When Microsoft snapped up Activision-Blizzard along with its multitude of development studios, it cemented its position as the largest third-party game publisher in history. With this massive acquisition, Xbox, by extension, has entered a new era. That’s why Phil Spencer, who heads Xbox, recently turned heads when he revealed in an interview with Gamertag Radio that upcoming Xbox games would also find their way to other platforms like Nintendo and PlayStation. At first glance, his statement might seem startling, but a closer look reveals the strategic thought behind it.
During a candid conversation with Danny Peña and Parris from Gamertag Radio, available on YouTube, Spencer expressed his vision: “I want people to be able to experience the games that we build, the services that we offer on as many devices as we can.” Even though Xbox clearly cherishes its dedicated console experience, Spencer acknowledges a broader reach is essential. Over the course of 26 enriching minutes, the discussion meandered through past and present Xbox milestones, giving listeners a nostalgic trip back to the original Xbox days and the impactful 360 era.
For those newer to the console wars, a quick history lesson might shine a light on why Spencer’s remarks ripple through the gaming waters. Take Sonic the Hedgehog—yes, the speedy blue icon now known from movies—originated from games that were closely tied to Sega consoles. Back in the day, titles like Sonic Adventure 2 were Dreamcast staples until they crossed over to Nintendo’s GameCube. Sega’s Dreamcast ultimately faltered against the mightier PlayStation 2, pushing Sega into a third-party role—a void eagerly filled by the emergence of Microsoft’s Xbox.
Initially, the “DirectX Box,” soon to be known as Xbox, boasted compatibility with Sega Dreamcast titles—a move that made commercial sense since Dreamcast supported Windows CE. Although this feature didn’t survive into Xbox’s final version, several iconic follow-ups, such as Jet Set Radio Future, landed exclusively on Xbox.
Spencer’s remarks might initially sound like those of a company retreating from console wars, but don’t be mistaken—Microsoft’s gaming arm is far from retreating. If anything, Xbox’s position as the ultimate third-party publisher underscores a shift in strategy: selling games to as wide an audience as possible rather than tethering everyone to Xbox consoles alone.
Spencer elaborates, saying, “We want everybody to be able to play on Xbox and it does mean more of our games shipping on more platforms, not just PlayStation. We love the work that we do with Nintendo, we love what we do with Valve on Steam, and that’s going to continue.”
Is Xbox mirroring Sega’s transition? Not quite. Microsoft’s deep pockets ensure its firm grip on gaming. The coming generations of Xbox consoles will have to offer tempting reasons, especially on the hardware front, to entice gamers—a challenge given the inevitable hybrid nature of forthcoming Nintendo systems and the raw horsepower expected from PlayStation 6, both poised to leverage exclusive game titles in keeping with console traditions.
However, Microsoft must tread carefully with its vision of Xbox being a game-and-service powerhouse rather than merely a hardware brand. After all, there’s a risk in making Xbox ubiquitous: if everyone’s part of it, in a way, no one truly is.
