on any game right where I left off and even using the touch controls on Duo. Aside from the benefits proffered by the unification of all gaming leadership and corresponding teams, it also goes hand-in-hand with the Activision Blizzard deal to signify just how seriously Microsoft takes its gaming ventures. [5], "Introducing Forza Motorsport 7's December Bounty Hunter: Phil Spencer - Xbox Wire", "Head Of Xbox Phil Spencer Celebrates His 55th Birthday Today", "Welcoming the Incredible Teams and Legendary Franchises of Activision Blizzard to Microsoft Gaming", "Kinect Accelerator Mentor: Phil Spencer", "Microsoft's Videogame Boss and the Long Battle to Reinvent the Company", "Welcome Phil Spencer, Microsoft's New Xbox-Everything Honcho", "E3 2012: Phil Spencer Post-Conference Interview", "E3 2013: Phil Spencer Talks Xbox One Lineup", "Satya Nadella email to employees on tuning our organization", "Microsoft Xbox boss Phil Spencer just got a big promotion, and will now report directly to CEO Satya Nadella", "The DeanBeat: Microsoft's Phil Spencer steps up as a diversity leader", "Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo get up on stage at The Game Awards", "Microsoft to acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion", "Read Microsoft Gaming CEO's email to staff about the Activision Blizzard acquisition", "Phil Spencer Is Exactly Who You Think He Is", "Phil Spencer to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at 25th Annual DICE Awards", "New York Game Awards 2023: Elden Ring Wins Two Awards as Phil Spencer Is Honored", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Phil_Spencer_(business_executive)&oldid=1148728494, This page was last edited on 7 April 2023, at 22:55. The people theyre making this game accessible for may have never played a racing game, or ever driven a car before. I had to learn to slow down when going into a turn. In both 2009 and 2010, June proved to be an important month for the 360. And with the cloud, gaming players can participate fully in the same Xbox experience as people on local hardware. Microsoft gaming chief Phil Spencer just teased an unreleased Xbox Even with all of the problems for early adopters of the system, the 360 sold amazingly well. Earlier this year, we announced that our Game Pass subscription had passed 18 million members. On top of everything else, the company continued to lose money on each console sold, and by 2004, the technology that had once been the systems biggest selling point had become one of its most frustrating limitations. CNN's Richard Quest plays video games with the head of Xbox Phil Spencer who talks about the future of the company as they celebrate the console's 20th anniversary. When it comes to first-party exclusives, the Series X is still growing. We start solving for one specific scenario, and then think about how we can extend that [solution] to many. Given the four years between the release of the first Xbox and the arrival of its successor, its no surprise that after six years rumors began circulating in March 2011 that the 360 was on its way out and Microsoft was already hard at work on its next console. The much-anticipated sequels $125 million in sales made it the most successful launch of any entertainment product whether game, movie, or music album in consumer history up to that point. Upgrade your lifestyleDigital Trends helps readers keep tabs on the fast-paced world of tech with all the latest news, fun product reviews, insightful editorials, and one-of-a-kind sneak peeks. Spencer joined Microsoft in 1988 as an intern and has worked in a number of technical roles, leading the development of Microsoft's first CD-ROM-based titles (such as Encarta), development manager for Microsoft Money, and general manager of Microsoft's online and offline consumer productivity products including Microsoft Works and Microsoft Picture It! What we wanted to do is build something that fit into the oral landscape of the game already, Helsley said. There's an obvious reason: Microsoft's $69 billion bid to buy the massive, but scandal-ridden Activision Blizzard Microsoft is committed to our journey for inclusion in every aspect of gaming, among both employees and players. The last game produced for the Xbox in North America, Madden 09, was released in August 2008, and support for the system was discontinued in March 2009. 03:23 - Source: CNN. Phil Spencer on the future of Xbox: we still want to take risks with games While developing traditional narrative games is harder than it has ever been, Microsoft's Xbox chief sees an. Xbox Game Pass now boasts of over 25 million subscribers, a number that will likely only continue to rise as Microsoft begins adding Activision Blizzard games to the service. Speaking with IGN, Turn 10 Studios developers, an accessibility consultant, and Xbox head Phil Spencer discuss the development process behind Blind Driving Assists, the importance of community involvement, and Xboxs desire to create an inclusive and accessible industry. Y'all keep saying that but it's been 4 long years since 2018, and we've barely heard a peep from most of the new studios. See our ethics statement. Dubbed the Remix Special Edition, the gamepad is largely made up of recycled plastics and other reclaimed materials. Microsoft announced a new generation during E3 2019. On Tuesday, Microsoft announced its intention to acquire Activision Blizzard in a landmark move for the company. Spencer is also currently the head of the Xbox brand and since being in charge, Phil has pushed for cross-platform play and pioneered backwards compatibility within the Xbox line of consoles. Digital Trends Media Group may earn a commission when you buy through links on our sites. It also introduced Xbox Game Pass, a program that gives subscribers unlimited access to a vault of older Xbox games, as well as day-one access to the latest releases. Thats why Im so excited that so many games are evolving into these metaverse economies and societies, just like Minecraft, right? Phil Spencer has been with Microsoft for a very long time--longer than many of us at GameSpot have been alive. I and the entire Gaming Leadership Team are deeply enthusiastic about this opportunity.
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