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[Flutta]

Let me ask all the Phil Haters out there and there seem to be many; who would you rather have on your friends list to play games with, Phil Spencer or Jim Ryan? Definitely Phil for me, Jim just seems like a non game playing ass to me, everything is just dollar signs.

 

[ToTTenTranz]

I mean no harm to Phil but he's been failing for almost a decade as Xbox CEO. It really is best that someone else tries different strategies.

 

[Radical_3d]

I'm assuming that those who voted "no" want to see Xbox burnt to the ground and are huge fans of Sony with a penchant for revenge, misery and suffering... correct?

Well. Partly yes. But partly is that, this is their way now. They’ve geared everything around the game pass and make a turnaround now may break the company and I don’t want that. I want a good Halo. So things should be better but not different.

Edit: and as some said, better him than Jimbo. That bastard had destroy everything I’ve ever love about games.

 

[Bernardougf]

I'm assuming that those who voted "no" want to see Xbox burnt to the ground and are huge fans of Sony with a penchant for revenge, misery and suffering... correct?

Maaaaaaaybe

 

[Indicative]

This is calculated and he's not going anywhere. If anything, his superiors are applauding his "performance" based on the reception it has received. Remember, he knew before he launched into the part of the interview that we're all talking about that his comments would, "upset a lot of people". At Phil's level within a trillion+ dollar company these types of statements are not just shooting from the hip. It's deliberate, intentional, and purposeful. To what end? Potentially one or both of the following:

• Microsoft's acquisition of Activision - This is hitting legal challenges that are slowing the process. Crafting a narrative which positions Microsoft where they're third behind Sony/Nintendo and "great games" won't make a difference by the CEO of XBOX Game Studios may be an attempt to manipulate the conversation and help move this acquisition forward which, upon successful completion, will obviously help XBOX.
• Game Pass - Is XBOX admitting defeat against Sony/Nintendo? Sounded like it to me, and many others. There was a comment Phil made in the interview where he talks about how the XBOX saying, "The console is the core of the XBOX brand", but I suspect this was a diversionary statement. Microsoft/XBOX/Game Pass is coming after PC gamers and, outside of Steam, the fragmentation that exists within PC game distribution creates opportunities for a company like Microsoft. Microsoft is dropping nearly $69 Billion for Activision and don't think they wouldn't (or aren't) going after Steam. Steam may be saying no, but they have certainly been approached for acquisition by Microsoft since at least 2018. Throw enough money at them and they will sell.

Damage your brand to limit the threat posed by acquiring Activision, finish the deal, and then go after Steam with a target to control console and PC gaming by the next generation.

 

[BadBurger]

This is calculated and he's not going anywhere. If anything, his superiors are applauding his "performance" based on the reception it has received. Remember, he knew before he launched into the part of the interview that we're all talking about that his comments would, "upset a lot of people". At Phil's level within a trillion+ dollar company these types of statements are not just shooting from the hip. It's deliberate, intentional, and purposeful.

That would sound like a reasonable assessment had we not seen CEO's, studio chiefs, and the like blow up their own brand with gaffes or surprisingly honest answers in the past. Very germane to the conversation: see one Don Mattrick, Phil Spencer's predecessor.

Is Microsoft / Xbox more careful after that fiasco a decade ago? Probably? Highly likely even? But it's still possible that Spencer simply finds himself in a position where his seemingly harmful candor is coming from a place of honesty, possibly even frustration with himself and/or others.

 

[DryvBy]

I'm curious.. What would you expect Phil to do to improve Xbox?

Games.

 

[tusharngf]

you know what needs to be done here

 

[Astray]

This is calculated and he's not going anywhere. If anything, his superiors are applauding his "performance" based on the reception it has received.

I mean it's easy to say this about any CEO statement, even Mattrick's and Kutaragi's infamous statements, and given his actual public silence on all matters Activision, I'd argue that his

Game Pass - Is XBOX admitting defeat against Sony/Nintendo? Sounded like it to me, and many others. There was a comment Phil made in the interview where he talks about how the XBOX saying, "The console is the core of the XBOX brand", but I suspect this was a diversionary statement. Microsoft/XBOX/Game Pass is coming after PC gamers and, outside of Steam, the fragmentation that exists within PC game distribution creates opportunities for a company like Microsoft. Microsoft is dropping nearly $69 Billion for Activision and don't think they wouldn't (or aren't) going after Steam. Steam may be saying no, but they have certainly been approached for acquisition by Microsoft since at least 2018. Throw enough money at them and they will sell.

Microsoft buying up Steam would be the easiest antitrust block, Steam easily control over %90 of the PC gaming market, MS own the PC OS market, and Azure coming in at cost for them means it's gonna increase their profits even more vs Steam having to pay a premium for it. Combine all 3 facts and it's super easy to argue that MS buying them gives them an incentive to foreclose on Epic GOG etc in various ways.

I think by now, all non-organic ways for MS to quickly grow their gaming division have reached their limitations, this is why Spencer's throwing this hissy fit because now he knows that has to actually engage non-existing Xbox consumers (or lapsed ones who switched to PS5) on their own terms and bring them over, and he knows he can't pull it off with his current offering of games.

