The now-former head of Microsoft Studios will consolidate and oversee the Xbox and Xbox Live creative teams, as well as Xbox Music, Xbox Video, and Microsoft Studios. Head of Xbox Phil Spencer makes his long-awaited return to Unlocked for an exclusive one-hour interview. Now a full-fledged Staff Writer, Zachary has expanded from only writing about all things Minecraft to covering practically everything on which Windows Central is an expert, especially when it comes to Microsoft. Im thrilled to share that this morningwe announcedan agreement to acquire Activision Blizzard in an all-cash transaction valued at $68.7 billion. Elop, said Nadella, will work with Spencer and Myerson when it comes to the Xbox platform. The system resembles a PC tower, but can still be placed on its side, and features a large number of vents in order to keep itself cool. This agreement is a testament to the impact our gaming team has delivered, and I am deeply grateful for their hard work and commitment. [14], In 2018, Spencer delivered the keynote address at the 2018 DICE Summit[15] and spoke at the 2018 Game Awards. Theyre expanding that economic opportunity, too. Spencer said . Given the ray-tracing capabilities of the PS5 and its own support for 8K resolution, that would be quite a feat. LARRY HRYB: Because, Rebecca, I don't know if you know this, you've had a chance to play it, but nighttime is kind of dread time. Career More recently, if you couldnt spend hundreds of dollars on a game console, potentially thousands of dollars on a high-end PC, you simply couldnt participate in the global gaming community in a significant way. Already, more and more people are creating something new and magical every day. With his team and game development partners, Spencer continues to push the boundaries of creativity, technical innovation and fun across gaming genres, audiences and . We're big fans of the latest Xbox consoles here at Underscored. Gameplay and accessibility producer Neha Chintala, and senior sound designer Todd Helsley explain the challenges behind opening racing games to blind/low vision individuals. When you talk about Xboxs mission to bring the joy and community of gaming to everyone on the planet, which I absolutely love, this is precisely what I think of when we think about Microsofts mission, which is to empower every person, every organization on the planet to achieve more. This is going to be fun.. Spencer has been with Microsoft for 25 years, working in various departments. Following the announcement, Phil Spencer revealed that he is now named CEO, Microsoft Gaming. The Xbox Series X ditches the slim design of the Xbox One S and Xbox One X for something far bulkier. "Combining these teams will strengthen the connection between some of the world's most innovative creators and those building the Xbox itself," said Spencer in a statement on Xbox Wire. Mar 21. As Microsoft gaming head Phil Spencer notes, these partnerships ultimately shift the accessibility movement to continuously refine and innovate, both for studios and players. This Indiana Jones 5 trailer was revealed during Star Wars Celebration 2023. Spencer has spoken years before about the art of gaming, and how backward compatibility is a huge . The company must continue to expand its manufacturing to include various systems customers can choose from according to their individual needs. The Xbox Series X is a next-generation powerhouse that rivals gaming PCs, while the Xbox Series S is an affordable stopgap for those who are curious about trying new games. Its so great to see how were working together as One Microsoft to bring the joy and community of gaming to everyone on the planet. We give the updated Mercenaries mode in Resident Evil 4 Remake a spin in this S-Rank gameplay clip, featuring Leon. [7], With the launch of the Xbox in 2001, Spencer joined the Xbox team and served as general manager of Microsoft Game Studios EMEA, working with Microsoft's European developers and studios such as Lionhead Studios and Rare until 2008, when he became the general manager of Microsoft Studios, eventually becoming the studio's corporate vice president a year later. We're looking forward to extending our culture of proactive inclusion to the great teams across Activision Blizzard.". Phil will continue his close partnership with Yusuf Mehdi, who leads business strategy and marketing for Xbox, George Peckham, who heads up third-party partnerships and Mike Angiulo, who will continue leading Xbox hardware. . Phil Spencer, former head of Xbox, will now lead this . We deeply value individual studio cultures. According to Nadella, Spencer will continue to work with Yusuf Mehdi, chief marketing and strategy officer for Xbox; George Peckham, head of Xbox third-party relations; and Mike Angiulo, corporate vice president of hardware development for Xbox. "I love the