In a recent interview, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer sat down with Charleyy Hodson of Xbox On to discuss the present and future of Xbox and video games. Spencer revealed that he’s been loving gaming on his Xbox Series S while traveling, utilizing the clever xScreen accessory to accomplish it. Vampire Survivors, Hi-Fi RUSH, and Age of Empires 2 on Xbox have all been frequent visits for Xbox’s head in recent weeks.
Check out the full interview on YouTube:
Spencer also discussed his upcoming plans, including visiting Ninja Theory for the very first time to check out the progress on the highly anticipated Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. He praised the ways in which Playground Games is helping Fable to evolve with its remake, and hinted that there are more “Goldeneye-type announcements” coming before the major showcase in June 2023.
During the interview, Spencer also touched on Microsoft’s ongoing acquisition of Activision Blizzard, stating that the deal is ultimately about mobile games, not Call of Duty. He discussed how the acquisition provides the talent, creativity, and IPs to help Xbox fix its weakest area: mobile gaming. Additionally, Spencer emphasized that Xbox’s intention to acquire Activision Blizzard has to benefit players and creators in order for it to be successful for Xbox.
Finally, Hodson and Spencer discussed the potential of AI to empower creators in building new and original video games. Spencer expressed his excitement about the intersection of AI and gaming, as AI capability on the planet is getting bigger and bigger. Xbox is actively exploring how improvements in AI, like Bing AI, can translate to improvements in the best Xbox games. With major investments in a variety of areas across its platform, Xbox’s future over the next year and beyond is sure to be exciting for players.
