Moon Games Studio CEO Thomas Mahler has stated that XBOX leadership was “too focused on the past,” responding on social media to several reported closures by XBOX Game Studios.
Ninja Theory, the studio behind Hellblade, is being closed just days after revealing a new title at the XBOX Games Showcase, while Double Fine and other studios are seeking deals with XBOX to avoid closure.
The closures come amid sweeping changes from new XBOX CEO Asha Sharma, but Mahler believes that all the turmoil will ultimately be positive for the company.
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Mahler Says XBOX Leadership ‘Too Focused on The Past’
In a lengthy post on X, Mahler explained how the ‘heartbreaking’ changes could be good for games and gamers, as XBOX “has struggled for a long time to identify, empower, and protect the key creative people and teams who could have kept the brand at the top.”
He claims that during the development of Ori and the Blind Forest, and its sequel, Will of the Wisps, it was “clear that the main focus was still Halo, Gears [of War], and Forza.”
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Mahler had hoped that Microsoft would “turn Ori into their Mickey Mouse or Mario-esque mascot,” claiming he “emailed Phil [Spencer] plenty of times that XBOX should have their eyes on delivering magical experiences for kids and families as well, like Disney and Nintendo always have.”
However, he says, “the powers to be were probably too focused on the past for that to happen.”
XBOX still has a big year ahead, with the releases of Halo: Campaign Evolved and Gears of War: E-Day on the horizon, fresh off the back of Forza Horizon 6, and further changes are expected in the months ahead.
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For your next read, take a look at Double Fine addressing the XBOX shutdown situation.
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