While the existence of Halo: Campaign Evolved was the biggest story over the weekend, perhaps even more notable is how it represents Microsoft’s continued shift away from exclusives. This follows Xbox president Sarah Bond calling them “antiquated” (while also promising that the next Xbox would be a “very premium, very high-end console”).
Matt Booty, president of Xbox game content and studios, offered his own take on this while speaking to The New York Times. “We are all seeking to meet people where they are. Our biggest competition isn’t another console. We are competing more and more with everything from TikTok to movies.”
This statement echoes something similar from 2020. Then-Xbox boss Phil Spencer told Protocol (via The Verge) that Amazon and Google are the “main competitors going forward” as opposed to Nintendo and PlayStation. It was within the context of cloud gaming and ultimately reaching more people worldwide, but given that Google’s cloud gaming efforts quickly fizzled out with the failure of Stadia, it isn’t the best in hindsight.
Of course, with Xbox hardware sales revenue dropping every quarter, it remains to be seen how competing with every other form of entertainment will ultimately pan out for the brand. Stay tuned for updates in the meantime.
