[The Verge] Read Phil Spencer’s Microsoft memo on ‘Xbox everywhere’

[--R]

Microsoft announced yesterday that four Xbox-exclusive games are coming to PS5 and Nintendo Switch soon, opening up a new strategy for Xbox to be on more screens. Just two hours before Microsoft's big announcement, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer explained the company's new Xbox vision in an internal memo to employees.

It's the first time Spencer has fully outlined a new strategy "where every screen is an Xbox" to employees, after an internal town hall meeting earlier this month didn't address multi-platform games directly.

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Microsoft didn't directly mention "Xbox everywhere" or "every screen is an Xbox" during its official Xbox podcast yesterday, but it's not too dissimilar to what the company has been saying for years about its push for Xbox games across consoles, PCs, and cloud gaming. The big difference this time is that the vision has been adjusted to include bringing those Xbox games to rival consoles.

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Today at noon Pacific, we'll be posting a special episode of the Official Xbox Podcast.

In this episode, Sarah Bond, Matt Booty and I will share with the community our plans for the future of Xbox. We'll also discuss how our vision will benefit our players, creators, and the industry as a whole.

When we look at the state of our medium, we see players increasingly gaming on multiple devices, but their experience is defined by the fragmentation created by platform silos. Multi-device players have to navigate multiple identities, entitlement libraries, communities, wallets, and reward programs. Similarly, the industry's biggest franchises increasingly ship across multiple devices, requiring creators to build and manage multiple instances of their games, leading to higher costs and fragmented communities. All of this friction creates a tremendous opportunity for us to meet the needs of multi-device players and creators.

We have a different vision for the future of gaming. A future where players have a unified experience across devices. A future where players can easily discover a vast array of games with a diverse spectrum of business models. A future where more creators are empowered to realize their creative vision, reach a global audience, unite their communities, and succeed commercially. A future where every screen is an Xbox.

This is a future where Xbox is everywhere—consistent with our promise to empower players to "play the games you want, with the people you want, anywhere you want."

Read Phil Spencer’s Microsoft memo on “Xbox everywhere”

Microsoft gets ready for a future of Xbox games everywhere.

www.theverge.com

 

[Terranigma]

"Every screen is an Xbox", except every IOS screen...

 

[hydrophilic attack]

as a gamer, nothing makes me happier than discovering a diverse spectrum of business models

 

[It’s Time To Go]

I don't understand how this goes with the vision of super powerful hardware and maybe a handheld. I know people will explain it a certain way, but to me it all seems contradictory.

 

[Nacho Papi]

Aaah, nice, the dream of infinite growth and adoption. "Every single human must have our product, that is our measure of success"

 

[pswii60]

"Every screen is an Xbox", except every IOS screen...

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Why? Doesn't the web app work anymore?

 

[Terranigma]

Why? Doesn't the web app work anymore?

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Not in Europe anymore afaik.

 

[Ambient]

I mean it's a solid vision. Why be the biggest gaming console maker when you can be the biggest in gaming period.

 

[Macca]

Yeah this definitely sound like just 4 games...

 

[Ombretoile]

Not gonna lie, I can't believe The Verge and Tom Warren anymore after the "Starfield/Indiana Jones on PS5"

 

[hydrophilic attack]

Not gonna lie, I can't believe The Verge and Tom Warren anymore after the "Starfield/Indiana Jones on PS5"

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how so? it has not been proven incorrect

 

[Wtfpigeons]

I don't understand how this goes with the vision of super powerful hardware and maybe a handheld. I know people will explain it a certain way, but to me it all seems contradictory.

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You can run xcloud really well from a handheld, other than that I don't know.

 

[Wrexis]

Why? Doesn't the web app work anymore?

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Apple seem to be killing off PWA apps.

 

[modiz]

Not gonna lie, I can't believe The Verge and Tom Warren anymore after the "Starfield/Indiana Jones on PS5"

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Weren't all of these reports that the games were under consideration, they can be considered without being part of the initial 4 game lineup.

 

[Darkmaigle]

as a gamer, nothing makes me happier than discovering a diverse spectrum of business models

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Really the icing on the cake when I'm discovering a vast array of games. Just when I think it can't get any better the diverse spectrum of business models really empower me as a player

 

[psvrd]

Time to strap in!

 

[Dust]

Is this an Xbox?

