November 14th 2024.
I agree with Phil Spencer. I think it's clear from the photo in this new interview that the stress of his job is starting to take a toll. It's understandable, given the amount of pressure and responsibility he has. However, I can't say I feel too sympathetic towards him. He has had access to a lot of resources and time, yet I don't see any significant improvements in the Xbox brand or the gaming industry as a whole.
The comments about having no "red lines" were interesting, but not surprising at this point. His other statements about the need for industry growth and the potential of mobile gaming are nothing new, even though recent news suggests a decline in that market. It seems like Spencer is struggling and Xbox is struggling with him. I'm not even sure what Xbox is supposed to be anymore. It's no longer just a console, and streaming is still in its early stages, so it feels more like a third-party publisher with dreams of grandeur.
I've always felt that Spencer's biggest issue was his desire to make Xbox the biggest and best, rather than focusing on making great games. He claims that the Xbox business has never been healthier, but I have to question that. While other companies like Activision Blizzard are thriving, Xbox itself seems to have outlived its usefulness. As an Xbox Series X owner, this makes me feel bitter and frustrated.
I cringed while reading the new Phil Spencer interview. He seems out of touch and delusional, claiming that Xbox is doing better than ever. It's clear that he's fooling himself if he believes that anyone is still interested in Halo or Gears Of War. The only interesting thing he mentioned was the possibility of a handheld console, but he also warned that it won't be released anytime soon. This could just be a lie, like many of his other statements, but if it's not coming until after 2026, what will happen to Xbox in the meantime?
I don't see any of the current Xbox games becoming major hits, unless Fable is exceptionally good and available on PlayStation 5. The fact that 2026 was mentioned as a possible release date makes sense, as the Xbox Series X/S seems to have failed. But leaving it to fend for itself for even longer will only create more problems.
I noticed that there are rumors of Sony announcing new single-player games in early December. However, based on my observations and logic, I predict that Sony won't announce anything. They may release a post on their PlayStation Blog about action figures or something, but that's it. They won't have a State of Play for the 30th anniversary, and we'll be lucky if we get a new trailer. Sony may be acting odd, but they wouldn't hold onto major announcements for a random day. The more games they announce, the more appealing their console looks, and they want to attract customers during the holiday season.
I was saddened to hear about Tequila Works filing for insolvency. Their game The Sexy Brutale is one of my all-time favorites, and I also enjoyed RiME and Gylt. It's a pity that they won't be making any new games anytime soon.
As a PlayStation 5 owner, I'm not excited about playing Xbox exclusives like Microsoft Flight Simulator. I don't see what Microsoft has to offer that would make me want to switch from PlayStation. Halo and Gears Of War have lost their appeal, and I don't find any of the recent announcements to be particularly interesting. The problem for Microsoft is that Xbox needs PlayStation, but PlayStation doesn't need Xbox. This is evident from games like Lego Horizon Adventures being available on Switch but not Xbox Series X/S. Sony doesn't care if Halo is on PlayStation, and I don't think many gamers care either.
In response to Shahzaib Sadiq's disappointment about the lack of a Steam Deck 2, I read an article from Reviews.org Australia featuring two designers of the Steam Deck. They discuss their thoughts on the handheld PC market and how they don't see the Steam Deck as a one-stop shop. One quote from the article about the Steam Deck 2 caught my attention:
Do you share the same perspective as Phil Spencer? The letters section on Thursday isn't entirely convinced that PS5 owners would be interested in playing Halo and Gears Of War, as one reader suggests an alternative to the Steam Deck 2. If you would like to join the conversation, please send an email to the given address.
I have reached a point where I am tired of hearing from Phil Spencer, and it seems like I am not alone. In a recent interview, it is evident from his photo that the stress of his job is taking a toll on him. While I can understand the pressure of his position, I can't say I feel sorry for him. With the amount of resources and time at his disposal, I don't see any significant improvements made to Xbox or the gaming industry as a whole.
His comments about not having any "red lines" were thought-provoking, but not surprising at this point. His other statements about the need for industry growth and the potential of mobile gaming seem like the usual marketing talk. However, recent news suggests that the mobile gaming market is declining. It appears that Spencer is struggling, and the same can be said for Xbox. I am not even sure what it stands for anymore. It is barely a console, and streaming is just a side attraction for now. It seems more like a third-party publisher with an inflated ego.
I believe that Spencer's downfall has always been his grandiose ambitions. He claims, "The Xbox business has never been more healthy." But how is that determined? While Activision Blizzard may be thriving, Xbox itself seems to have lost its purpose. As an Xbox Series X owner, this makes me feel resentful and frustrated.
I cringed while reading the new Xbox interview with Phil Spencer, and I am sure I am not the only one. He appears to be losing touch with reality, thinking that Xbox is doing better than ever. I also doubt that anyone is still interested in Gears Of War or Halo, especially the latter.
The most intriguing revelation was the confirmation of a handheld console, but Spencer also mentioned that it would not be available for a while. This could be another one of his lies, but if we have to wait until 2026, what will become of Xbox in the meantime? I don't see any of their upcoming releases generating much buzz, unless Fable is exceptional and available on PlayStation 5 from the start. The 2026 timeline seemed plausible because it was evident that the Xbox Series X/S had failed. Leaving it to fend for itself for much longer will only create more problems.
It seems like we are back to speculating that Sony has some secret stash of single-player games that they will announce out of nowhere, with rumors suggesting an early December reveal. However, I have my prediction, not based on insider information, but on logic and observation. I don't think Sony will announce anything. At best, we might get a PlayStation Blog post about new action figures or something along those lines, which has already been partially leaked. I highly doubt there will be a State of Play event for the 30th anniversary, and we should consider ourselves lucky if we get a new trailer. Sony may be acting strangely, but not to the extent of holding back announcements for a random day. The more games they announce, the more appealing their console becomes, and they would want to present it in the best light possible before the holiday season.
I was saddened to hear of Tequila Works' financial troubles, as I thoroughly enjoyed playing The Sexy Brutale. It is a hidden gem and one of my all-time favorite games. I believe they published or assisted in its development. The game has a similar vibe to Gregory Horror Show, with a compelling narrative and engaging gameplay. I even managed to get the platinum trophy for it. Tequila Works also created the visually stunning RiME, which I have in my physical backlog, and Gylt, which was initially a Stadia exclusive but later released on other platforms. It is on my wishlist to play.
As a PlayStation 5 owner, I am excited about the prospect of playing all those Xbox classics that I have been missing out on all these years, such as Microsoft Flight Simulator, perhaps? I don't mean to be harsh, but I am not sure what Microsoft has to offer PlayStation 5 owners, apart from Activision Blizzard games that were always available on multiple platforms. I have no interest in Halo 8 or Gears Of War 7, or whatever iteration they are on now. These franchises have lost their charm, and I don't find any of the announced titles particularly appealing. The problem for Microsoft is that they need PlayStation, but PlayStation doesn't need them. This is evident with the recent release of Lego Horizon Adventures on the Switch, but not on the Xbox Series X/S. Sony couldn't care less if Halo is available on their console or not, and I don't think many gamers would either.
In response to Shahzaib Sadiq's disappointment over the absence of a Steam Deck 2, I came across an article from Reviews.org Australia featuring two of the Steam Deck's designers. The Steam Deck is about to be released in Australia, and they shared their thoughts on the future of handheld PCs. They do not see themselves as a one-stop-shop and stated, "We are not trying to be the only handheld gaming device on the planet." One of the designers also mentioned that the Steam Deck 2 is not something that will be available anytime soon.
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