way the Xbox team is focused on great games and gaming experiences (go, Titanfall! Initially known by its internal development name Scarlett, Microsoft officially unveiled the Xbox Series X during The Game Awards 2019. While Microsoft was been hit with criticism for the Xbox Series X's slow-growing exclusive lineup-- several highly anticipated titles like Bethesda's Starfieldand co-op shooter Redfall have been pushed to later in 2023 -- the company is still delivering one of the best deals in gaming: Xbox Game Pass. [4] He is currently the head of the Xbox brand and leads the global creative and engineering teams responsible for gaming at Microsoft. Its about more players and more creators. The original Xbox launched late in 2001, nearly nineteen years ago. Regardless of the preferred platform, the creation of Blind Driving Assists is indicative of the growth of blind/low vision accessibility. The cloud will allow us to completely remove these barriers to play worldwide. Why dont we start by talking about why gaming is such a priority for the company? 468 likes, 3 comments - BitMe (@tvbitme) on Instagram: "Adems de eso, a finales de ao pasado, Phil Spencer, Head of Xbox, confirm que tambin los ." In todays world, companies are continually being pushed to modify and expand their products and services; Microsoft has chosen to appease their loyal customers in an effort to keep them around. There have been reports of a second, significantly less-powerful machine that will omit a disc drive and be offered at a reduced price. [16], In January 2022, along with Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard,[17] Spencer was promoted to the role of CEO of Microsoft Gaming. Nadella: Yeah, absolutely. Spencer and his Microsoft Gaming team will certainly have a lot of work to do to ensure the culture inside Activision Blizzard is addressed. There are really three, I think, areas or key areas where we believe we have incredible competitive advantage. Inclusive design is an important consideration in how we build everything now, starting with recognizing the barriers that people might have, learning from the diversity of experience that people have, Spencer said. And one of the things Im most excited about is how we are enabling game developers to do just that with AzurePlayFab, which now holds more than 2.5 billion player accounts. [19], Spencer received the Lifetime Achievement award at the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. . Phil Spencer, as CEO of Microsoft Gaming, plays an integral role in executing these visions and continuing to develop the best Xbox games, fostering a culture of inclusivity and. I also brought them the perspective that when making this game accessible, the people theyre making this game accessible for may have never played a racing game, or ever driven a car before. The blind, by majority, have never driven a car.. If you buy something from a Polygon link, Vox Media may earn a commission. Once the Activision Blizzard deal is completed, the company's leadership will also report directly to Spencer. In 2002, he joined Microsoft Game Studios as a Studio Manager, then in 2009 he took over as head of Microsoft Studios. Together with Activision Blizzard, we believe we have an incredible opportunity to bring the joy and community of gaming to everyone on the planet, and we will invest and innovate to create the best content, community and cloud for gamers. The release of the Xbox 360 in the U.S. on November 22, 2005, and in Europe and Japan the following month, resulted in sellouts in nearly every market except Japan, where the system still struggled to find an audience. Nadella: Thats right. First is our leadership in cloud computing; second, the resources we have to build out the subscription value with Xbox Game Pass; and third is our overall focus on empowering creators. Official sources referred to the new generation as simply Xbox before unveiling the Xbox Series X name. Arguably the most important event in the evolution of the Xbox and the growth of Microsofts place in the gaming industry occurred on the consoles first birthday with the launch of Xbox Live. Spencer, previously operating under the lengthy "Executive Vice-President of Gaming at Microsoft" title (and more commonly referred to as the "Head of Xbox") is now officially CEO, Microsoft Gaming. We want to make it easier for people to connect and play great games wherever, whenever and however they want. And well hear more about that later. The systems lineup of exclusive games has been extremely limited, with Microsofts first-party development teams unable to compete with the much larger collection of Sony studios, and many of the Xbox Ones best games were also released on PC. Over the past few years, weve expanded our content pipeline and have become leaders in game subscriptions, as well as