2020 is turning out to be a terrible year for the entertainment industries of the world. While no one could have predicted a globa💟l pandemic hitting, most companies aren't gearing up for a big new launch this holiday season. Microsoft is (along with its chief competitor, Sony), but it seems the head of Xbox Phil Spencer is pretty understanding when it comes to the average person's economic situation.
In an int🍬erview with BBC News, Spencer stated, "If this is not the year when a family wants to make a decisi꧃on to buy a new Xbox, that's OK." This came after a series of questions focused on how COVID-19 has impacted the gaming industry. As Spencer notes, gaming isn't immune to recessions but tends to favor better than other industries. The housing market crash of the late 2000s saw a small dip for Microsoft, but nothing too substantial.
"We see the impact of people getting furloughed and layoffs. It's tough," Spencer noted. "And we are a leisure activity. We're not a requirement. We're not food. We're 𒐪not she🍸lter. So we want to be really tuned in to that as we launch. How can we make it as affordable as possible? How can we give buyers choice?"
A little further into the discussion, Spencer said that the choice might come down to people sticking with their current Xbox One console. Since that is a very real possibility, Spencer committed to supporting the device for the foreseeable future. It seems Microsoft will have a leg up with its "Smart Delivery" system, which grants users free upgrades from their Xbox One titles to Series X.
"Our strategy does not revolve around how many X🌼boxes I sell this year. We're focused on delivering services through Xbox Game Pass, which allows people to build their library for a monthly fee," Spencer said. He also mentioned backward compatibility, which gives Xbox gamers a chance to relive some classic titles withou♋t needing to pull out an outdated machine.
There are some other interesting insights with the B꧃BC's article, but one thing is certain: Microsoft isn't looking for immediate success with the next generation. It will slowly build up trust with its customers and give users more choices than are possible with the competition. That's a pretty solid strategy for success if you ask me.
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