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An interview with Phil Spencer reveals that the Xbox boss is confident about Microsoft’s E3 2016 prospects heading into the final months before the presentation.
While in the early days of current generation consoles it was fashionable for gamers to deride the Xbox One for its initial shortcomings, Microsoft’s system has come a long way since then by way of software updates and high-profile game releases. The Xbox One might never catch or surpass the massive sales lead Sony’s PS4 currently enjoys over its Microsoftcounterpart, but critical reception and sales have both evened out significantly. The fact that the playing field has been leveled hasn’t been lost on Xbox boss Phil Spencer, who was quoted in a recent interview as saying:
“In the near term, our focus is on the Xbox One console. We’re going to have a nice E3…we’re just taking a focus now on console to desktop and then moving out from there.”
Microsoft’s last E3 presentation announced Xbox One’s backward compatibilityfunctionality to a rapturous applause, so the company will be well aware that it’s going to take some truly blockbuster announcements to top what many people believed to be E3 2015’s best showing. E3 2016 is likely to be a show that is defined by innovation, as Sony looks to unveil a new VR platform in PS VR while Nintendo should be revealing new details on its next console, currently referred to as the Nintendo NX.
Of course, Microsoft has been busy too. The company has placed a high importance on bringing Xbox One games to the PC platform, something that has been exciting for gamers on both platforms, but Microsoft’s long-term plans are still a mystery. Microsoft’s E3 2016 presentation, however, will likely emphasize the Xbox One’s upcoming exclusive titles, which feature potentially console-defining entries like Gears of War 4 and Halo Wars 2 .
While Microsoft’s E3 this year appears to revolve largely around the Xbox One, Spencer played coy about what future presentations from the company might look like. In the interview, conducted by Venture Beat, Spencer stated:
“In the longer term, I want anybody who’s building a game, regardless of what device they’re on, to be able to look at Xbox Live…let’s solve one big issue first and then look at the next wave of touch in mobile as a place we can go.”
From what it sounds like, Microsoft is gearing up to aggressively market Xbox Live to platforms beyond just the latest Xbox console. Although it’s mostly speculation at this point, what we do know about Microsoft’s plans, for the long-term and for E3 2016, makes it hard to disagree with Spencer that the company’s showing this year will be anything except “nice.”
What do you think about Microsoft’s current approach to the Xbox One? Do you believe the company will have strong E3 showing this year? Let us know in the comments below.
Source: Venture Beat(via Examiner)