cloud gaming. His official title is Head of Xbox. Phil Spencer is the new boss of all things Xbox, Microsoft confirms . The same situation occurred with Bethesda's Deathloop, which initially launched on PS5 and PC in September 2021 and then came to Xbox Series X/S a year later. This news was followed a month later by the debut of Xbox Music and Xbox Video, Microsofts new media services that not only replaced the existing services on the Xbox but also offered an attractive, Apple-style integration across all devices running Windows software. You can also access most of these through the Game Pass cloud computing program. Phil Spencer, former head of Xbox, will now lead this team as it focuses on gaming across Xbox, PC, mobile, and the cloud. Gamereactor uses cookies to ensure that we give you the best browsing experience on our website. Phil Spencer, as CEO of Microsoft Gaming, plays an integral role in executing these visions and continuing to develop the best Xbox games, fostering a culture of inclusivity and accessibility, and bringing gaming to more people in general. From the audio cues to Steering Guide, each individual asset of the Blind Driving Assists needed to go beyond assumptions and cater toward real players. Blind/low vision individuals use transportation every day. Turn 10 Studios developers, an accessibility consultant, and Xbox head Phil Spencer discuss the development process behind Blind Driving Assists, the importance of community involvement, and Xbox . Y'all keep saying that but it's been 4 long years since 2018, and we've barely heard a peep from most of the new studios. It was a big, dramatic change for Microsoft . And now, blind/low vision players can experience a brand-new feature set called Blind Driving Assists a series of audio cues that provide track and vehicle information allowing blind/low vision players to complete races. Ghostwire: Tokyo was first released on PS5 and PC on March 25, 2022. [4] He is currently the head of the Xbox brand and leads the global creative and engineering teams responsible for gaming at Microsoft. The console represents a sizeable boost in power from Xbox One X, with 6DDR6 RAM, 12 TFLOPS of GPU power, an NVMe SSD, and support for 8K resolution. The Xbox head Phil Spencer has reportedly attempted to reassure members of the Xbox team that the cancellation of the Activision Blizzard deal will not negatively . It's been a whirlwind of highs and lows for Xbox fans recently, but now it looks like we're getting some pretty good news from the head of Xbox himself!#Xbox. Xbox is a significant section of Microsoft, and it'll only continue to grow as time goes on. Just two years later, Microsoft was ready to go public with its console, and thats exactly what Bill Gates did at theGame Developers Conference in 2000. It aids blind/low vision players when making turns on tracks, regardless of vehicle, allowing them to stay on course in addition to listening for audio cues. Now, the brand is set to reimagine itself yet again when the Xbox Series X releases this holiday season. Forza Motorsports new features are not the end of blind/low vision accessibility. Phil is the right person to lead Xbox forward. Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox since 2014, is known to players as the guy who. Weve created an entire organization dedicated to empowering the game industry and developers of every size. Early adopters were treated to a multiplayer gaming experience that was entirely new to the console industry, pitting players against competitors from all around the world in a communal environment. Even with the next-generation rumors, sales of the 360 continued to assert Microsofts powerful position in the console gaming industry, and by September 2012 the company announced that it had hit the 70-million mark in units sold, and by December that number had jumped to 75 million. And theres no better example of this than gaming. wholeheartedly think that if this year doesn't go well exclusive wise, the xbox brand as a whole will be more of an embarrassment than ever before, probably irreparably so. In this Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom trailer breakdown, Logan Plant highlights Link's four new powers, along with bringing some speculation surrounding some hidden bits tucked away in the gameplay. Check out Spencer's words below. Please join if you can. Now he wants to reinvent gaming. Spencer, who most recently served as the chief of Microsoft Studios, will now lead that. CEO Satya Nadella stated that the company internally referred to the xCloud endeavor as Netflix for games. With the xCloud preview, you get 50 games. He has also been a frequent guest on podcasts, radio programs, and TV spots. After experimenting with the Project xCloud initiative, Microsoft recently announced that players would be able to access a cloud gaming service. So it won't be long before mobile catches up to desktop in terms . Alongside audio indicators, Helsley explains that another feature within Blind Driving Assists, the steering guide, took several years of fine-tuning before it was in an entertaining and usable state. Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. We also believe that creative success and autonomy go hand-in-hand with treating every person with dignity and respect. I mean, for me, you just go to Xbox.com/play, and Ill tell you, its a really fast, easy way to get into gaming. And thats where Game Pass comes in. Heres what Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer had to say about his new role and the companys gaming efforts in an email to staff today: Welcome back from the holidays. If ever there was a knockout punch at a press conference, this looked to be it. The now-former head of Microsoft Studios will consolidate and oversee the Xbox and Xbox Live creative teams, as well as Xbox . For sighted individuals, this information is learned over time by trying different cars or courses. would change course regarding online connection requirements, The best upcoming Xbox Series X games: 2023 and beyond, You cant share Xbox screenshots or videos directly to Twitter anymore, All Xbox One games with mouse and keyboard support, The best Xbox One games to play right now. Phil Spencer. Phil Spencer shows that the console war is dumb. What we wanted to do is build something that fit into the oral landscape of the game already, Helsley said. We expect this acquisition to close in FY23, pending regulatory approvals. Microsoft is celebrating Earth Day with a new, environmentally-friendly Xbox controller. When I was a kid, it was crazy to think about having a Galaga machine or a Ms. Pac-man machine in your house. You can change the pitch of the audio cues, and the narrator customizations that we have are the best in any game that Ive seen.. Microsoft is committed to our journey for inclusion in every aspect of gaming, among both employees and players. Microsofts long-rumored online gaming network had already begun its beta testing phase in August 2002, but the system went public in November with the Xbox Live Starter Kit. The final nail in the consoles coffin was hammered on April 14, 2010, with Xbox Live access eliminated for the original Xbox. [21], Spencer attended Ridgefield High School in Ridgefield, Washington, and then earned a bachelor's degree in technical and scientific communication from the University of Washington. The first set of reports surfaced on (of all places) LinkedIn, where several designers and developers added vague descriptions of a mysterious new project they were working on with Microsoft. The best gaming experience was still on a console or PC, Mr Spencer told BBC . during The Game Awards 2019. When Microsoft brought the Xbox One to E3 the following month, things didnt get any easier. Spencer is also currently the head of the Xbox brand and since being in charge, Phil has pushed for cross-platform play and pioneered backwards compatibility within the Xbox line of consoles. While the Xbox seemingly sold well in North America, the overall launch proved troubling for Microsoft, whose expectations for the system were lofty by any consoles standards let alone a brand-new system. Were very excited about what creators can do going forward with the platform shifts that we are going to have in the next 10 years. Teasing the systems vastly improved specs and the potential for both online play and internal storage of downloaded content games and media Gates managed to get the worlds attention. Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 5 gave a good boost to the console's library following a somewhat sparse first year. However, blind/low vision players still cannot reliably purchase most new games despite increased interest and awareness from the disabled player base. Phil Spencer is taking over as the head of Microsoft's Xbox branch, the company announced today. Julie Larson-Green was appointed the head of Xbox hardware and studio groups, while Terry Myerson took over development of the Xbox One operating system. CEO Satya Nadella stated that the company internally referred to the xCloud endeavor as . Update, January 18th 10:50AM ET: Article updated with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadellas memo to staff. Prior to that, he was the general manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa of what was then known as Microsoft Game Studios. One key component to the consoles success was the popularity of its flagship game, Halo, which offered the one-two punch of being both exclusive to the Xbox and one of the first-person shooter genres most compelling, groundbreaking titles to hit shelves in years. In both 2009 and 2010, June proved to be an important month for the 360. And of course, game development doesnt stop when the game is launched. "Combining all our software, gaming and content assets across the Xbox team under a single leader and aligning with the [Operating Systems Group] team will help ensure we continue to do great work across the Xbox business, and bring more of the magic of Xbox to all form factors, including tablets, PCs and phones," said Nadella. