Phil Spencer just finished his Gamelab 2020 keynote. Titled 'On the verge of a new generation', the talk with New York Times journalist Seth Schiesel spanned several topics, with the upcoming Xbox Series X launch predictably taking center spot.
When asked how he felt after Sony's recent PlayStation 5 showcase event, Phil Spencer praised the competitor for putting up a good show but then expressed strong confidence in the Xbox Series X platform and games.
The hardware advantages that we've built will show up. I feel good about our games lineup and our first-party content show in July. We've taken user feedback from the last event and I think people will be pleased about what will be showcased.
We really set up to be player-led in designing the Xbox Series X. We want the power inside of the console to be predictable, and to be easy to develop for.
That said, Phil Spencer acknowledged the visual leap may not be as noticeable as it was with the switch from 2D to 3D for instance. On the other hand, things that have long been responsible for breaking immersion when gaming such as loading times, high latency input et cetera will receive a 'dramatic' step up in the next generation.
With regards to how Microsoft intends to measure up its upcoming first-party content with Sony's acclaimed PlayStation exclusives, the head of gaming at Microsoft said the goal won't be to replicate what other people have done. He also added he's proud of the diversity of content that the Xbox Game Studios are creating, and mentioned it'll be a mainstay going forward.
Spencer then said that the success of Xbox Game Pass is making it easier for Microsoft to convince developers and publishers to get on board with the program.
Lastly, Phil Spencer reiterated once again the importance of the Xbox All Access subscription program, particularly given the economic recession.
Xbox All Access will be critical for the Xbox Series X launch and our generation. The response has been great so far and you're going to see a much broader usage with the next console. I think it's going to be even more important given the current economic situation, not having to pay a big upfront cost for the console.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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