If you woke me up one day and said, “Hey, want to buy this obscure yet fun indie game from a random store on your Xbox?” I probably would’ve chuckled or discussed the idea of platform exclusivity with you. However, Phil Spencer, Microsoft’s CEO of Gaming, envisions a different future.
In an interview with Polygon at the annual Game Developers Conference, Phil Spencer expressed his desire to break the console’s closed ecosystem. Traditionally, consoles have limited game purchases to their own storefronts, a model followed by major players like PlayStation and Xbox. Phil Spencer aims to change this closed nature of consoles.
When discussing the potential for stores like Epic Games Store and Itch.io to be available on Xbox, Spencer was enthusiastic. He noted that console gamers could enjoy the same freedom as PC users and see genuine value in it. Given Microsoft’s background as a Windows company, it wouldn’t be surprising if Xbox allowed other game stores on its platform. This move should effectively help them boost the stagnant Xbox sales.
Spencer also pointed out that console makers used to subsidize the cost of hardware through game sales, but that is no longer the case. With the console market not growing, as more players are shifting towards PCs and handhelds, opening up the platform and abandoning exclusivity will help in the long run.
Phil Spencer’s claim sounds reasonable on paper. The PC platform has an edge over consoles due to the choice of marketplaces available. Hence, allowing other storefronts access to the marketplace could ultimately benefit consoles. Share your opinions in the comments below.
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