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Email (Opens in new window), Microsoft Major Nelson Promotions Official Rules, Will Tuttle (He/Him), Xbox Wire Editor in Chief, Bringing the Joy and Community of Gaming to Everyone, E3 2018: Gaming for Everyone, a Conversation with Phil Spencer. Mini Bio (1) Phil Spencer is executive vice president, Gaming at Microsoft. . And because studios continuously learn from each other, these initiatives have the potential to shape how developers approach designs and features for blind/low vision players. Its being used as the backend for more than 5,000 games, so a lot of exciting things that the cloud can enable. They can no longer afford to ignore customer demand to diversify their options. Watch the latest video game trailers, and interviews from the biggest gaming conventions in the world. XBL: Iridium Six newsletter, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is already $10 off, I would die to protect Turgle in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Legos largest and most detailed X-Wing has landed for $239.99, Mortal Kombat 12 teaser appears to blow up the timeline, Amazon Primes freebies for May include Resident Evil 2 remake, Where to buy the Pokmon Go Plus Plus device. Concerns regarding the systems look and design, as well as the $299 price tag, fell by the wayside with over 1 million Xbox consoles flying off shelves in the next three weeks. We hold all teams, and all leaders, to this commitment. "In the long run, to me, it's a question about the viability of the television,". We couldnt have done it without them.. There's an obvious reason: Microsoft's $69 billion bid to buy the massive, but scandal-ridden Activision Blizzard Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella also sent his own email to staff about todays announcements. Ahead of the first-ever Xbox & Bethesda Showcase on Sunday, Head of Xbox Phil Spencer hosted a series of conversations with Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, and members of Microsoft's Gaming Leadership team on the future of gaming at Microsoft.We've shared some highlights from the day in another article, but we also wanted to share one of the day's biggest moments on its own. I ditched my game consoles and went cloud-only for a week. We hold all teams, and all leaders, to this commitment. With Stadia, a cloud-based gaming service, becoming incredibly popular with gamers, Microsoft had to step up so they could stay in the competition. Twitter: @RyanFlemingPDX The various flaws in these early models forced Microsoft to repair and replace countless systems, and eventually led to an extension of the consoles warranty to account for all of the issues. The Xbox 360 S hit shelves a few days later on June 18, 2010. Ryan is a diehard gamer and follower of the gaming industry, an avid filmgoer, and a passionate supporter of his alma mater, the University of Kansas. There's something about Spencer that makes him instantly approachable; combined with his 27 years at Microsoft itself, that makes him the obvious choice to lead the company's gaming wing. Phil is one of the best things to happen to the Xbox brand, to ignore everything and cherry pick things without context is weird. Spencer: How about we start talking about Azure? The legendary games and franchises across that company have delighted millions of people for decades. And this holiday it was especially gratifying to see the response from fans and read the great reviews of our new first-party titles. Game streaming has felt like the "next big thing" in gaming for the past decade. No, you actually dont.. I think thats fundamental to the progress that we need to make, and I think we have years and years of progress to make in this area.. The Xbox branch at Microsoft had been without a single, official leader since Don Mattrick, the president of the division, left the company last July to become CEO of Zynga. We also believe that creative success and autonomy go hand-in-hand with treating every person with dignity and respect. Facebook: www.Facebook.com/RyanFlemingPDX The 2018 release of the Xbox Adaptive Controller, feature tags on store pages, award-winning accessibility in titles like Forza Horizon 5, and even an annual showcase highlighting the varying ways in which Xbox and its studios are incorporating accessibility into their projects have put the disabled community at the forefront of Xbox conversations. For