 

[Iwao]

Not gonna lie, I can't believe The Verge and Tom Warren anymore after the "Starfield/Indiana Jones on PS5"

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The report was that these games were under consideration. Phil is refusing to say anything about their plans beyond the initial 4 games that were also under consideration, but that MS wants to keep unnamed and vague so that it looks less like what was reported on is actually true.

 

[NovaChrysalia]

Not gonna lie, I can't believe The Verge and Tom Warren anymore after the "Starfield/Indiana Jones on PS5"

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Same. And now these so called insiders can't take the L.

 

[Indie guy]

Honestly, I'm on board with the future they envision and still interested in buying Xbox hardware, the Series X is still my favorite console compared to PS5, the Sony one doesn't have Gamepass and quick resume.

 

[Tsunami561]

my work laptop is literally an xbox

 

[Ambient]

how so? it has not been proven incorrect

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I mean those rumors specifically said that it would release or announce close to the first expansion. Let's see if we hear any more rumblings closer to that.

 

[Flaurehn]

Is this an Xbox?

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That seems to have android in it, so yes?

 

[pappacone]

I mean those rumors specifically said that it would release or announce close to the first expansion. Let's see if we hear any more rumblings closer to that.

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that's not what Warren said afaik

 

[SCUMMbag]

Technically everything that runs doom is now an xbox.

 

[DigitalOp]

I swear the Xbox team worried about every damn thing under the sun except making good exciting video games

 

[modiz]

I mean those rumors specifically said that it would release or announce close to the first expansion. Let's see if we hear any more rumblings closer to that.

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You are referring to the Xboxera report? I believe they only said the port will be after the expansion, not close to it.

 

[Arex]

It's a good vision to have, but not gonna happen when you're in distant third imo.

 

[Vinc]

as a gamer, nothing makes me happier than discovering a diverse spectrum of business models

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It sounds funny but we absolutely should want that, since it means a wider variety of games can be made and can succeed. We all got worried about an MTX driven future

 

[CenaToon]

is my tamagotchi an xbox too?

 

[crazillo]

They're 5-10 years too early once again. Microsoft Gaming will be everyhwere, and Xbox will be the dissolving sugar in the coffee.

It's a shame because their own ecosystem is so compelling with cross-buy, cross-play and cross-progression.

 

[jroc74]

Yeah this definitely sound like just 4 games...

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lol.

Its either more games, or Game Pass everywhere. But to do that....you need native ports of games....and there were interviews yesterday that said Game Pass wasn't coming to PS or Nintendo.

Either way....

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Rover_]

Not gonna lie, I can't believe The Verge and Tom Warren anymore after the "Starfield/Indiana Jones on PS5"

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those are future games for the initiative and Phil himself didn't denied the possibility - which after reading this memo, is crystal clear that they will port most games.
His own words:

Spencer on ruling out Starfield/Indiana Jones exclusivity: “I don't think we should as an industry ever rule out a game going to any other platform” Sony - Microsoft

https://www.theverge.com/24073666/microsoft-gaming-phil-spencer-interview-ps5-switch-games

www.resetera.com

I mean those rumors specifically said that it would release or announce close to the first expansion. Let's see if we hear any more rumblings closer to that.

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Warren never said anything about Starfield, he quoted XboxEra on his article:

" XboxEra is also reporting that Microsoft is planning to bring Starfield to PS5, following the release of the game's "Shattered Space" expansion for Xbox and PC."

 

[Bengraven]

Is this an Xbox?

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We can make it one.

 

[Tigress]

Technically everything that runs doom is now an xbox.

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So is my mac an xbox now?

 

[Son_of_Oden]

It's amazing how many letters, words, memos, interviews and podcasts one can write/do and say basically nothing.

 

[St. Elmo's Fire]

I don't understand how this goes with the vision of super powerful hardware and maybe a handheld. I know people will explain it a certain way, but to me it all seems contradictory.

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They're becoming a multiplatform publisher because they spend over $80 billion to buy 2 publishers and 15 studios.
It doesn't make sense to force them to only develop games for an Xbox console that sells 35 million consoles after ~8 years (including PC). They're starting slowly with 4 games and then more "1 year old games" are going to follow.

The "more powerful hardware" and maybe the handheld? They're doing this as a side gig. Like PlayStation with PS VR or PS Portal. Their main goal is to sell software. They can't ignore Nintendo's and Sony's 250+ million installbase anymore.
They want to make money. This is the way.

