This generation of Xbox consoles have seen a stronger start than the Xbox One, which followed the widely successful Xbox 360. Sitting at 18 million console sales for the Xbox Series X|S family of platforms, Microsoft has endured a share of problems with consistent first-run software to keep at the pace of the PlayStation 5, which has sold over 32 million in 27 months, and the Nintendo Switch. 

In a 40-minute interview with the Kinda Funny Xcast, Xbox CEO Phil Spencer had an open discussion revolving around the public opinions of Redfall, the Activision deal, and whether Miscosoft has focused too heavily on PC, diverting its audience from the Series X. Spencer's response was he doesn't believe that simply developing great software titles will push it beyond Nintendo or Sony's platforms.

“We’re not in the business of out-consoling Sony or out-consoling Nintendo,” Spencer responds. “There isn’t really a great solution or win for us. And I know that will upset a ton of people, but it’s just the truth of the matter that when you’re third place in the console marketplace and the top two players are as strong as they are, and have in certain cases a very, very discrete focus on doing deals and other things that kind of make being Xbox hard for us as a team, [and] that’s on us, not on anybody else.”

Spencer would go on to state that the Xbox brand would like to have as many people playing on their platform as possible, as they have placed focus on cloud gaming and the XCloud. 

“We have this unique vision because we see what creators want to do. Creators want to build games that can meet players on any screen, people play with their friends regardless of what other screen they’re on, and the console is the core of the Xbox brand, there’s no doubt, so we will stay focused on making sure that console experience is awesome.

“But I know some people want to hold us up as just being a better green version of what the blue guys do, and I’m just going to say there’s not a win for Xbox in staying in the wake of somebody else. We have to go off and do our own thing, with Game Pass, with the stuff we do with xCloud and the way we build our games.”

The full interview is very candid and honest. Phil Spencer is more than aware that the Xbox family of consoles needs to broaden its appeal with an ironed out mission statement. He apologized for the state of Redfall, a much anticipated game that was showcased last June and was released in a less than optimal state. 

SOURCE: Kinda Funny