• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

Phil Spencer named Head of Xbox

Is he the one that behaves and looks like a used car salesman?

Not sure why MS is clinging to these clowns that dragged their company through the mud last year.

They should be replacing all these people and getting some fresh, likeable people into the Xbox division.

Exactly.
 
Good for Xbox gamers, it is extremely important to have someone good running the ship. The problem for me is its too late to turn the ship around. Xbox One is reported to cost more to make than PS4 even without Kinect. How long until MS release Kinectless Xbox One, also can't Sony drop the price of the PS4 to counter. Finally will MS charge less for Gold to compete with PSN+, will they have more free games, will there be a paywall for apps like Netflix, will multiplatform games get closer to PS4 versions and etc. I personally think its too late to turn things around for Xbox One, however the next Xbox system should be in a much better position.
 
Good for Xbox gamers, it is extremely important to have someone good running the ship. The problem for me is its too late to turn the ship around. Xbox One is reported to cost more to make than PS4 even without Kinect. How long until MS release Kinectless Xbox One, also can't Sony drop the price of the PS4 to counter. Finally will MS charge less for Gold to compete with PSN+, will they have more free games, will there be a paywall for apps like Netflix, will multiplatform games get closer to PS4 versions and etc. I personally think its too late to turn things around for Xbox One, however the next Xbox system should be in a much better position.


Was it too late to turn the PS3 around when it stumbled out of the gates with insane $600 price tag, a work 2 jobs to pay for it attitude and a PS Network that was utterly garbage? No, clearly it can be done... It is way too early in the systems life to toss a statement like yours out there.
 
Was it too late to turn the PS3 around when it stumbled out of the gates with insane $600 price tag, a work 2 jobs to pay for it attitude and a PS Network that was utterly garbage? No, clearly it can be done... It is way too early in the systems life to toss a statement like yours out there.
How many times does it need to be pointed out that MS are not in the same situation as Sony were.

And I don't think Phil's image is important. If he makes enough good decisions gamers quickly forget. Jack Tretton was a figurehead of hate in 2005, but there was practically a minute's silence for his departure last month.
 
Was it too late to turn the PS3 around when it stumbled out of the gates with insane $600 price tag, a work 2 jobs to pay for it attitude and a PS Network that was utterly garbage? No, clearly it can be done... It is way too early in the systems life to toss a statement like yours out there.

MS has already begun to turn it around and it hasn't even been 6 months since the release of the system, HOW people can say its too late after seeing what the ps3 was able to turn it around after years of being a laughing stock of a sytem is beyond me

How many times does it need to be pointed out that MS are not in the same situation as Sony were.

And I don't think Phil's image is important. If he makes enough good decisions gamers quickly forget. Jack Tretton was a figurehead of hate in 2005, but there was practically a minute's silence for his departure last month.

Thats right, MS is in a better position considering they have a huge warchest whereas sony was/is still bleeding money.
 
I am not a great fan of the Spencinator - but there's not many execs I am a fan of now we've lost Jacky T on the E3 stage.

But humble pie has been eaten, and he does seem to have always been about the games. So, yeah - really good choice.
 
I like him for the job. Here's hoping he inspires a great turnaround, and holds true to ensuring the gaming division is of high priority!
 
I am not a great fan of the Spencinator - but there's not many execs I am a fan of now we've lost Jacky T on the E3 stage.

But humble pie has been eaten, and he does seem to have always been about the games. So, yeah - really good choice.

I was like that too suspect on his gamership but when he said Ultima Online was one of his favorite games and specifically refered to the untouch version of it, there was no question that he's actually a hardcore gamer

Ultima isn't something someone casually plays lol
 
I keep hearing about this turnaround but honestly they have pretty much been doing the right things since launch. I'm more happy with the One than the 4 right now. Perception could use a turnaround for sure.
 
Good good ! Much time is spent on my PS4 rather than my X1 but this is a very great news for the future of the brand.
 
I wonder who would win in a bidding war for Shenmue, Sony
or Microsoft.

I know the obvious answer is Microsoft, but Cerny speaks Japanese and I think he + the combined positive momentum of the PS4 could possibly sway Yu Suzuki to the Sony and the PS4.

Although I dont know if sony would want to fund such a project i'am guessing for the project to live up to the expectations of the fans it would need at least $100 million budget, and also maybe Microsoft still has good relations with Yu Suzuki because of the Shenmue work on the OG xbox.
 
Good for Xbox gamers, it is extremely important to have someone good running the ship. The problem for me is its too late to turn the ship around. Xbox One is reported to cost more to make than PS4 even without Kinect. How long until MS release Kinectless Xbox One, also can't Sony drop the price of the PS4 to counter. Finally will MS charge less for Gold to compete with PSN+, will they have more free games, will there be a paywall for apps like Netflix, will multiplatform games get closer to PS4 versions and etc. I personally think its too late to turn things around for Xbox One, however the next Xbox system should be in a much better position.

Too late? We are not even half a year into the next gen cycle and still have 6-7 years to go probably. No they still have time.
 
Was it too late to turn the PS3 around when it stumbled out of the gates with insane $600 price tag, a work 2 jobs to pay for it attitude and a PS Network that was utterly garbage? No, clearly it can be done... It is way too early in the systems life to toss a statement like yours out there.

