What you need to know
- According to emails obtained by Windows Central, which Microsoft confirmed to be authentic, Xbox boss Sarah Bond recently briefed her team on a number of issues.
- In the emails, Sarah Bond reiterated Microsoft’s plans to develop new Xbox hardware that aims to be “the biggest leap in technology seen in a generation”.
- Sarah Bond also announced that Microsoft has assembled a dedicated team to future-proof and further “build” our Xbox digital game library for future hardware models. [Xbox’s] Strong history of providing backward compatibility.
- Additionally, it was revealed that the Xbox became the most popular platform for Diablo 4 since the game was added to Xbox Game Pass.
Sarah Bond was promoted to head of Xbox just a few months ago and began a restructuring to streamline Microsoft’s gaming organization and prepare it for the future. Now acquired by Activision-Blizzard, Xbox has become a gaming powerhouse with massive platforms across the Xbox console and cloud, PC gaming, mobile titles and subscription services. Even ignoring the millions of Xbox Game Pass subscribers, Microsoft counts other subscription service gaming companies in this group, from Fallout 1 to Minecraft Realms to World of Warcraft.
The complexity of the Xbox business is undoubtedly a big challenge, but there are equally big opportunities ahead for the company. To that end, Sarah Bond recently sent out an email rallying her troops and sharing some interesting news. Microsoft has confirmed to us that the correspondence is genuine.
“It has been almost six months since we came together as an organization. Our collective success during this period is immense. Everyone should be extremely proud of what we have achieved and excited about the opportunities ahead.” Sara said “We are aggressively advancing the development of our next-generation devices and are focused on achieving the biggest technological leap in a single generation.”
Sarah also discussed Microsoft’s innovation in gaming AI, which is seen as an important part of Microsoft’s vision for the future of Xbox. We were recently told that outgoing XEmTech head and AI innovator Karim Chaudhary is known for putting players and developers first within the organization. This influence on technology may continue to drive Microsoft’s thought process. “We innovate in game AI and focus on delivering value to players and creators through the discovery, engagement and speed of content creation.”
Additionally, Sara described how Microsoft is continuing to integrate Activision Blizzard and Battle.net games into Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass. Microsoft recently brought Diablo 4 to Xbox Game Pass in collaboration with the Microsoft Store Platform team on the Windows side. Bond announced that due to the introduction of Diablo on Game Pass, Xbox is now the #1 platform for the game. “We’re integrating Activision Blizzard King titles into our services – that’s what we rolled out. Diablo IV With Game Pass, Xbox quickly became the #1 platform for D4 players.” Bond mentioned some other games on the horizon for Xbox: “We’re simultaneously integrating with Battle.net while launching CoD: Warzone Mobile and preparing for the next step. Hellblade 2, I am admittedAnd Indiana Jones and the Grand Circle“
Xbox is building a new team to maintain games and futures
Lately, game preservation has become a growing concern as digital licensing models and the shift to online services have made it much easier to permanently discontinue games. This is a big problem in mobile gaming, where publishers and companies like Apple and Google have no problem erasing games from existence. Even big platforms like Nintendo have been known to close stores and discontinue many games. Microsoft is closing parts of the Xbox 360 store for new purchases this year. However, hundreds of backward compatible Xbox games have left Xbox 360 and continue to live on Xbox One and Xbox series. And now it appears that they will live longer
In emails to her team, Sarah Bond announced that Microsoft has now assembled a dedicated team to ensure that the current Xbox game library is future-proofed against future changes in hardware models and that our games remain available well into the future. “We’ve assembled a new team dedicated to game preservation, which is important to all of us at Xbox and in the industry.” Dr. Bond. “As we build on our long history of providing backwards compatibility to our players, we are committed to making the fantastic library of Xbox games available to future generations of gamers.”
We’ve formed a new team dedicated to game preservation, which is important to all of us at Xbox and in the industry. As we build on our long history of providing backwards compatibility for our players, we are committed to making the fantastic library of Xbox games available to future generations of gamers.
Sources tell us that Microsoft may have more to share publicly in the region around its annual Xbox Showcase, which is expected to take place on June 9, 2024 (according to edges)
Sarah Bond also paid tribute to Karim Chowdhury, who is retiring from Microsoft after 26 years with the company. “Earlier this week at longtime Xbox leader Karim Chaudhary’s farewell party, we shared stories about the obstacles we’ve overcome and the amazing things this team has accomplished.” Sarah drove away “When I heard these stories, I realized that the Xbox team embodies the same three qualities.”
In a detailed article I recently wrote last week I outlined some of the vulnerabilities Microsoft needed to overcome. I raised a concern obviously about what might happen to our digital libraries in a world where publishers want to grow at the expense of consoles. Not only does Microsoft seem to have no plans to back down when it comes to gaming hardware, it also seems that Microsoft is gearing up to make sure that no matter what happens, we can maintain long-term access to our Xbox games. I know Microsoft is very proud of the backwards compatibility features of Windows, considering you can easily run games from the 1980s through MS-DOS. I also know that Microsoft wants to make sure that Xbox is known for a similar commitment to saving things.
Sarah Bond addresses the challenges facing the gaming industry as a whole, where gaming hours are increasingly focused on some so-called “black hole titles” such as Fortnite, Roblox and Call of Duty, and players are increasingly reluctant to try something new. The console market as a whole has shrunk since then peak in 2008This leaves platform owners wondering where next-generation growth will come from if costs continue to rise.
“While growth in the gaming industry slows, our growth continues.” Sarah points to Microsoft’s ability to diversify and pivot. Microsoft’s talent for diversity has helped it overtake Apple and reclaim the crown as the world’s most valuable company. Xbox is now bigger than Windows, a fact that seemed impossible ten years ago. There are still great challenges, but as I said, equally great opportunities.
