Xbox’s Path to Success

As of late, Xbox has been absolutely killing it. They are making industry-rattling news every week, and show no signs of slowing down. The hype train has hit max speed, and the fanbase is absolutely ecstatic. Xbox’s success is the result of carefully laid out plans from the last generation. Below are ten decisions from last-gen that have enabled Xbox to go forth and prosper this gen.

Phil Spencer Becoming Head of Xbox

All of Xbox’s success this generation is the result of Phil Spencer being named Head of Xbox. His leadership, vision, and ability to rally the brand and its fans have been nothing short of incredible. Without Phil Spencer in charge, Xbox would be in a much different position.

Listening to Feedback

A key component of Xbox’s success is its willingness to listen to fans. The Xbox community was very vocal during the last generation about shortcomings with the brand and their desire for change. As a result, Xbox went all out with Backward Compatibility, acquired/built studios to bolster first-party content, and fully embraced being a pro-consumer ecosystem.

Backward Compatibility

The Backward Compatibility of the Xbox ecosystem is truly incredible. The three previous generations (OG, 360, One), being playable on the Series S/X is pure tech wizardry. While some of these games have also been enhanced to look and run better than ever before.

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Embracing PC

By shedding the notion that Xbox is only the console, the brand opened the doors for many new fans into their ecosystem. Xbox is now considered the console, PC, and any device through which one can stream xCloud. Flexibility and diversity of options are key to the Xbox brand.

Cross-play

Prior to the last generation, people on different platforms were not able to play multiplayer games together. Xbox really pushed the cross-play initiative. And the result has been outstanding. It has now become standard practice for most multiplayer games to support the feature, which is great news for gamers.

Xbox Gamepass (Console & PC)

Xbox’s decision to create Gamepass has completely changed the industry. Xbox aimed to create the gaming equivalent to Disney+ and Netflix. All the while featuring exclusive content at an affordable price. The number of Gamepass subscribers continues to skyrocket. More companies are putting their games into the service, while Xbox’s first-party games launching day one into the service. It is undoubtedly, the best value in gaming.

Studio Acquisitions

To bolster their first-party lineup, Xbox acquired a plethora of high-quality studios. These studios are diverse in their skillsets and bring creative uniqueness to the Xbox family. The recent acquisition of Zenimax and its eight studios just further bolstered the brand’s first-part offerings. Xbox has indicated no sign of stopping acquisitions.

Internal Studio Growth

In addition to acquiring a multitude of new studios, Xbox has spent years growing its internal studios as well. Older established studios and new members of the Xbox family have both been hiring and growing at rapid rates, which further bolsters their capabilities.

xCloud

The introduction of xCloud was another Xbox gamechanger. The ability to play Xbox titles on mobile phones and tablets via streaming was groundbreaking.

Being Bold

Xbox owes a lot of its success, to the willingness to be bold. If they hadn’t had the courage to try new things and buck established norms in the industry, Xbox wouldn’t be where it is today. Gamepass, Backward Compatibility, studio acquisitions, and the Series X reveal at the Game Awards are just a few examples of their boldness.