Phil Spencer Says he finds Console Wars Distasteful and Wants to Push Against It

[JayWood2010]

I saw this a moment ago and even though I already respect Phil Spencer this kind of even made me respect him more. I completely 100% agree with him. But what about you guys? What do you all think? Discuss


"I've said before, the one thing that I probably find a little distasteful in the discourse around games is the divisiveness that people try to build between platforms,"

"It becomes more about what piece of plastic I own than what games I'm playing. It becomes more about somebody else failing than the things I love succeeding. I don't think that's a good place for our industry."

"I know that's not everybody, and it's easy to find the pockets of that vitriol and I kind of think that that is gaming, but I'm not going to embrace that. I'm going to actively push against that,"

"People sometimes will make fun of me that I mentioned Sony or I mentioned Nintendo," he said. "It's not to placate anybody or make them think I'm some kind of good guy."

"My job isn't really to keep you from buying something else. My job is to make you proud of what we offer, and to give you an enjoyable experience with the product we have. That's 100% of what I'm focused on."

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-boss-finds-console-wars-debate-distasteful/1100-6430824/

 

[Slate Soda]

I agree.

Also this is pretty nice PR as well.

 

[SunBroDave]

To be fair, it's easy to say you don't want to participate in the console war when you're losing.

 

[Storm Raider]

To be fair I'm so tired of Phil Spencer threads.

 

[Altered Juice]

LMAO at Wask's post

 

[Ol No Bones]

I have fought in these Console Warz too long to watch my King surrender to our foes. It is a sad day.

Spoiler

Its a joke

 

[mdubs]

To be fair, it's easy to say you don't want to participate in the console war when you're losing.

Huh? If anything they have more incentive to tear down the competition if they are behind.

 

[Eolz]

His argument is right. He's not against saying "my game is better than yours", just the stupid " lol my console is better, why are you playing this game on X console".

That's the good attitude to have.

Edit: looks like some people didn't read what he was saying as usual.

 

[BadWolf]

He's right but MS would be singing a different tune if winning.

 

[Angelus Errare]

Phil better cut this noise out before the hardcore Xbox fans start sending him death threats. Those dudes are crazy as fuck.

 

[Steverulez]

To be fair I'm so tired of Phil Spencer threads.

Ignore them then? Executive does interviews and things are posted, not like it's exclusive to Phil Spencer

 

[Hamster Plugin]

Was he around when this happened?

 

[emb]

I like watching the competition. Luckily, Sony and MS still definitely seem to engage in 'Console Wars' anyway. At least, the last few E3s it felt like they were trying really hard to outdo one another.

I'm fine with them not being jerks about it though.

 

[Scientist Supreme!]

It's probably the lamest thing I've seen in my 19 years.

 

[EBE]

how long before---oh. two and three replies in. right.

anyway, its absolutely the correct attitude to have about these things.

 

[alr1ght]

Tell that to your marketing head, Aaron Greenberg.

 

[FelipeMGM]

Phil is an awesome guy and is handling the Xbox division really well, lots of amazing games and deals coming from him...

But if he really believe stuff like this he shouldnt give voice to bias fanboys like he does all the time on twitter

 

[SPEA]

Nice quote. I 100% agree Phil.

Was he around when this happened?

He was the head of first party development at this time I believe. Could be wrong.

If that's the case, I doubt he had any real say in PR stuff.

 

[valkillmore]

Console wars, I feel, are not inherently distasteful. They can be, like, for example, the bad taste MS left in everybody's mouth after their Xbox One reveal and shitty DRM policies before they 180'd.

They can also be hilarious, such as Sony's 'game sharing' reaction video.

 

[TheChillyAcademic]

Tell that to your marketing head, Aaron Greenberg.

.

 

[RealityPales]

Says the one behind.

 

[The Jackdog]

He's right but MS would be singing a different tune if winning.

why? hes behind. he has incentive to tear down the competition, not promote unity.

lol, why cant he just be a guy that likes games, and is in charge of making a specific console as best he can. Why is that so hard to believe? Why do gaming heads need to be sitting in an office throwing darts at pictures of the competition?

they are people who like games. both at sony and xbox. thats cool.

 

[Storm Raider]

Ignore them then? Executive does interviews and things are posted, not like it's exclusive to Phil Spencer

"ignore them then"

What a stupid reply

 

[Ol No Bones]

He's right but MS would be singing a different tune if winning.

There is a difference between business and the console wars. Both Microsoft and Sony would be very pleased to have snatch up more market share. Phil still wants to "win" or he wouldn't have the job.

 

[jmaine_ph]

I'm guessing he found the BGST podcast.

 

[Mr Moose]

Tell that to your marketing head, Aaron Greenberg.

Was about to say this.

 

[Justified]

First to 10mil battles are ok though I suppose

 

[Cow Goes Moo]

"ignore them then"

What a stupid reply

i'm not sure why you would click any topic involving phil spencer if you're tired of him

 

[Ol No Bones]

"ignore them then"

What a stupid reply

No not stupid. Its actually very reasonable. Phil has given interviews and people want to make threads. Ignore them if it bothers you.

 

[Syntsui]

The first step is to allow FF XIV to come to Xbone as a cross platform game.

 

[entremet]

Says the one behind.

It's usually the one behind that tends to do more aggressive attack style ads.

Remember Mac v. PC ads?

If you're the market leader you don't want to acknowledge your competitor and give them free publicity.

 

[axisofweevils]

I think this is a good thing. Console wars are childish.