Four. Extra. Years. That's all I'm gonna say.
 
This seems super staged in a way to boost flagging opinion of the Xbox Brand. Every site has their own interview with him up within 2 hours of the announcement, and in every interview he mentions looking into some IP that is sentimental to a small section of gamers.

Considering how much he's been out in front of the public for the last few months saying the same kinds of things, it makes me think this has been a thing for at least a month or two, and they're just using it as a way to promote the XBox brand to keep some sort of momentum going. 90% of potential XB1 buyers don't know or want to know who Phil Spencer is, just like they don't know or want to know about Cerny on the other side. At the end of the day, it's cool to talk games and 1st party support, but showmethereceipts.gif.

I wonder who would win in a bidding war for Shenmue, Sony
or Microsoft.

I'd be super shocked if any sort of Shenmue product makes it out this generation. Both companies have been playing it fast and hard with name dropping beloved game franchises from the past, but in the end, I don't see a lot of them coming to fruition.
 
I think they made the right decision with him. My impression was always that Mattrick and Mehdi pushed for all the evil stuff, but we will never know.

But for me this doesn`t change anything, because the fundaments of the xbox one are set with kinect and a weaker than anticipated machine, but maybe he can make the right decisons for the fourth xbox console.
 
I wonder who would win in a bidding war for Shenmue, Sony
or Microsoft.

I know the obvious answer is Microsoft, but Cerny speaks Japanese and I think he + the combined positive momentum of the PS4 could possibly sway Yu Suzuki to the Sony and the PS4.

Although I dont know if sony would want to fund such a project i'am guessing for the project to live up to the expectations of the fans it would need at least $100 million budget, and also maybe Microsoft still has good relations with Yu Suzuki because of the Shenmue work on the OG xbox.


Seeing them fund 3 Quantic Dream titles over the years makes me think this is not true, and that it could be done with a less extortionate budget.
 
Good for Xbox gamers, it is extremely important to have someone good running the ship. The problem for me is its too late to turn the ship around. Xbox One is reported to cost more to make than PS4 even without Kinect. How long until MS release Kinectless Xbox One, also can't Sony drop the price of the PS4 to counter. Finally will MS charge less for Gold to compete with PSN+, will they have more free games, will there be a paywall for apps like Netflix, will multiplatform games get closer to PS4 versions and etc. I personally think its too late to turn things around for Xbox One, however the next Xbox system should be in a much better position.

Yeah, it was too late for Sony right?.....right?

Listen, yes, they can't change the hardware, but all the rest of the stuff. Of course they can! Maybe some of it isn't as easy as others, but it's certainly possible. "Too late" seems just a little bit strong.

It's still really noticeable (1080p vs. 900p is visable, I don't know what some of you are talking about), but the difference in power between PS4 and Xbox One really isn't going to matter all that much if MS, now with Spencer at the head of it's Xbox ship, starts churning out lots of quality games.

The bad stuff, other than the hardware, is totally reversible.
 
Imagine if Microsoft's E3 conference started with Shenmue's intro music. Just the music...in pitch black darkness...as the lights fade in and Phil walks onto the stage.

;)
 
Hopefully he leads the turnaround I feel the company needs, I'd love to see more consumer friendly (paywall) and developer friendly (release parity) practices. And a focus on first party, and who knows I, might be back on board years from now.

Thats right, MS is in a better position considering they have a huge warchest whereas sony was/is still bleeding money.
How much do these companies normally spend in their gaming division?
 
I hope Phil knows he's pushed my expectations up. I would have settled for a great Quantum Break demo and some new IP but now I want that FIRE from Microsoft's E3 conference.
 
PAX East in is 11 days or so and Major Nelson did say Xbox had interesting stuff planned for it. It's entirely possible they'll announce Games with Gold for XB1 at PAX East and start in the middle of the month with an indie game or one of their own 1st party titles that isn't selling so great like Zoo Tycoon. ntkrnl may still be right.
 
Obviously hes a better replacement, but Id debate how much better considering his previous role was to head up MSs gaming studios so pretty much all first party stuff that gets produced/cancelled. How long was he in that role for?

Be interesting to see what he has done in that capacity beyond his public appearances since last years E3...

ps3ud0 8)
 
This seems super staged in a way to boost flagging opinion of the Xbox Brand. Every site has their own interview with him up within 2 hours of the announcement, and in every interview he mentions looking into some IP that is sentimental to a small section of gamers.

Considering how much he's been out in front of the public for the last few months saying the same kinds of things, it makes me think this has been a thing for at least a month or two, and they're just using it as a way to promote the XBox brand to keep some sort of momentum going. 90% of potential XB1 buyers don't know or want to know who Phil Spencer is, just like they don't know or want to know about Cerny on the other side. At the end of the day, it's cool to talk games and 1st party support, but showmethereceipts.gif.



I'd be super shocked if any sort of Shenmue product makes it out this generation. Both companies have been playing it fast and hard with name dropping beloved game franchises from the past, but in the end, I don't see a lot of them coming to fruition.

Most big corp executive promotions are that way. In my experience its probably less of a momentum thing and more of ...... You have to give the team room to breathe, get over hurt feelings and decide to leave/stay, let agenda be set, etc. and then you announce. Deals are done on Sunday nights and announced on Monday, but promotions take time.
 
Top Bottom