Xbox Boss Phil Spencer Addresses Studio Closures: "I have to run a bussiness"

[John Elden Ring]

Xbox boss Phil Spencer has addressed the recent closure of a number of studios at Microsoft's gaming business, insisting he has to make "hard decisions" to run a sustainable business.

Speaking to IGN's Ryan McCaffrey at IGN Live, Spencer briefly commented on the shock decision to shut Redfall developer Arkane Austin and Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks as part of sweeping layoffs affecting some 1,900 staff.

"The closure of any team is hard obviously on the individuals there, hard on the team," Spencer said. "I haven't been talking publicly about this, because right now is the time for us to focus on the team and the individuals. It's obviously a decision that's very hard on them, and I want to make sure through severance and other things that we're doing the right thing for the individuals on the team. It's not about my PR, it's not about Xbox PR. It's about those teams.

"In the end, I've said over and over, I have to run a sustainable business inside the company and grow, and that means sometimes I have to make hard decisions that frankly are not decisions I love, but decisions that somebody needs to go make.

"We will continue to go forward. We will continue to invest in what we're trying to go do in Xbox and build the best business we can, which ensures we can continue to do shows like the one we just did."

Source

 

[Yobo]

Ninja Theory next then

Surely they don't consider 5 years development for a 4 hour game that peaked at 1500 players to be sustainable

 

[Loy310]

MS worth over $3.15 trillion………

 

[Nhomnhom]

Clown, this guy has cost Xbox/MS more money than anyone else.

In a few years Activision, Blizzard and Bethesda will be a shadow of their former selves and will be making way less money. This guy will milk their IPs dry and they'll all end up like Halo, Forza, Gears or Fable.

 

[ethomaz]

Man how Xbots loves this guy is out of my mind

I like him but because he was one of the key PlayStation marketing guy but for Xbox he never did anything good.

 

[2spooky5me]

Xbots: "We trust Daddy Phil. He knows whats best. You ponies are just haters!"

Xbots on PS closures: "SEE!? PS is pure anti-consumer! BURN THEIR HQ DOWN!"

 

[Say1nMan]

LMAO. What a great response from Phil. By that logic like other here had said that means Ninja Theory is next then. "Sustainable" business like Game pass? Like putting your AAA titles day n date? Like trying to make 3rd party publishers you acquired act like 1st party ignoring bigger console platforms? Phil's answer pretty much shows that a trillion dollar company couldn't even sustain a studio that came off of making an AA title that budget was no where near that of PlayStation AAA titles.

 

[Englishy]

IGN running interference for Xbox and failing to ask anything of value.

What do they consider a sustainable business? That's what he needs to explain and be super clear about.

 

[2spooky5me]

IGN running interference for Xbox and failing to ask anything of value.

What do they consider a sustainable business? That's what he needs to explain and be super clear about.

Ryan McCaffery already at Phil's house on his knees.

 

[Gods&Monsters]

You didn't have to buy them to shut them down. They were fine on their own.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

keep crying

 

[Say1nMan]

This was basically Phil during that question and answer

 

[saltyashell]

If the CoD scheme doesn't massively increase Gamepass subscriptions for the long run, I think he finally gets fired.

 

[anonpuffs]

Ryan McCaffery already at Phil's house on his knees.

Ryan McCaffery has probably been locked up in Phil's basement in a gimp suit like Pulp Fiction and his twitter handle is operated by Chatgpt

 

[Nhomnhom]

If the CoD scheme doesn't massively increase Gamepass subscriptions for the long run, I think he finally gets fired.

I don't see PC CoD players paying for it and as far as Xbox players go they already had to pay $10/month for Xbox Core anyway.

Xbox CoD players will now be giving MS less money if they opt to play it trought Gamepass and the perception of CoD as $70 game will be devalued on all platforms. MS loses no matter what. Sony still get to charge for PS+ and get their 30% cut without having to pay for CoD marketing rights and without having to spend money marketing it.

 

[Yurinka]

MS worth over $3.15 trillion………

MS, not their gaming division.

 

[Box]

Clown, this guy has cost Xbox/MS more money than anyone else.

In a few years Activision, Blizzard and Bethesda will be a shadow of their former selves and will be making way less money. This guy will milk their IPs dry and they'll all end up like Halo, Forza, Gears or Fable.

Good riddance

 

[GachaMadeMeBroke]

Absolute fucking scumbag.

 

[xollowsob]

"I have a business to run"
Where? Into the ground?

 

[GachaMadeMeBroke]

Can some please for the love of God explain why people are going “whooo” for this statement. What. In. The. ACTUAL. FUCK.