They have been gaming and writing for most of their life starting with the original Xbox, and started out as a freelancer for Windows Central and its sister sites in 2019. As CEO, Microsoft Gaming, Phil Spencer is in charge of everything gaming and Xbox at Microsoft. Given the ray-tracing capabilities of the PS5 and its own support for 8K resolution, that would be quite a feat. And as you know, Phil, were also seeing tremendous traction when it comes to game development on Azure with companies like Pearl Abyss scaling their gaming, using the power of our cloud. . With the xCloud preview, you get 50 games. Blind/low vision accessibility is still relatively sparse in video games compared to other accessibility options and design practices. Creating an extensive feature set for blind/low vision individuals required not only the right engines and technology, but also disabled users and consultants who could provide their lived experiences. What I showed them was how different audio cues could work together, and how they could also run over each other if done incorrectly, Cole said. Ryan is a diehard gamer and follower of the gaming industry, an avid filmgoer, and a passionate supporter of his alma mater, the University of Kansas. Nearly a full year later, Bill Gates, with help from Dwayne The Rock Johnson, revealed the final design of the Xbox at the 2001 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, along with the systems official release date. This meant that aside from learning how to consult on this specific project, Cole needed to familiarize himself with cars. First, the motion- and voice-control peripheral that would eventually become Kinect was announced in June 2009 at that years E3 convention. Oops. Some of the coolest things Ive seen over the past year is how people have used Minecraft to create new worlds in order to maintain even a sense of community and belonging thats so important in times like these. Regardless of the preferred platform, the creation of Blind Driving Assists is indicative of the growth of blind/low vision accessibility. And well hear more about that later. This Indiana Jones 5 trailer was revealed during Star Wars Celebration 2023. But before we move forward, why not take a look back at what brought us here in the first place? Cole is sightless, born with Retinoblastoma, causing him to go blind within two months. Phil Spencer shows that the console war is dumb. A weekly roundup of the best things from Polygon. The Xbox Series X impressed us with its zippy load times and gorgeous 4K graphics, and the entry-level $299 Xbox Series S. I also brought them the perspective that when making this game accessible, the people theyre making this game accessible for may have never played a racing game, or ever driven a car before. @XboxWire. Upgrade your lifestyleDigital Trends helps readers keep tabs on the fast-paced world of tech with all the latest news, fun product reviews, insightful editorials, and one-of-a-kind sneak peeks. published 29 September 2016. Phil Spencer (born January 12, 1968)[3] is an American business executive and the CEO of Microsoft Gaming. In his time as boss of that division, he oversaw the development of several exclusive franchises like Forza Motorsport, Halo, and the lineup of Xbox One exclusive launch titles that includedDead Rising 3 and Ryse: Son of Rome. Thats why Im so excited that so many games are evolving into these metaverse economies and societies, just like Minecraft, right? Phil Spencer shows that the console war is dumb. Watch the latest video game trailers, and interviews from the biggest gaming conventions in the world. The acquisition has considerable ramifications for Xbox and the gaming industry as a whole, but it also heralds a shift internally for Microsoft. Directed by James Mangold, the movie also stars Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas, John Rhys-Davies, Shaunette Renee Wilson, Thomas Kretschmann, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook, Oliver Richters, Ethann Isidore, and Mads Mikkelsen. Before its official launch, the game will feature two test periods! Game streaming has felt like the "next big thing" in gaming for the past decade. CEO Satya Nadella stated that the company internally referred to the xCloud endeavor as . Nadella: Thats right. Spencer will report to Terry Myerson, executive vice president of the company's Operating Systems Group, which covers Windows, Windows Phone and the Xbox One operating system. Spencer has spoken years before about the art of gaming, and how backward compatibility is a huge . Its been a game changer for me. Related: Fortnite Is Taking Over Twitch (And The World) Xbox boss Phil Spencer announced the company's intentions to sit out the popular Battle Royale wave in response to an inquiry via Twitter.When asked if Microsoft had any plans to focus on a Battle Royale game as a first-party title for the Xbox One, Spencer very clearly denied any plans to do so. Despite the marketing teams belief that the abbreviated Xbox name wouldnt fly, the label went over well with focus groups, providing the company with one of the final elements it needed to pull back the curtain on its creation: A catchy name. The high cost of manufacturing the Xbox didnt do its creator any favors, making the next big event in the systems timeline even more surprising. You get a lot of cues from the games audio already like what surface youre driving on, what your cars RPM is, how fast youre going with the wind flying by you, and what we wanted to do was make sure the sounds that we were using to provide this extra information that the blind player needed to get around the track wouldnt conflict with those sounds.. The idea that they are a company of the past must have forced them to develop new products and tailor them to their customers preferences. The console will be