 

[DonJimbo]

Phil should kick in the asses of the MS Studios Developer Teams to make more unique First Party games and not only rely on Halo Forza and Gears or acquisitions of other Publishers

 

[ahtlas7]

The only way this works is if the executives at MS have a suitable replacement. Seemingly, status quo is not working for the Xbox division. They really need to get their act together because the gaming industry needs the competition.

 

[RoadHazard]

What does "do one" mean?

 

[BootsLoader]

No he must stay, industry needs someone who hypes people, give promises and never deliver. Also, Microsoft has a lot of money, they need someone to spend them.

Also, we need someone who buys studios and then destroys them so new studios are born.

Just joking. But let him stay.

 

[Sony]

No. Phil got us Play Anywhere, the best back compat support, and GP.

 

[saintjules]

I think Phil doesn't have the right people around him. He shouldn't resign, but he needs to change up his roster of people on his team.

This interview if anything could be a blessing in disguise.

 

[saintjules]

I'm curious.. What would you expect Phil to do to improve Xbox?

Change up his team. Someone is steering him in the wrong direction.

 

[6502]

 

[Fuz]

He should do a barrel roll

 

[Three]

He should have paid for a few third party exclusives to tide people over until the acquisitions start delivering. Other than that he’s done a very good job.

He is, for gamepass though with MS and the publishers more willing to do it for those GaaS games.

The sooner people realise that xbox the console isn't really that important to MS' future the better.
Releasing a console with little to no first party content at launch, Phil dropping "xbox" from his job title, no push to sell more XSX at retail and him spelling that out in this interview by saying he isn't interested in out-consoling others. They are moving rapidly to services and trying to buy up publishers for it. Xbox is only auxiliary to that.

 

[Three]

What does "do one" mean?

A slightly more polite way of saying piss off. Not sure what its origins are.

 

[In Cold Blood]

Lol.
Phil isn't going anywhere.
He saved the Xbox and has overseen its growth.

 

[CherryFalls]

What does "do one" mean?

English slang, it means f**k off

 

[MasterCornholio]

Lol.
Phil isn't going anywhere.
He saved the Xbox and has overseen its growth.

What matters is the current situation. If Microsoft believes he can still do a good job then he won't go anywhere. If not then changes might be made. From his last interview it doesn't sound like he's celebrating his current situation like you are.

We just have to be patient with this one and see what happens.

 

[In Cold Blood]

What matters is the current situation. If Microsoft believes he can still do a good job then he won't go anywhere. If not then changes might be made. From his last interview it doesn't sound like he's celebrating his current situation like you are.

We just have to be patient with this one and see what happens.

Phil is just sharing the frustration of his customers.
Phil knew exactly what he was going to say in that interview.
So what has changed from the week before Redfall released? Are any of the xbox games MS has in the pipeline going to now not release? What's going to change from redfall getting a 60 meta or an 80 meta?
All that is going to happen is that it will sell less, and that's it.
If the game loses money, do you think that's going to bankrupt MS? It would be a piss in the bucket.

What it will do is change the way MS works with their studios. They are going to be more hands on. They are going to be micromanaged a bit more. Is that a bad thing? Sony Micromanage the fuck out of their studios.
You also have to understand that Redfall is the remenents of Zenimax. They built Redfall to be a GAAS game. Every publisher was pushing for more of these games, just as Zenimax was. Sony has how many of them in development at the moment? It could be a disaster for them to if they don't hit.

Arkane will move on to another Prey or Dishonoured type game, which they know how to make. Two months time everyone would have moved on from Redfall.

 

[MasterCornholio]

Phil is just sharing the frustration of his customers.
Phil knew exactly what he was going to say in that interview.
So what has changed from the week before Redfall released? Are any of the xbox games MS has in the pipeline going to now not release? What's going to change from redfall getting a 60 meta or an 80 meta?
All that is going to happen is that it will sell less, and that's it.
If the game loses money, do you think that's going to bankrupt MS? It would be a piss in the bucket.

What it will do is change the way MS works with their studios. They are going to be more hands on. They are going to be micromanaged a bit more. Is that a bad thing? Sony Micromanage the fuck out of their studios.
You also have to understand that Redfall is the remenents of Zenimax. They built Redfall to be a GAAS game. Every publisher was pushing for more of these games, just as Zenimax was. Sony has how many of them in development at the moment? It could be a disaster for them to if they don't hit.

Arkane will move on to another Prey or Dishonoured type game, which they know how to make. Two months time everyone would have moved on from Redfall.

I'm not sure but it seems like Phil was frustrated himself. I wouldn't call that interview a win if yoy know what I mean.

Maybe recognize that there's some issues with the brand and he either fixes it or someone else will.

 

[deriks]

Fuck no

Phill Spencer is a big heart guy. He cares. He's doing what he can. It has a lot of shit? Yes, but guess what, directing one of the biggest gaming companies is hard as hell, and this division still makes money

People need to stop the console war, stop caring of Xbox being the first of all, and just embrace that they need to do fine. In money they're doing. More, better games and support from japanese companies are a need too. That's it