The expected event took place yesterday Microsoft podcast on the future of the Xbox ecosystem. An event that had made the hearts of the players tremble, given the countless rumors of a supposed total revolution of the gaming world since the big X. Of course, there has been a sort of revolution, but not the one everyone imagined. After all, there were those who even expected Microsoft to announce the end of the Xbox hardware. Instead, things went differently (fortunately).
In The Future of Xbox we talked about exclusives, projects for the future and above all… a title coming soon to Game Pass. Three key figures from Microsoft’s gaming division participated in the event: Phil Spencer (Head of Xbox), Sarah Bond (Head of Xbox Partners and Ecosystems) e Matt Bootyhead of Microsoft Studios.
Let’s take a look at all the evening’s announcements in detail.
The Future of Xbox: what has been announced?
Four Xbox exclusives arrive on PS5 and Switch (no, no Starfield)
The most sensational news of the podcast was the announcement that Microsoft will bring four of its exclusive games to PS5 and Switch. The titles have not yet been revealed, but it is known that it’s not the much rumored Starfield or Indiana Jones. Spencer explained that it is about four games that have already been out for a while. While not revealing the titles, Spencer provided us with an identikit: two are community-based titleswhile the other two are small gameswhich were not conceived as exclusive a priori.
Spencer also reiterated his view that exclusives are an increasingly less relevant concept in the world of video games, and that Microsoft wants to give players the freedom to choose where and how to play. However, he clarified that this doesn’t mean Microsoft will abandon exclusives, or that it will drastically change its strategy for future games. In short, it is just an experiment to test the reactions of the market and the players.
Diablo IV arrives on Game Pass
Another important news announced during the podcast is the confirmation that Diablo IV will be available on Game Pass on March 28. This is a big coup for Microsoft, which secures one of the most anticipated games of the year on its subscription service. The latest chapter of Blizzard’s famous saga will be playable on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC, and will support cross-play between different platforms.
Microsoft is already working on a new generation of Xbox
Microsoft has also hinted that it is already working on a new generation of consoles, but without giving many details. All we know is that the company is experimenting with new technologies and new designs, and that it wants to continue to innovate in the hardware field. The details on the matter are decidedly vague, while rumors of an alleged portable console continue to circulate online.
Plans for the future?
Finally, Microsoft talked about its plans for the near future. The company has promised to continue investing in first party games, and has announced that there will be at least 2024 ten major launches of exclusive titles. Furthermore, the Redmond giant has confirmed its efforts on aspects such as cross save, cross play and backward compatibility between different consoles. The rest, as often happens, were phrases of circumstance.