packed with a new controller that mostly resembles the Xbox Ones controller design, but with a dedicated share button similar to the Nintendo Switch and PS4. Microsoft is celebrating Earth Day with a new, environmentally-friendly Xbox controller. Digital Trends Media Group may earn a commission when you buy through links on our sites. On April 18, 2002, Microsoft slashed the price of the Xbox from $299 to $199. In fact its a milestone for our company, our business and our industry. That built-in catalog is an extra value on top of all the new games available on the system that take advantage of its impressive technical specs. Xboxs accessible innovations and developments have benefited disabled players for years. The updated Xbox One S shrank the system considerably, adding in HDR support and a 4K Blu-ray player, while the Xbox One X was the most powerful console in the world at the time of release. It would allow players to enter the new ecosystem more quickly, and Microsofts own Xbox console exclusives will also be compatible with Xbox One systems for at least a year after the Series X launches. 10 Things We Noticed in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom - Video Feature, Resident Evil 4 Remake: The Mercenaries Mode - Leon S Rank Gameplay, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny - Official Trailer 2 | Star Wars Celebration 2023, Fan-Favorite Deadpool 2 Character is Returning for Deadpool 3, Zack Snyder Finally Explains His Thoughts Behind Justice League's 'Knightmare' Scene, King of the Hill Actor Confirms Revival Will Feature a Time Jump, CMA Says Microsoft Would Lose 'Substantial' Money By Making Call of Duty Exclusive in 'All Plausible Scenarios', New Update Available Today For Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, The Biggest Games Coming in May and Beyond, Moon Mystery - Official Kickstarter Trailer, Resident Evil 4 Clockwork Castellan Locations. [19], Spencer received the Lifetime Achievement award at the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. "It's been a remarkable year for Xbox and I am honored to lead the team at this incredible time for Microsoft and the games industry.". Although the sales of the 360 trailed behind Nintendos Wii, which sold close to 100 million, it outsold the Ps3 by around 5 million. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. The Xbox Wireless Controller Remix Special Edition will launch on April 18, just a few days ahead of Earth Day on April 22. However, Spencer acknowledges that studios need to continue learning for this to happen. Spencer, who most recently served as the chief of Microsoft Studios, will now lead that division as well as the entire Xbox business, including Xbox Live, Xbox Music and Xbox Video. The Gaming Leadership Team and I look forward to answering as many as we can at our next Monthly Gaming Update on Jan. 26. The former head of . As we prepare for the next generation, our efforts to make gaming more inclusive, more immersive, more . See our ethics statement. You can also access most of these through the Game Pass cloud computing program. Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has been very outspoken about the release of the Xbox Series X/S, and has made many comparisons to Sony's PlayStation 5.Now, a week before Microsoft's new consoles . One key component to the consoles success was the popularity of its flagship game, Halo, which offered the one-two punch of being both exclusive to the Xbox and one of the first-person shooter genres most compelling, groundbreaking titles to hit shelves in years. For Turn 10 Studios, not only does Blind Driving Assists open the Forza series to a new group of people, but its creation is also indicative of a growing acknowledgment of often-underrepresented players. All eyes are on Microsoft on Tuesday, following the company's announcement that it's moving to acquire Activision Blizzard in a monumental $70 billion deal. Blind Driving Assists are a series of settings that disabled players can activate that translate visual information into audio cues. Sign up for Verge Deals to get deals on products we've tested sent to your inbox daily. Ahead of the first-ever Xbox & Bethesda Showcase on Sunday, Head of Xbox Phil Spencer hosted a series of conversations with Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, and members of Microsofts Gaming Leadership team on the future of gaming at Microsoft. Phil Spencer (born January 12, 1968) [3] is an American business executive and the CEO of Microsoft Gaming. The system resembles a PC tower, but can still be placed on its side, and features a large number of vents in order to keep itself cool. Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. We also believe that creative success and autonomy go hand-in-hand with treating every person with dignity and respect. And thats where Game Pass comes in. LARRY HRYB: Because, Rebecca, I don't know if you know this, you've had a chance to play it, but nighttime is kind of dread time. They need to consider what kinds of audio cues were used for each thing. We look forward to extending our journey to create a more diverse and inclusive culture to our new colleagues at Activision Blizzard, and ensuring all our employees can do what they love, while thriving in a safe and welcoming environment one where everyone feels empowered to do their best work. Ive been in many cars, but Ive never been behind the wheel of one. This includes. It is being marketed as the worlds most powerful console, with speculation that it could end up being even more powerful than Sonys PlayStation 5. Phil will continue his close partnership with Yusuf Mehdi, who leads business strategy and marketing for Xbox, George Peckham, who heads up third-party partnerships and Mike Angiulo, who will continue leading Xbox hardware. 