Since Microsoft took over Activision-Blizzard along with its array of game development studios, it has catapulted Xbox into becoming the most significant third-party game publisher ever. With that backdrop, the recent remarks from Xbox chief Phil Spencer in an interview with Gamertag Radio have stirred quite a buzz. He’s hinted that future Xbox games might make their way onto other platforms, including Nintendo and PlayStation. This move may have surprised some, but it aligns with Microsoft’s overarching strategy.
In the Gamertag Radio discussion, Spencer expressed a vision of accessibility by saying, “I want people to be able to experience the games and services we offer on as many devices as we can.” He also reassured fans by confirming, “We obviously love the native experience that we have on our platform and hardware, and that’s something that will continue for us.” This conversation took place during a twenty-six-minute interview on YouTube with Danny Peña and Parris, filled with interesting industry insights and a nostalgic trip down memory lane, touching on Xbox’s history from the original Xbox to the Xbox 360 era.
For those not entirely familiar with console history, these statements might seem controversial. Think of Sonic The Hedgehog—the character from the movies. He’s originally from a classic series of games that were once exclusive to Sega consoles. It wasn’t until Sonic Adventure 2 was ported to GameCube that the trend shifted. Sega’s Dreamcast, their final home console, was quickly overshadowed by Sony’s formidable PlayStation 2, relegating Sega to a role of a third-party developer, a space eventually dominated by Microsoft’s Xbox.
When the “DirectX Box,” better known as Xbox, was initially in development, it had backward compatibility with Sega Dreamcast titles, thanks in part to Dreamcast’s support of Windows CE. Although the final version of the Xbox dropped this feature, it still boasted exclusives like Dreamcast-era sequel Jet Set Radio Future.
To some, Spencer’s remarks might come off like the last words of a struggling console maker on the way out. However, Microsoft is far from that. Now, as Xbox holds the title of the largest third-party game publisher ever, it’s less about forcing players onto the Xbox platform and more about reaching as many players as possible.
Spencer elaborates, “We want everybody to be able to play on Xbox, and that means more of our games shipping on more platforms—not just PlayStation. We love the work that we do with Nintendo and with Valve on Steam, and that’s going to continue.”
Does this suggest Xbox is following in Sega’s footsteps? Not at all—Microsoft’s financial power assures that’s not the case. However, the next wave of Xbox consoles will need to offer substantial hardware appeal, especially with the “Switch 3” likely focusing on hybrid portability and the upcoming PlayStation 6 promising even more powerful exclusive titles, as is customary in the console market.
Nonetheless, if Microsoft doesn’t tread carefully with the notion of Xbox as not just a hardware platform but a brand of games and services, they run the risk that, “When everybody’s on Xbox, no one will be.”
