Laura Fryer, one of the original Xbox pioneers, recently voiced her concerns about the future of Xbox in terms of hardware. In particular, she seems to be worried if Xbox has lost interest in creating new hardware. She looks back to her time launching the OG Xbox and the Xbox 360, saying things are “chaos” before adding the new ROG Ally into the mix.
The ROG Xbox Ally has no reason to have been created and I’m disappointed in the slow erosion of the value I helped build during my time at Xbox, said Fryer. She said that maybe this new hardware partnership is Xbox’s step towards the end of hardware production and went so far as calling Xbox hardware as dead.
Xbox’s New Focus: Game Pass
Fryer went on to note that Xbox actually pivoted to Game Pass, which he described as valuable, but its long-term strategy is unclear as the 25th anniversary can be nigh. “It’s possible that these games may offer a chance for the success of Xbox and beyond. Oblivion Remastered is a title that already performs well for Xbox, and many other games sucessfully out-source,” she said, noting how these games can keep earning off of previously-successful titles.
The long-term game plan is the real problem, Fryer argued. As questions arise regarding the potential of new big hits, she wondered the following. What will get gamers excited about Xbox 25 years from now?
Looking Ahead to Xbox’s Milestone Year
As the 25th anniversary of the firm approaches, Fryers anticipates major announcements and ceremonies. The speculate whether in the upcoming year the projects of Xbox scope and their future direction may become clearer.
Industry Changes Ahead
Microsoft is said to be planning massive layoffs in their gaming division as they revealed the next generation of consoles. The sales teams will probably be severely affected by these cuts as Microsoft partners with AMD to create future Xbox devices. When these new systems would launch isn’t known just yet.