For Xbox specifically, 2024 remains to be a year with more questions than answers. Although the firm appears to be handed a heavy hand of properties with the recent Activision Blizzard deal, Microsoft is pushing what defines the platform to be more than a console. While accustomed to this approach with Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Xbox Play Anywhere, now games are coming to competing systems.
In total, four games were already sent ahead with Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment, Sea Of Thieves, Grounded. However, Xbox head Phil Spencer did elaborate on this approach – Starfield & Indiana Jones and the Great Circle are out of the equation. What’s more, he also addressed that the provided list has no plans for more games to jump sides for PlayStation or Nintendo.
But in a new report from Windows Central, there is an understanding that Microsoft is pushing for Xbox to release its library on more systems beyond the four already listed. More specifically, the parent company is ushering for no “red line” that keeps Xbox titles on the platform. And, this effort is spearheaded by CEO Satya Nadella and CFO Amy Hood.
Given the internal name ‘Latitude’, this new effort is one that has employees questioning the rationality of executing for the platform. Windows Central frames the push to be met with “debate” and “unease” on the decision. Similarly, this shares the same scent as the recent Bethesda studio closures that happened earlier this month.
At the same time, Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty elaborated on the decision. In a town hall, Booty said “we need smaller games that give us prestige and awards,” apparently metrics that even Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks did not meet. You can read the full report by heading here.
Are you behind this new push by Microsoft?
Source: Windows Central