“Our Strategy Doesn’t Revolve Around How Many Xboxes I Sell this Year”- Xbox Series X Chief

Microsoft’s Executive Vice President of Gaming, Phil Spencer, recently sat down with BBC and revealed the company’s plans for releasing the Xbox Series X this year.

2020 has been a rough year for most industries. The gaming industry has also been affected in a big way. Supply chains have been disrupted, global gaming events and conventions have all been canceled, as a result of the COVID19 crisis. Through all of this, Phil Spencer has remained optimistic about the release of the Xbox One X. 

“As we were starting to deal with people working from home, there were a lot of questions about what was going to happen with the supply chain and testing our hardware. But when I look at the hardware production now, I feel really good. We have test kits at home and we’re all using them, so we can ensure that everything’s working the way it should.”

Phil Spencer speaks about Xbox release plans

Spencer seemed extremely confident in his team’s ability to deliver the finished product on time, ready to launch by the end of the year.

“We’re also making good progress with the software platform that we’ve built to ensure the games run well. And with regards to the supply chain, it looks like builds of the consoles will be uninterrupted.”

Phil seemed unfazed by the unfortunate circumstances befalling the gaming industry these past two months. He spoke about Microsoft’s philosophy of holding their customers’ attention in the competitive gaming space.

“Our strategy does not revolve around how many Xboxes I sell this year. We’re focused on delivering services through Xbox Game Pass, which allows people to build their library for a monthly fee.”

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This ‘engagement over profit’ idea seems to be working for Xbox. They have proclaimed to be profitable, even with reduced sales in hardware expected in the coming year. 

Phil also spoke about how gaming is a leisure activity. He had thoughts on how the industry may actually survive through the pandemic and the economic crisis that may follow.

“People find real value in the investment that they make in gaming. You can buy a console, buy some games, and it can literally provide your family with hundreds of hours of entertainment. Even when we went back and looked at 2008-09, in that recession – gaming did OK. It was durable.”

Regardless of Microsoft’s plans for the Xbox, their work and their dedication seem to be working. Spencer also spoke about their core philosophy.

“Our strategy is centered around the player, not the device.“