In an interview with Xbox's Matt Booty, he remarks on the recent studio acquisitions, and compatibility across all Xbox platforms.
Microsoft’s newest console is deviating from the norm. Instead of giving it a name that evokes the next evolutionary step for the Xbox brand, it introduces a more inclusive title. The simply named “Xbox” and the “Series X” model is indicative of Microsoft’s next steps as we move into the new console generation. Xbox’s Matt Booty discusses the company’s mindset on a number of topics moving forward, including compatibility and studio acquisitions.

In an interview with MCV, Booty remarks on compatibility. During launch, rather than having an “Xbox Series X exclusive,” it will be “Xbox exclusive” meaning these first-party games will be available for all Microsoft’s platforms, both new and existing.

“As our content comes out over the next year, two years, all of our games, sort of like PC, will play up and down that family of devices,” says Booty. “We want to make sure that if someone invests in Xbox between now and [Series X] that they feel that they made a good investment and that we’re committed to them with content.”

It’s well known that Microsoft was on the hunt in acquiring new first-party studios, and for good reason. Most of the qualms about the Xbox One generation deal with the lack of quality first-party titles. Not that there aren’t any, but none of them hit as hard as the competition. Now with 15 studios under the Xbox Game Studios umbrella, this gives the Xbox brand a better chance to create a more diverse lineup of first-party games. As such, studio acquisition isn’t necessarily the focus moving forward, but isn’t out of the question.

“We may or we may not acquire more studios down the road. But I think that we hit a point where we had gone through a phase of adding new studios,” Booty explains. “And that’s a lot of work to make sure that we get the studios onboarded correctly, that we make sure that everyone feels secure.”

In the end, the main goal is to have a “steady slate of games.” Which makes sense. You want to keep people playing the console, as well as add more value to the already valuable Xbox Game Pass subscription service. To Booty, this means releasing a game every three or four months.

Personally, I think this is a smart move, and one that I’ve expected from Microsoft, especially with the introduction of backward compatibility and Xbox Game Pass. Like any “console war,” there will be negative feedback. I’m sure the “no exclusive” debate will inevitably pop up. But bringing games to a wider audience promotes a more consumer-friendly approach. I guess will find out soon when the Xbox Series X launches during Holiday 2020.



Posted: Jan 13, 2020 9:37 am
Related Forum: Xbox Forum

Source: https://www.dualshockers.com/xboxs-matt-booty-compatibility/