2023 Vox Media, LLC. Y'all keep saying that but it's been 4 long years since 2018, and we've barely heard a peep from most of the new studios. Even with all of the problems for early adopters of the system, the 360 sold amazingly well. Despite renewed enthusiasm in the Xbox brand following the decision to remove consumer-unfriendly features, the Xbox One has found itself in a nearly constant struggle to match the sales of the PlayStation 4. You had to go to the arcade. Along with being able to connect with friends (and strangers), Xbox Live also made it possible to download new content and take multiplayer interaction to a new level. His lived experiences as a disabled individual afford him the opportunity to provide insight that is not only beneficial for developers, but also the blind/low vision community itself. Its about more players and more creators. You can find Zachary on Twitter @BoddyZachary. This Xbox Series S deal gets you an extra wireless controller for free, All cross-platform games (PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC), You cant share Xbox screenshots or videos directly to Twitter anymore, The best upcoming Xbox Series X games: 2023 and beyond, Dont fall for this fake Xbox controller deal buy this instead, 7 excellent game deals you cant miss during Steams Xbox publisher sale, This Thrustmaster racing wheel and pedals set for Xbox is $60 off. Spencer has spent 25 years at Microsoft. In May 2013, Microsoft finally unveiled what was next for the Xbox brand, and it didnt leave players particularly happy. While the last-gen Xbox One isn't as powerful as the Xbox Series X, it's still a worthwhile console and has a huge library of great games. In Japan, only 123,000 Xbox units sold in the first week of release, validating Microsofts fear that the system would have a tough time breaking into the notoriously difficult overseas marketplace. Scripps School of Journalism in 2016. Later that year, production of the Xbox officially ceased, with the final tally of sold consoles sitting at around 24 million units. Mini Bio (1) Phil Spencer is executive vice president, Gaming at Microsoft. Arguably the most important event in the evolution of the Xbox and the growth of Microsofts place in the gaming industry occurred on the consoles first birthday with the launch of Xbox Live. By February 2003, Microsoft had already begun planning for the next generation of Xbox, codenamed Xenon at the time. We couldnt do that if we werent part of Microsoft. Later that night, however, Sony not only confirmed there would be no online requirements or restrictions on used games with the PlayStation 4, but that it would cost just $400. Thanks so much, Satya, for joining us today. I love that I can go from my PC to my Xbox to my Duo, picking up on any game right where I left off and even using the touch controls on Duo. The Xbox Series X ditches the slim design of the Xbox One S and Xbox One X for something far bulkier. If you've already upgraded to the Xbox Series X, don't worry: The vast majority of Xbox One games work on the Series X and Series S with Microsoft's Smart Delivery program. There have been reports of a second, significantly less-powerful machine that will omit a disc drive and be offered at a reduced price. (Please note that weve edited slightly for clarity.). It was there that the Xbox developer first connected with Bungie Studios, the creators of a third-person shooter Halo: Combat Evolved. The cloud will allow us to completely remove these barriers to play worldwide. Once the Activision Blizzard deal is completed, the company's leadership will also report directly to Spencer. Before we even started diving into the full design, implementation, and execution of any of these features, we brought Brandon on from the start, Chintala said. And that just grows the industry for everyone.. Phil Spencer saved Xbox. In fact, one of the things we have learned from all of the work you all have done is in some sense, it starts after the game is launched because you want to be able to experiment, learn through analytics and continuously change gameplay. Phil Spencer on the future of Xbox: we still want to take risks with games While developing traditional narrative games is harder than it has ever been, Microsoft's Xbox chief sees an. Phil Spencer is executive vice president, Gaming at Microsoft. The directional pad has also be changed to more closely resemble the Xbox Elite controller, but the face buttons, sticks, triggers, and shoulder buttons remain very similar to the Xbox One design. And whats really surprised us is that its transforming how our entire industry thinks about Xbox and how we can reach a wider audience. While the Xbox seemingly sold well in North America, the overall launch proved troubling for Microsoft, whose expectations for the system were lofty by any consoles standards let alone a brand-new system. We hold all teams, and all leaders, to this commitment. The company made nearly all of its first-party games cross-platform compatible, enabling friends on PC and Xbox One to play together and even allowing players to switch between the two platforms without losing progress. Microsofts long-rumored online gaming network had already begun its beta testing phase in August 2002, but the system went public in November with the Xbox Live Starter Kit. In the meantime, we know you will have a lot of questions. Helsley notes finding the right noises took multiple attempts, as several trials werent distinguishable enough from the natural game audio. . The Xbox 360 S hit shelves a few days later on June 18, 2010. Theyre creating entire college campuses on Minecraft. We're looking forward to extending our culture of proactive inclusion to the great teams across Activision Blizzard.". The thing that I want to stress here is that we offer a ton of customization, Cole said. Spencer said . Even with the next-generation