In the last few months, the concept of ‘everything being an Xbox’ has skyrocketed. Following a marketing campaign from Xbox that stressed just that notion, many have questioned the company’s future in the hardware market. It’s no big secret that Team Green has fallen behind PlayStation in recent years, and the goal to make Xbox an ecosystem without technical borders is front and centre.
One former executive – one of the most eccentric, by some accounts – has gone on record suggesting that Microsoft wouldn’t make consoles if the tech titan had the choice. In an ideal world, Microsoft would drop hardware and focus on delivering games to all kinds of devices.
‘The Classic Netflix Model’
If you so desire, you can pick up an Xbox controller and play games right now without owning an Xbox console. That’s possible through Game Pass apps, cloud solutions, VR headsets… You name it. You no longer need to have an Xbox console in your home to be an Xbox fan.
That’s what Peter Moore, one of the most prolific former Xbox executives, said during a recent podcast appearance. He appeared on Danny Peña’s show to discuss console wars, the propagation of first-party games on other platforms, and Microsoft’s status in the console space.
When asked if Microsoft should keep going with hardware, Moore explained:
If they had the choice, would they make hardware? No. Would they be delighted if they could be a multi-hundred-billion-dollar entity delivering content directly to your television or to whatever monitor you choose to play on? You bet.
It’s the classic Netflix model. No latency, no lag – you’re in, and there doesn’t need to be a box between you and your controller and the TV set. Still, consoles are – as we’ve seen particularly with Nintendo now… People love their hardware.
Thanks to VGC for the initial quote.
In many ways, Microsoft is already leaning towards this future, but recently, rumours surfaced suggesting that developers are already crafting games for the next-generation Xbox platform. That rumour was tied to whatever Call of Duty game is coming in 2026, but as with all rumors like that, take it with a pinch of salt.
Do you think Microsoft should quit making consoles and focus on the software side of things? Let me know in the comments.
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Honestly they should I guess the big hurdle is Game Pass. If Valve’s new console can run Game Pass and be super accessible to anyone that could be their big thing.