This might be one of the most important messages we've ever seen in the 25 years of Xbox! New boss Asha Sharma and EVP Matt Booty have issued a massive statement to employees (and subsequently the public) today about the future of the brand, outlining how Xbox needs to evolve in the years ahead.
It starts off by mentioning that Xbox was "built by people willing to try things that others wouldn’t", and that the brand needs that spirit going forward as well. However, both Sharma and Booty admit that "players are frustrated" with issues like a lack of new console features, high prices, a PC presence that "isn't strong enough", and more.
"New feature drops on console have been less frequent. Our presence on PC isn’t strong enough. Pricing is getting harder for people to keep up with. And core experiences like search, discovery, social, and personalization still feel too fragmented. Developers and publishers are asking for more, too: better tools, better insights, and a platform that helps them grow faster.
At the same time, a new generation of players is coming online with different expectations. Their time is split across games, media, and everything else competing for attention. They expect more content in familiar places, want to shape the worlds they play in, and want to create and socialize together, not just play together. These changes are happening as the industry reshapes around us."
The statement goes on to say that console "remains large and stable" and that Windows is "increasingly where competition is most intense", while more players are "choosing subscriptions and services as their primary way to play".
This, along with the state of the "global and competitive" industry, means that Xbox leadership believes "the model that got us here won’t be the one that takes us forward".
Instead, Xbox will operate with the following model in the "next era":
"Xbox will be where the world plays and creates. We will build a global platform that connects players and creators everywhere. Console is at the foundation, delivering a premium experience, and cloud brings that experience to any device. You can play where you want, and your games, progress, friends, and identity stay with you across console, PC, mobile, and cloud."
"Xbox will be built to be affordable, personal, and open. We will offer flexible pricing so it’s easy to get started and keep playing. The experience will adapt to you, letting you customize how you play, helping you find what you’ll love, and connecting you with the right people. And we will be open to all creators, from individuals to the largest studios, giving anyone the tools to reach a global audience and keep their games growing over time. Our new north star will be daily active players."
Sharma and Booty mention that Xbox now has four priorities, which are "hardware, content, experience, and services".
Hardware includes ensuring that Project Helix is delivered "to lead in performance and play your console and PC games", content involves growing the portfolio and expanding into additional markets such as China, experience involves improving the user experience for both players and creators, and services involves "fortify[img] Game Pass with clear differentiation and sustainable economics", and "return[ing the business to durable growth with strong cost discipline" — just to name a few of the bullet points for each section (we'll cover the rest soon on Pure Xbox).