First of all, since it's so unusual, I should probably explain why Xbox is currently my primary platform for playing games. Like every other right-thinking person I was disgusted by Microsoft's behaviour at the start of this gen, and didn't plan to get an Xbox One. I only did so because the people I play online with all decided to stick with Xbox - because of this I kind of naturally gravitate towards getting single-player games there too. That, and my PS4 Pro's cooling fan is mind-bendingly loud, so I try to only use it when I have absolutely no choice.
Why do I think Phil Spencer needs to get more aggressive? I follow him on Twitter, and he's an extremely affable and courteous gentleman, giving praise when he thinks it's due regardless of whether it's to a competitor or not. He recently tweeted the video of the Unreal Engine 5 demo, saying he's looking forward to seeing it used in Xbox Series X games. He didn't acknowledge that the video was obviously co-sponsored by Sony, and those involved avoided referencing Xbox like their jaw would fall off if they did. He really shouldn't be so supine about it, he should be a bit pissed off and driven to do something in response that specifically serves his customers.
Also, Xbox gets excluded from the general conversation about video games time and time again. Recent examples include the Wonderful 101 Kickstarter and Final Fantasy 7 Remake - Xbox owners couldn't share in the excitement about these big events, because the companies involved consider the platform and its users unimportant. I'm sure Phil bangs the Xbox drum as best he can when he goes on his port-begging tours of Japan, but he needs to do more.
He needs to, for starters, get back the Call of Duty co-marketing deal - the way CoD went from being utterly synonymous with Xbox last gen, to where it's now an afterthought compared to the Playstation version is just... unfathomable.
He should acknowledge that overhyping the Inside Xbox "Next Gen Gameplay Reveal" was a mistake, and pledge that we'll get what we wanted to see in the June first party showcase (assuming that's true).
He should start to try to compete directly with Playstation, because at the moment it's like they're not even playing the same sport.
If cross-platform multiplayer become more prevalent next gen, then it's extremely likely I'll not even need to buy an Xbox to be able to play with my online friends. It'll be a shame to wave goodbye to Xbox after all the good times I've had with it, but Phil needs to justify Xbox's existence in the world's gaming ecosystem. If he can't do that, then maybe it doesn't deserve to be.
Why do I think Phil Spencer needs to get more aggressive? I follow him on Twitter, and he's an extremely affable and courteous gentleman, giving praise when he thinks it's due regardless of whether it's to a competitor or not. He recently tweeted the video of the Unreal Engine 5 demo, saying he's looking forward to seeing it used in Xbox Series X games. He didn't acknowledge that the video was obviously co-sponsored by Sony, and those involved avoided referencing Xbox like their jaw would fall off if they did. He really shouldn't be so supine about it, he should be a bit pissed off and driven to do something in response that specifically serves his customers.
Also, Xbox gets excluded from the general conversation about video games time and time again. Recent examples include the Wonderful 101 Kickstarter and Final Fantasy 7 Remake - Xbox owners couldn't share in the excitement about these big events, because the companies involved consider the platform and its users unimportant. I'm sure Phil bangs the Xbox drum as best he can when he goes on his port-begging tours of Japan, but he needs to do more.
He needs to, for starters, get back the Call of Duty co-marketing deal - the way CoD went from being utterly synonymous with Xbox last gen, to where it's now an afterthought compared to the Playstation version is just... unfathomable.
He should acknowledge that overhyping the Inside Xbox "Next Gen Gameplay Reveal" was a mistake, and pledge that we'll get what we wanted to see in the June first party showcase (assuming that's true).
He should start to try to compete directly with Playstation, because at the moment it's like they're not even playing the same sport.
If cross-platform multiplayer become more prevalent next gen, then it's extremely likely I'll not even need to buy an Xbox to be able to play with my online friends. It'll be a shame to wave goodbye to Xbox after all the good times I've had with it, but Phil needs to justify Xbox's existence in the world's gaming ecosystem. If he can't do that, then maybe it doesn't deserve to be.
