Xbox boss Phil Spencer has defended the Xbox Series X’s lack of exclusive games, saying that they are “completely counter to what gaming is about”.
In a candid interview with Gamesindustry.biz, the Xbox chief opened up about his views on the company’s release strategy going forward, where it will eschew system exclusives and instead launch first-party games across current-gen, next-gen and PC platforms at the same time.
“As a player, you are the centre of our strategy,” Spencer stated. “Our device is not the centre of our strategy, our game is not the centre of the strategy. We want to enable you to play the games you want to play, with the friends you want to play with, on any device.”
He added that he believes “gaming is about entertainment and community and diversion and learning new stories and new perspectives, and I find it completely counter to what gaming is about to say that part of that is to lock people away from being able to experience those games”.
“Gaming is bigger than any one device, and that is something as an industry that we’ve embraced all up as we bring more and more players in,” Spencer continued. “I think it’s vital to the role that gaming can play on the planet.”
Spencer previously announced that its Xbox All Access subscription model would be “critical” to the launch of the Xbox Series X. The Xbox All Access is Microsoft’s mobile phone-style subscription program, where gamers can get a console with no cost upfront and pay it off over the course of two years.
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Microsoft is also reportedly set to reveal Project Lockhart – otherwise known as the Xbox Series S – next month. This is according to separate reports from Eurogamer and Venturebeat, both of which noted that the console was initially set to be unveiled during the now-cancelled E3 2020.