Microsoft says it is about to share ‘the future of Xbox’
Intriguing statement comes amid rumours of changing relationship with PlayStation 5
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Microsoft is about to share a major announcement about its “vision for the future of Xbox”, the company has said.
The announcement came amid fresh speculation over whether the company is about to make a major change to its relationship with rival consoles.
Phil Spencer, the head of Microsoft Gaming, did not specifically link the announcement to those reports. But he did appear to suggest that it was the result of questions and speculation – which have largely related to the expectation that Xbox games might be coming to other platforms.
“We’re listening and we hear you,” Mr Spencer wrote. “We’ve been planning a business update event for next week, where we look forward to sharing more details with you about our vision for the future of Xbox. Stay tuned.”
The announcement, posted on Monday night, came after increased reports that some previously exclusive Xbox games could be coming to other platforms. In recent days, prompted in part by the discovery of files in games, there has been speculation that titles such as Starfield, Hi-Fi Rush, the upcoming Indiana Jones game and Sea of Thieves could be coming to other platforms, such as the PS5 and Nintendo Switch.
Mr Spencer gave no further information on the update, or any confirmation that it related to those rumours. It remains unclear when that business update will be held or what it might actually consist of.
Xbox is yet to give any kind of public comment on the speculation that games might be coming to other platforms. That uncertainty has led to some Xbox players suggesting that they might feel badly treated if the games come to other platforms, given they might have bought the console specifically for those titles.
The uncertainty joins other questions over the future of Xbox, including how Microsoft intends to treat new games developed by Activision Blizzard, the Call of Duty developer that it bought last year. It is still yet to confirm which new games might come to Xbox Game Pass, for instance, and when that might happen.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments