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And now, blind/low vision players can experience a brand-new feature set called Blind Driving Assists a series of audio cues that provide track and vehicle information allowing blind/low vision players to complete races. Phil will continue his close partnership with Yusuf Mehdi, who leads business strategy and marketing for Xbox, George Peckham, who heads up third-party partnerships and Mike Angiulo, who will continue leading Xbox hardware. Mini Bio (1) Phil Spencer is executive vice president, Gaming at Microsoft. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Email (Opens in new window), Microsoft Major Nelson Promotions Official Rules, Will Tuttle (He/Him), Xbox Wire Editor in Chief, Bringing the Joy and Community of Gaming to Everyone, E3 2018: Gaming for Everyone, a Conversation with Phil Spencer. The notion that Microsoft should develop its own gaming console began gaining traction way back in 1998, with Kevin Bachus, Seamus Blackley, Otto Berkes, and Ted Hase forming the software giants first console team after successfully pitching their idea to Bill Gates. This includes Halo Infinite, which will also be coming to PC. With Game Pass, we are truly redefining how games are distributed, played, and shared. For Turn 10 Studios, not only does Blind Driving Assists open the Forza series to a new group of people, but its creation is also indicative of a growing acknowledgment of often-underrepresented players. As you said, the recent acquisition of ZeniMax is something Im really proud of, where were bringing an amazing catalogue of games into Game Pass, just like you talked about. From the audio cues to Steering Guide, each individual asset of the Blind Driving Assists needed to go beyond assumptions and cater toward real players. The cloud will allow us to completely remove these barriers to play worldwide. See our ethics statement. It is being marketed as the worlds most powerful console, with speculation that it could end up being even more powerful than Sonys PlayStation 5. As a leadership team, we know how much exciting but difficult work we have ahead of us, so its crucial that we operate as a single, unified team. [5], "Introducing Forza Motorsport 7's December Bounty Hunter: Phil Spencer - Xbox Wire", "Head Of Xbox Phil Spencer Celebrates His 55th Birthday Today", "Welcoming the Incredible Teams and Legendary Franchises of Activision Blizzard to Microsoft Gaming", "Kinect Accelerator Mentor: Phil Spencer", "Microsoft's Videogame Boss and the Long Battle to Reinvent the Company", "Welcome Phil Spencer, Microsoft's New Xbox-Everything Honcho", "E3 2012: Phil Spencer Post-Conference Interview", "E3 2013: Phil Spencer Talks Xbox One Lineup", "Satya Nadella email to employees on tuning our organization", "Microsoft Xbox boss Phil Spencer just got a big promotion, and will now report directly to CEO Satya Nadella", "The DeanBeat: Microsoft's Phil Spencer steps up as a diversity leader", "Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo get up on stage at The Game Awards", "Microsoft to acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion", "Read Microsoft Gaming CEO's email to staff about the Activision Blizzard acquisition", "Phil Spencer Is Exactly Who You Think He Is", "Phil Spencer to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at 25th Annual DICE Awards", "New York Game Awards 2023: Elden Ring Wins Two Awards as Phil Spencer Is Honored", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Phil_Spencer_(business_executive)&oldid=1148728494, This page was last edited on 7 April 2023, at 22:55. And this holiday it was especially gratifying to see the response from fans and read the great reviews of our new first-party titles. PSN: IridiumSix. Thats why we created Game Pass, to open up the ways that players can play more games with their friends, ultimately bringing in more players, making games more accessible to everyone. . The console represents a sizeable boost in power from Xbox One X, with 6DDR6 RAM, 12 TFLOPS of GPU power, an NVMe SSD, and support for 8K resolution. I ditched my game consoles and went cloud-only for a week. [9][10][11][12], In late March 2014, Satya Nadella announced in a corporate e-mail that Spencer was to "lead the Xbox, Xbox Live, Groove Music and Movies & TV teams, and Microsoft Studios" as part of the Windows and Devices division. It was seven years ago, on March 31, 2014, that Spencer was promoted to Head of Xbox. Given the ray-tracing capabilities of the PS5 and its own support for 8K resolution, that would be quite a feat. Gaming has been key to Microsoft from our earliest of days. Even on top of all that tuning, we still allow the player to offset some of these values just a little bit to account for reaction time, and thats something that maybe theyll tune it lower when they first start while theyre learning the system, and as they get in there and start to recognize it and move faster and the reaction time becomes better, they can start to turn those values up.. In May 2013, Microsoft finally unveiled what was next for the Xbox brand, and it didnt leave players particularly happy. In this link you can check how to participate in . We are full speed ahead in our mission to bring players more ways to play their favorite games. Heres how it works. Microsoft's gaming leadership is now completely unified under Spencer, including Microsoft's gaming marketing team. Aside from the general nature of driving, racing sims like Forza Motorsport add complexity like vehicle, weather, and even environmental physics depending on the car and terrain that players drive on. Phil Spencer (born January 12, 1968) [3] is an American business executive and the CEO of Microsoft Gaming. Per tradition, Microsoft had its presentation before Sony, and revealed a $500 price for its console, with Kinect bundled with every system. Concerns regarding the systems look and design, as well as the $299 price tag, fell by the wayside with over 1 million Xbox consoles flying off shelves in the next three weeks. By submitting your email, you agree to our, Phil Spencer takes over as head of Microsoft's Xboxdivision, Sign up for the With his team and game development partners, Spencer continues to push the boundaries of creativity, technical innovation and fun across gaming genres . A free update called The Spider's Thread will release on the same day for all platforms, including Xbox Series X/S, PC and PlayStation 5. This Xbox Series S deal gets you an extra wireless controller for free, All cross-platform games (PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC), You cant share Xbox screenshots or videos directly to Twitter anymore, The best upcoming Xbox Series X games: 2023 and beyond, Dont fall for this fake Xbox controller deal buy this instead, 7 excellent game deals you cant miss during Steams Xbox publisher sale, This Thrustmaster racing wheel and pedals set for Xbox is $60 off. Its about more players and more creators. Despite the marketing teams belief that the abbreviated Xbox name wouldnt fly, the label went over well with focus groups, providing the company with one of the final elements it needed to pull back the curtain on its creation: A catchy name. This change is a reflection of the incredible work each of you are doing to create the best entertainment ecosystem anywhere. (Please note that weve edited slightly for clarity.). Xbox head Phil Spencer recently got promoted to Microsoft's executive leadership team, in a big show of confidence for gaming. Its so great to see how were working together as One Microsoft to bring the joy and community of gaming to everyone on the planet. Update, January 18th 10:50AM ET: Article updated with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadellas memo to staff. Xbox is a significant section of Microsoft, and it'll only continue to grow as time goes on. In fact, creators have generated over $350 million from more than one billion downloads of the mods, add-ons and other experiences in the game. However, blind/low vision players still cannot reliably purchase most new games despite increased interest and awareness from the disabled player base. As CEO, Microsoft Gaming, Phil Spencer is in charge of everything gaming and Xbox at Microsoft. In this Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom trailer breakdown, Logan Plant highlights Link's four new powers, along with bringing some speculation surrounding some hidden bits tucked away in the gameplay. @XboxWire. Nadella:Thats so well said, Phil. Why dont we start by talking about why gaming is such a priority for the company? Creators pushing us to improve, asking "what if" questions, players finding new innovative games from amazing teams etc. Originally labeled Project Natal (Microsoft frequently used cities as codenames, and the Brazilian city of Natal was chosen in honor of Brazilian born project director Alex Kipman),the device was expected to revolutionize the way 360 owners interacted with both their console and the media connected with it. Phil Spencer, former head of Xbox, will now lead this team as it focuses on gaming across Xbox, PC, mobile, and the cloud. Despite reports of the next big thing arriving any day, the launch of Halo 2 proved that rumors of the Xboxs demise had been greatly exaggerated to the tune of more than 2.5 million units sold in the first 24 hours the game was available. Along with being able to connect with friends (and strangers), Xbox Live also made it possible to download new content and take multiplayer interaction to a new level. And because studios continuously learn from each other, these initiatives have the potential to shape how developers approach designs and features for blind/low vision players. Theyre expanding that economic opportunity, too. We want to make it easier for people to connect and play great games wherever, whenever and however they want. I think thats fundamental to the progress that we need to make, and I think we have years and years of progress to make in this area.. But before we move forward, why not take a look back at what brought us here in the first place? Although itd be amazing if we only had to depend on game streaming services instead of PCs and gaming consoles, we havent arrived at this level of innovation quite yet. Its being used as the backend for more than 5,000 games, so a lot of exciting things that the cloud can enable. Spencer and his Microsoft Gaming team will certainly have a lot of work to do to ensure the culture inside Activision Blizzard is addressed. Its one of the leading platforms in the creator economy. Originally dubbed the DirectX Box, the console was intended to be the first game system built like a PC, bringing all of the flexibility and power of a gaming rig to the console market. Head of Xbox Phil Spencer makes his long-awaited return to Unlocked for an exclusive one-hour interview. We couldnt have done it without them.. First, the motion- and voice-control peripheral that would eventually become Kinect was announced in June 2009 at that years E3 convention. The head of Xbox Phil Spencer reportedly addressed the company's staff last week regarding the UK's move to block Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, aiming to provide reassurance to the employees about the future of the company's gaming division.. Something went wrong. Ryan is a diehard gamer and follower of the gaming industry, an avid filmgoer, and a passionate supporter of his alma mater, the University of Kansas. Game Pass gives gamers access to a massive library of games that includes throwback hits, brand-new titles on release day, and indie darlings. The head of Xbox and executive vice president of gaming at Microsoft, Spencer says popular games like . Mercenaries mode is a special mode in Resident Evil 4 Remake that challenges players to survive and score as many points as they can against waves of enemies, with all sorts of ways to extend time, gain score multipliers, and more. We believe we can play a leading role in democratizing gaming and defining that future of interactive entertainment, quite frankly, at scale. Phil Spencer: Im thrilled to be joined by Satya Nadella to talk about how Microsoft broadly can drive gaming forward. I got to get this thing onto the boat and head back to--. He worked on products such as Encarta and Microsoft Money before taking the position of Microsoft Studios' worldwide general manager in 2008 and being promoted to corporate vice president the following year. Yet, he encourages blind/low vision individuals to listen to others in the community and trust these settings. [19], Spencer received the Lifetime Achievement award at the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Obviously, todays agreement to acquire Activision Blizzard is incredibly exciting. In particular, the Activision Blizzard deal means a lot for Xbox as a whole. CNN's Richard Quest plays video games with the head of Xbox Phil Spencer who talks about the future of the company as they celebrate the console's 20th anniversary. In a sign of how gaming has changed at Microsoft under Spencer, he quickly moved into Microsofts senior leadership team in 2017, reporting directly to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella as the corporate vice president of gaming. It wil retail for $85, which is significantly more than a standard Xbox controller. Where the vehicle is, when and how to turn, and even how much cars should decelerate are just some examples of information that blind/low vision individuals can receive via audio cue with these features activated. If you buy something from a Polygon link, Vox Media may earn a commission. There was no stopping the Internet rumor train once it started chugging along, and before long the new console even had an unofficial code name: Xbox 720.. Microsoft announced that they have more than 100 titles ready to add once xCloud is officially made public. Gameplay and accessibility producer Neha Chintala, and senior sound designer Todd Helsley explain the challenges behind opening racing games to blind/low vision individuals. I recall trying . Once the Activision Blizzard deal is completed, the company's leadership will also report directly to Spencer. Cloud gaming is truly a breakthrough experience. Microsoft is committed to our journey for inclusion in every aspect of gaming, among both employees and players. Check out Spencer's words below. Microsoft announced a new generation during E3 2019. The content is the driving force behind Game Pass growth, which is why Im so excited about our acquisition of ZeniMax, which brings some of the worlds most iconic, beloved games to the service. As we prepare for the next generation, our efforts to make gaming more inclusive, more immersive, more . . But at the same time, like, when you're fishing and you start to see the sunset, I'm like, hurry up catch your fish. Xbox may be heading toward PC-style upgrades By Mike Epstein March 1, 2016 Microsoft Vice President and head of Xbox Phil Spencer said he believes the game consoles of the future will. [22], He serves on the boards of the First Tee of Greater Seattle and the Entertainment Software Association. Blind/low vision individuals use transportation every day. Spencer has been with Microsoft for 25 years, working in various departments. [5][6] During his early time at Microsoft he was known by other employees to be an avid gamer, playing games such as Ultima Online in the office. This is going to be fun.. With his team and game development partners, Spencer continues to push the boundaries of creativity, technical innovation and fun across gaming genres, audiences and . We deeply value individual studio cultures. After more than 30 years at the company, Spencer is now CEO of Microsoft Gaming, as it looks to tackle mobile gaming, the metaverse, and cloud gaming with more than 20 game studios. The 2018 release of the Xbox Adaptive Controller, feature tags on store pages, award-winning accessibility in titles like Forza Horizon 5, and even an annual showcase highlighting the varying ways in which Xbox and its studios are incorporating accessibility into their projects have put the disabled community at the forefront of Xbox conversations. In his email, Spencer stated, "Microsoft is committed to our journey for inclusion in every aspect of gaming, among both employees and players. Not everybody is built the same and we wanted to make sure we were accounting for that, he said. Activision Blizzard is one of the largest game publishers worldwide across console, PC and mobile, and its home to nearly 400 million monthly active players, along with iconic games including Call of Duty, Candy Crush, World of Warcraft and Diablo. The updated Xbox One S shrank the system considerably, adding in HDR support and a 4K Blu-ray player, while the Xbox One X was the most powerful console in the world at the time of release. Phil Spencer is taking over as the head of