The Xbox mission statement of expansion and accessibility of its own ecosystems continue to explore in this latest potential development. In an interview with Polygon, CEO of Xbox Phil Spencer spoke with the publication at the annual Game Developers Conference about removing the closed platform walls between console and PC platforms in order to blend the two together. Polygon asked for clarification, and the Xbox boss elaborated when asked if platforms like Epic Games and Itch.io could be accessible via Xbox;

"Yes," Spencer replied. "[Consider] our history as the Windows company. Nobody would blink twice if I said, ‘Hey, when you’re using a PC, you get to decide the type of experience you have [by picking where to buy games]. There’s real value in that.” Spencer believes console players would benefit from that freedom too — and so would console makers like Microsoft.

Spencer continued explaining how console manufacturers in the past would (in laymen's terms) produce a console at a cost, and then rely on the production and release of high demand software to make back the costs of creating the machine, and hopefully next that into profit throughout the respective generation's lifespan. He's pointed out the subsidizing hardware method reached its limits to a degree, and Moore's law has slowed down. 

Looking at what Microsoft has done, following the purchase and acquisitions of Bethesda and Activision Blizzard and keeping some respective software multiplatform, accessibility creates more opportunities for the holder to generate profits, while the consumer isn't walled into having to own a specific platform for one or two high-end games on a console. For instance, the Tango Game works developed Hi-Fi Rush, highly acclaimed and launched as an Xbox exclusive, will be released on the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5. Sony, meanwhile, may be seeing buyer's remorse, following their acquisition of Bungie, the developer of Destiny 2.

Will there be a future in seeing PC platforms on console? Is this the way of the future, in an industry that has peaked when it comes to commercial outreach?

SOURCE: Polygon