Phil Spencer reassures gamers that Microsoft remains committed to the Xbox One console and in developing the best gaming product possible. The company’s recent moves suggest it is looking to appeal to gamers while also delve deeper into the Windows 10 ecosystem.
After Microsoft’s announcements about Xbox One over the last week, it was perhaps obvious that some people would start speculating whether the company has long term aspirations in the console hardware market or not.
However, while Microsoft is expanding Xbox to become a part of the wider Windows 10 ecosystem, the company is still very much backing its gaming machine.
Indeed, the company’s plans for Xbox are to actually pay more attention to the division as opposed to abandon it, which is why Windows 10 is now becoming such a big part of the Xbox One.
The debate amongst gamers is understandable as they feel burned by Microsoft from when the Xbox One launched, but this time Redmond seems to be taking the gaming branch seriously.
It’s an interesting concept because Xbox has always felt like a side project among Microsoft’s core products and services. For the first time the company is understanding how it can truly create a do-it-all entertainment unit and still appeal to hardcore gamers.
Speaking to IGN, Xbox head, Phil Spencer, silenced fears that the Microsoft is considering pulling the plug on the Xbox division, or even selling it:
The fundamental concern that people have is, ‘Are we losing focus on the console?’ ‘Is Microsoft somehow going to back away from our console focus and have us only focus on Windows?’ Absolutely not true … We are more committed to our console and the future of that console than we have ever been.
The company will be launching the Windows Store on the One, likely with the Redstone update, bringing applications and entertainment content to the console for the first time. Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, has also described the Xbox One as just another Windows PC in the past, hinting that the company plans to integrate Windows 10 into the console more and more.
So far so good, but that hardly gets gamers excited. Microsoft is pushing the Xbox One as a true gaming machine on a number of fronts, not least announcing backwards compatibility for Xbox 360 titles. The company also announced the first titles that will be part of a universal ecosystem, allowing gamers to play the same game on Xbox One or Windows 10 PC, without have to make two purchases.
SOURCE: IGN