rumors, sales of the 360 continued to assert Microsofts powerful position in the console gaming industry, and by September 2012 the company announced that it had hit the 70-million mark in units sold, and by December that number had jumped to 75 million. Mercenaries mode is a special mode in Resident Evil 4 Remake that challenges players to survive and score as many points as they can against waves of enemies, with all sorts of ways to extend time, gain score multipliers, and more. I didnt really understand how cars worked, Cole said. While the dramatic reduction in price made it nearly impossible for the company to earn any profit whatsoever from sales of the system, the move succeeded in encouraging more households to bring home an Xbox. If ever there was a knockout punch at a press conference, this looked to be it. Gamereactor UK. Spencer, who most recently served as the chief of Microsoft Studios, will now lead that. This news was followed a month later by the debut of Xbox Music and Xbox Video, Microsofts new media services that not only replaced the existing services on the Xbox but also offered an attractive, Apple-style integration across all devices running Windows software. In a sign of how gaming has changed at Microsoft under Spencer, he quickly moved into Microsofts senior leadership team in 2017, reporting directly to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella as the corporate vice president of gaming. And Coles understanding and expertise being blind is just one of many disabled experiences that Xbox looks for when creating games. Fuente. I ditched my game consoles and went cloud-only for a week. The role that Spencer now occupies has been in flux ever since Don Mattrick left in 2013 to take over as CEO of Zynga. Former PlayStation 5 exclusive Ghostwire: Tokyo will launch for Xbox Series X/S and Windows PC on April 12. Ghostwire: Tokyo was first released on PS5 and PC on March 25, 2022. You can also access most of these through the Game Pass cloud computing program. Xbox has a storied history what started out as a simple project has evolved into one of the most profitable gaming brands in the entire industry and it might help us figure out what we can expect from the company moving forward. Spencer is also currently the head of the Xbox brand and since being in charge, Phil has pushed for cross-platform play and pioneered backwards compatibility within the Xbox line of consoles. Niantic, for example, showed a great demo Pokmon Go using Mesh at our recent event. Microsoft announced a new generation during E3 2019. Activision Blizzard is one of the largest game publishers worldwide across console, PC and mobile, and its home to nearly 400 million monthly active players, along with iconic games including Call of Duty, Candy Crush, World of Warcraft and Diablo. Gameplay and accessibility producer Neha Chintala, and senior sound designer Todd Helsley explain the challenges behind opening racing games to blind/low vision individuals. When it comes to the metaverse, Phil Spencer could give Mark Zuckerberg a run for his money. Julie Larson-Green was appointed the head of Xbox hardware and studio groups, while Terry Myerson took over development of the Xbox One operating system. Aside from the general nature of driving, racing sims like Forza Motorsport add complexity like vehicle, weather, and even environmental physics depending on the car and terrain that players drive on. 468 likes, 3 comments - BitMe (@tvbitme) on Instagram: "Adems de eso, a finales de ao pasado, Phil Spencer, Head of Xbox, confirm que tambin los ." Mar 21. The release of the Xbox 360 in the U.S. on November 22, 2005, and in Europe and Japan the following month, resulted in sellouts in nearly every market except Japan, where the system still struggled to find an audience. Microsoft's Bethesda acquisition will bring exclusives like Starfield and Redfall, and the potential addition of all Activision Blizzard games would further bolster that list, but the console's real strength lies in third-party support. In a new interview, Microsoft's current Xbox head Phil Spencer revealed that, back when Don Mattrick was in charge of the division, the original goal of the team was . According to a recent report from Bloomberg, Spencer emphasized Microsoft's dedication to finalizing the deal despite acknowledging the . While this was nothing to scoff at, the number fell far short of Microsofts initial prediction of 50 million Xbox consoles in households around the world. like, xbox one launch level embarrassment. Theyre expanding that economic opportunity, too. Microsoft's gaming leadership is uniting under Phil Spencer's guidance. The head of Xbox has no immediate plans to leave the company, but he is. And now, blind/low vision players can experience a brand-new feature set called Blind Driving Assists a series of audio cues that provide track and vehicle information allowing blind/low vision players to complete races. A lot of them are available on Xbox Game Passas well, so you can try out the best games on the system without shelling out $60 left and right. Phil Spencer is the head of Xbox, as CEO of Microsoft Gaming. Already, more and more people are creating something new and magical every day. [7], With the launch of the Xbox in 2001, Spencer joined the Xbox team and served as general manager of Microsoft Game Studios EMEA, working with Microsoft's European developers and studios such as Lionhead Studios and Rare until 2008, when he became the general manager of Microsoft Studios, eventually becoming the studio's corporate vice president a year later. Game Pass gives gamers access to a massive library of games that includes throwback hits, brand-new titles on release day, and indie darlings. As Spencer notes, the games industry wants to support disabled players.

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