I have noticed that MS have been less console-warry this time round. The fact you had Kamiya on an MS stage with "Favourite game: Zelda - A Link To The Past" on screen says it all.

 

[Blackleg-sanji1]

Man i wish sony and Nintendo did as many interviews as this guy try to catch them in pr mode lol(although reggie showed his after e3 for like a week)

 

[thuway]

Honestly, this is what he should be saying, but I doubt many will listen. With that said, it's pretty disgusting out there in the trenches of Twitter, SystemWars forums, and the ilk. It hasn't been like this since the SNES / Genesis days, but it probably always was this bad, the internet just wasn't as big.

At PAX, I saw Adam Boyes give a huge hug to Chris Carla and they both were excitedly talking about games. So fanboyism really doesn't exist at the corporate level. The way these machines and jobs go- Phil could end up at Sony or Nintendo or who knows where. He's a smart man, and hopefully his words mean something to some of the more disillusioned.

 

[VincentMatts]

why? hes behind. he has incentive to tear down the competition, not promote unity.

lol, why cant he just be a guy that likes games, and is in charge of making a specific console as best he can. Why is that so hard to believe? Why do gaming heads need to be sitting in an office throwing darts at pictures of the competition?

they are people who like games. thats cool.

Honestly i agree, he doesnt seem like hes a sore loser or a sore winner. I think whether he was behind or in front, he would be singing the same tune. Phil gives me the impression that he respects Sony, Nintendo and valve very much. Thats why i like him. Hes, to me, the perfect man for the job. If anyone will turn Xbox around, itll be him.

 

[Windom Earle]

To be fair, it's easy to say you don't want to participate in the console war when you're losing.

It is a good principle, but yeah, this is what it sounds like. Major Nelson used to be a main offender in the past when it came to console war nonsense.
But Sony and Nintendo are also pretty quiet, so I guess we are making progress.
(Not that the occasional hyperbolic PR statement can't be fun though!)

 

[Mivey]

"Phil Spencer Says" should get its own thread. Easier to keep up, I'd think.

 

[Shpeshal Nick]

He's right but MS would be singing a different tune if winning.

That's not how it works. Its easier to be humble when you're winning.

 

[Steverulez]

"ignore them then"

What a stupid reply

What other response do you expect? No-one forced you in here.

Reading the rules of the forum, thread whining is the stupid post, still, it's always funny to see who gets bent out of shape at a very simple interview thread

 

[SPEA]

"ignore them then"

What a stupid reply

It's really not. He's the head of Xbox. His quotes are gonna be thread worthy just like the other heads will. If you don't enjoy the context of the threads, don't click on it.

 

[Monketron]

Wasn't it Xbox who bought the Tomb Raider 2 timed exclusive? actions speak louder than words.

I'm all for first party exclusives. But don't screw over half the player base by throwing money at 3rd party (timed) exclusives (especially franchises previously released on other consoles) and then throw your hands up claiming how bad the console wars are and trying to take the moral high ground.

Saying that I'm actually a fan of Phil, who's clearly a gamer not just a businessman, and he's probably saved Microsoft from complete disaster this cycle.

 

[x-Lundz-x]

Please partner with Sony for the PlayBox then. I'm tired of having to own two consoles for all the games I want to play.

 

[Suzushiiro]

It's similar to sports team rivalries, I'd imagine- among the actual players/staff on the teams it usually ranges from "friendly rivalry" to "don't actually give a shit," it's the fans themselves who adopt the "I root for two teams every week, [my team], and whoever's playing against [rival team]" mentality.

 

[Angelus Errare]

That's not how it works. Its easier to be humble when you're winning.

I can't tell if...

 

[cw_sasuke]

Nobody likes a war they cant win.

 

[DannyDanger]

I feel like Aaron Greenburg used to express the opposite, when 360 was hot

Ultimately, I think the fanboy wars hit its peak last gen, and MS was encouraging it

 

[The Jackdog]

Honestly i agree, he doesnt seem like hes a sore loser or a sore winner. I think whether he was behind or in front, he would be singing the same tune. Phil gives me the impression that he respects Sony, Nintendo and valve very much. Thats why i like him. Hes, to me, the perfect man for the job. If anyone will turn Xbox around, itll be him.

i think people just get real entwined in the 'console wars' mentality and forget who these people are.

his job is to make xbox better. his job. not his entire purpose in life. its not like to get the job he had to cut his hand open and bleed onto a stone cutout X before chanting to the windows gods.

there are people at the top of both sony and nintendo and xbox who's job may be at that company but they got there because at a base level, they just like games.

 

[Asd202]

Tell that to your marketing head, Aaron Greenberg.

.

 

[VincentMatts]

Nobody likes a war they cant win.

You call it a war, but these people working in this industry change sides like they change underwear. The only war happening are on the forums.

 

[Ol No Bones]

Honestly, this is what he should be saying, but I doubt many will listen. With that said, it's pretty disgusting out there in the trenches of Twitter, SystemWars forums, and the ilk. It hasn't been like this since the SNES / Genesis days, but it probably always was this bad, the internet just wasn't as big.

At PAX, I saw Adam Boyes give a huge hug to Chris Carla and they both were excitedly talking about games. So fanboyism really doesn't exist at the corporate level. The way these machines and jobs go- Phil could end up at Sony or Nintendo or who knows where. He's a smart man, and hopefully his words mean something to some of the more disillusioned.

Good post. Neogaf isnt without guilt though.