the first couple of decades, the only way you can play the game was to buy the game outright. In addition to video games, Gabe has also covered television, film, and music, and he has done everything from news to reviews and video work. Microsofts $30 million purchase of Bungie a short time later made headlines in the game industry, but it was Bungies decision to adaptHaloto make the best use of the new consoles abilities and turn it into a first-person shooter. There was no stopping the Internet rumor train once it started chugging along, and before long the new console even had an unofficial code name: Xbox 720.. In his time as boss of that division, he oversaw the development of several exclusive franchises like Forza Motorsport, Halo, and the lineup of Xbox One exclusive launch titles that includedDead Rising 3 and Ryse: Son of Rome. With Game Pass, we are truly redefining how games are distributed, played, and shared. Dubbed the Remix Special Edition, the gamepad is largely made up of recycled plastics and other reclaimed materials. I had to learn to slow down when going into a turn. We look forward to extending our journey to create a more diverse and inclusive culture to our new colleagues at Activision Blizzard, and ensuring all our employees can do what they love, while thriving in a safe and welcoming environment one where everyone feels empowered to do their best work. Phil Spencer: Im thrilled to be joined by Satya Nadella to talk about how Microsoft broadly can drive gaming forward. In May 2013, Microsoft finally unveiled what was next for the Xbox brand, and it didnt leave players particularly happy. We start solving for one specific scenario, and then think about how we can extend that [solution] to many. When it comes to the metaverse, Phil Spencer could give Mark Zuckerberg a run for his money. In this link you can check how to participate in . The Gaming Leadership Team and I look forward to answering as many as we can at our next Monthly Gaming Update on Jan. 26. Today, Spencer revealed that PC Game Pass is expanding to forty new markets with a quick clip on YouTube. But its cool to see how the industry learns and is inspired by each step, whether its the Adaptive Controller, or the work that The Last of Us has done, whether its individual game teams that are going out to spotlight, and frankly, build empathy for people who have a different lived experience. We also announced this morning that we have surpassed 25 million Game Pass subscribers across console, cloud and PC, a great achievement for all of Team Xbox. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). 28 Apr 2023 06:18:01 Phil Spencer habla del posible futuro de Xbox sin Activision. Heres the thing when I think about it. Theyre creating entire college campuses on Minecraft. Upgrade your lifestyleDigital Trends helps readers keep tabs on the fast-paced world of tech with all the latest news, fun product reviews, insightful editorials, and one-of-a-kind sneak peeks. 28/04/2023 02:47:00 a. m. Se dice que Phil Spencer llam a una junta de emergencia para discutir el posible futuro de Microsoft sin la adquisicin de Activision. 03:23 - Source: CNN. ), connects with its fans, pushes the boundary of entertainment and has embraced the power of the cloud in such interesting and impactful ways. Not every racer needs the same accommodation, and the team wanted to ensure that everyone could find an appropriate range when using this setting. The idea that they are a company of the past must have forced them to develop new products and tailor them to their customers preferences. Directed by James Mangold, the movie also stars Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas, John Rhys-Davies, Shaunette Renee Wilson, Thomas Kretschmann, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook, Oliver Richters, Ethann Isidore, and Mads Mikkelsen. It also meant the writing was on the wall for the original Xbox. As we prepare for the next generation, our efforts to make gaming more inclusive, more immersive, more . Nadella: Thanks so much, Phil. While this was nothing to scoff at, the number fell far short of Microsofts initial prediction of 50 million Xbox consoles in households around the world. Nadella describes gaming as playing a critical role in the development of metaverse platforms, that the company is looking to develop for Xbox, Microsoft Teams, and beyond. In his email, Spencer stated, "Microsoft is committed to our journey for inclusion in every aspect of gaming, among both employees and players. "It's been a remarkable year for Xbox and I am honored to lead the team at this incredible time for Microsoft and the games industry.". Scripps School of Journalism in 2016. First, the motion- and voice-control peripheral that would eventually become Kinect was announced in June 2009 at that years E3 convention.