Today (16th), Microsoft released a podcast about future Xbox business plans through Xbox’s official YouTube and SNS. In the podcast released this time, MS Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, Xbox President Sarah Bond, and MS Xbox Game Studio Division Head Matt Booty appeared and continued to answer questions about future business strategies, including recent rumors related to Xbox exclusives.
First, CEO Phil Spencer responded to the Xbox exclusives rumors circulating in the gaming community by saying, “We will release four Xbox exclusives on other platforms.” When asked about the title of the game, he replied, “It’s not at the stage of announcement yet,” and denied rumors that Starfield and Indiana Jones would be released as Xbox exclusives.
▲ Four of the Xbox exclusives will be released on other platforms, but Starfield and Indiana Jones are not included.
CEO Phil Spencer said, “Xbox’s exclusive strategy itself has not changed,” adding, “However, we selected four titles from a strategic perspective to ensure long-term growth of the Xbox ecosystem, coexistence with developers, and increase accessibility to gamers.” The reason for the decision to release the exclusive work on other platforms was revealed. He also added that he believes that in the next 5 to 10 years, the position of exclusive games tied to one platform will decrease and multi-platforms will become the mainstay, and this is part of an effort to approach that potential area more actively.
Division Manager Matt Booty and President Sarah Bond responded to Game Pass, first party strategy, and new game launches. Regarding the terms and strategy of Xbox First Party and Game Pass, Matt Booty said, “There is no change. Xbox launch, Game Pass Day One, and Game Pass are basically only available on Xbox on console.” In line with this, Diablo 4 will be added to Game Pass on March 28th. CEO Sarah Bond said, “Diablo 4 will be available on Game Pass through collaboration with Activision Blizzard, and we look forward to introducing more diverse games to Game Pass starting with this.”
▲ Diablo 4 will be added to Game Pass on March 28th.
CEO Phil Spencer responded that the core of Xbox’s business strategy is to “increase the number of gamers and expand the market itself.” In this regard, it was reminded that Activision Blizzard and Zenimax’s games are the most influential games on other platforms, and it was revealed that the vast user community secured through multi-platform release is the business success model that Xbox hopes for. He added that the position of Xbox consoles in its business strategy is the foundation for providing the best gaming experience, and explained that it will continue its efforts to expand the pool of gamers, including support for backwards compatibility.
With the current number of Game Pass subscribers revealed to be 34 million, the cast finally explained Xbox’s major schedule. In 2024, more than 10 new works are scheduled to be released, including Hellblade 2, Diablo 4 expansion pack, and Indiana Jones, and details about these works will be revealed at the showcase in June. Additionally, next-generation hardware was also mentioned. “This holiday, we’ll be showing off our next-generation roadmap, and we’re focused on delivering a better experience for gamers and creators and the visions they build through technological leaps in hardware,” explained CEO Sarah Bond.
▲ Next-generation roadmap and hardware announcements continued.