 

[TheDinoman]

tbh it really was XboxEra and XboxEra alone that did kinda hugely inflate everything with their Starfield report.

NateDrake, one of the insiders who kickstarted all of this, was always pretty reserved about this in comparison, he did fall for the Starfield thing for a bit but then he walked back on it.

Ended being entirely right about there being four games:

As for Tom Warren and Jeff Grubb, they were only saying stuff like Indy and Gears were being considered, and to be brutally honest, nothing after this Business Update really disproves any of that.

 

[SCUMMbag]

So is my mac an xbox now?

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Yes. Your touchbar is also an Xbox.

 

[tiebreaker]

Makes sense.

Sent from my Xbox

 

[SharpX68K]

The first

 

[modiz]

Is this an Xbox?

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[jroc74]

"When we look at the state of our medium, we see players increasingly gaming on multiple devices, but their experience is defined by the fragmentation created by platform silos. Multi-device players have to navigate multiple identities, entitlement libraries, communities, wallets, and reward programs. Similarly, the industry's biggest franchises increasingly ship across multiple devices, requiring creators to build and manage multiple instances of their games, leading to higher costs and fragmented communities. All of this friction creates a tremendous opportunity for us to meet the needs of multi-device players and creators.

We have a different vision for the future of gaming. A future where players have a unified experience across devices"

What I underlined and bolded says it all.

 

[Tennis]

My theory is that at some point Phil tried pushing the Game Pass to the Playstation and Nintendo platforms. After realizing it will never happen he's now pushing the Xbox exclusive games on those consoles

 

[Mivey]

Is this an Xbox?

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Is that fridge running an ancient version of Android? Looking at those navigational icons

 

[tomwarren]

Not gonna lie, I can't believe The Verge and Tom Warren anymore after the "Starfield/Indiana Jones on PS5"

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You might need to go back and read my article properly then. Here:

"While Bethesda will launch its Indiana Jones game first as an Xbox console exclusive, it's currently set to have a rather short period of exclusivity we're told. A release for PS5 is being considered for some months later, with Bethesda tentatively targeting a December 2024 launch for the Xbox and PC versions.
Exact timing and platform availability for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle could change, particularly as Microsoft's new multi-platform approach for Xbox games hasn't been finalized."

 

[Kalentan]

tbh it really was XboxEra and XboxEra alone that did kinda hugely inflate everything with their Starfield report.

NateDrake, one of the insiders who kickstarted all of this, was always pretty reserved about this in comparison, he did fall for the Starfield thing for a bit but then he walked back on it.

Ended being entirely right about there being four games:

As for Tom Warren and Jeff Grubb, they were only saying stuff like Indy and Gears were being considered, and to be brutally honest, nothing after this Business Update really disproves any of that.

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I mean honestly, until they explicitly confirm Starfield and Indy aren't coming at any point, none of the insiders are wrong.

 

[Lampa]

Weren't all of these reports that the games were under consideration, they can be considered without being part of the initial 4 game lineup.

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Reading the article in question, it's clear he isn't saying it's happening concretely. People who thought Phil would go on stage and list out every game coming out to PS5 only have themselves to blame.

Microsoft weighs launching Indiana Jones on the PS5

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle could be heading to PS5.

www.theverge.com

 

[tomwarren]

Reading the article in question, it's clear he isn't saying it's happening concretely. People who thought Phil would go on stage and list out every game coming out to PS5 only have themselves to blame.

Microsoft weighs launching Indiana Jones on the PS5

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle could be heading to PS5.

www.theverge.com

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Thanks. My faith in people having basic reading comprehension skills has been restored :)

 

[jroc74]

My theory is that at some point Phil tried pushing the Game Pass to the Playstation and Nintendo platforms. After realizing it will never happen he's now pushing the Xbox exclusive games on those consoles

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Bingo.

And years ago some tried to argue it would be streaming. Why? Game Pass identity is downloadable games.

I mean honestly, until they explicitly confirm Starfield and Indy aren't coming at any point, none of the insiders are wrong.

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Exactly.

Even ppl trying to go at Nate...the rumors started with Hi Fi Rush and SoT. That absolutely got confirmed, hell even the mystery game.

Some of us said regardless of Starfield, nothing changed. Under consideration is....under consideration.