Microsoft's Xbox branch, the company announced today. newsletter, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom leaks early, Nintendo is likely to take these down quickly, The Wes Anderson directs Star Wars AI art fad has its first full movie trailer, The Galactic Menagerie: A Star Wars Story is dividing Star Wars fans and Wes Anderson fans, Sign up for the As part of Microsoft's plan to acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, the software giant has created a Microsoft Gaming division. LARRY HRYB: Because, Rebecca, I don't know if you know this, you've had a chance to play it, but nighttime is kind of dread time. The thing that I want to stress here is that we offer a ton of customization, Cole said. The Xbox Wireless Controller Remix Special Edition will launch on April 18, just a few days ahead of Earth Day on April 22. If you feel you dont need this giant suite of features that we made, you can turn them off, you can turn some of the audio cues down, or modify every volume individually. The systems lineup of exclusive games has been extremely limited, with Microsofts first-party development teams unable to compete with the much larger collection of Sony studios, and many of the Xbox Ones best games were also released on PC. Windows Central is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. After an uneven console cycle with the Xbox One, Microsoft's latest consoles are aimed at getting the ship back on course. It was nowhere near the sales totals of the PS2, which went on to sell over 153 million units, but the Xbox did outsell both Nintendos GameCube (which sold 21. million), and Segas Dreamcast (which sold just 10.6 million). Phil Spencer is the new boss of all things Xbox, Microsoft confirms. This meant that aside from learning how to consult on this specific project, Cole needed to familiarize himself with cars. Fuente. By the end of 2005, more than 1.5 million consoles had shipped, putting the system well on its way to becoming the new master of the console castle. Spencers new role officially, Head of Xbox sees him reporting directly to Myerson, who oversees the development teams on Microsofts operating systems (including Windows and Window Phone, in addition to Xbox). Phil Spencer is executive vice president, Gaming at Microsoft. One key component to the consoles success was the popularity of its flagship game, Halo, which offered the one-two punch of being both exclusive to the Xbox and one of the first-person shooter genres most compelling, groundbreaking titles to hit shelves in years. While this was nothing to scoff at, the number fell far short of Microsofts initial prediction of 50 million Xbox consoles in households around the world. The high cost of manufacturing the Xbox didnt do its creator any favors, making the next big event in the systems timeline even more surprising. Eagle-eyed fans. Creating an extensive feature set for blind/low vision individuals required not only the right engines and technology, but also disabled users and consultants who could provide their lived experiences. You get a lot of cues from the games audio already like what surface youre driving on, what your cars RPM is, how fast youre going with the wind flying by you, and what we wanted to do was make sure the sounds that we were using to provide this extra information that the blind player needed to get around the track wouldnt conflict with those sounds.. Not every racer needs the same accommodation, and the team wanted to ensure that everyone could find an appropriate range when using this setting. The console will be packed with a new controller that mostly resembles the Xbox Ones controller design, but with a dedicated share button similar to the Nintendo Switch and PS4. "It's been a remarkable year for Xbox and I am honored to lead the team at this incredible time for Microsoft and the games industry.". [18], Since taking over both Xbox and the Gaming division, Spencer has advocated for cross-platform play, as well as launched key initiatives, such as reintroducing backward compatibility to the Xbox platform, the purchase of Mojang and Bethesda, the further development and support of Minecraft, the introduction of Xbox Game Pass, launching the Xbox Adaptive Controller, an increased focus on PC gaming, porting some Microsoft published games to other platforms including the Nintendo Switch, the launch of xCloud, and increasing the number of first-party development studios. Microsoft is now willing to spend billions on acquisitions to bolster its gaming efforts after acquiring Bethesda last year for $7.5 billion. Phil Spencer, as CEO of Microsoft Gaming, plays an integral role in executing these visions and continuing to develop the best Xbox games, fostering a culture of inclusivity and. The blind, by majority, have never driven a car.. After experimenting with the Project xCloud initiative, Microsoft recently announced that players would be able to access a cloud gaming service. When you step back and look at the next decade and the evolution of technology, I think one of the most defining trends will be how the balance between consumption and creation is achieved and the changes it brings about. You also see the power of the cloud when you look at the evolution of some of our first-party games, like Flight Simulator. Awards on February 24, 2022,[20] and the Andrew Yoon Legend award at the New York Game Awards on January 17, 2023. More recently, if you couldnt spend hundreds of dollars on a game console, potentially thousands of dollars on a high-end PC, you simply couldnt participate in the global gaming community in a significant way. There have been reports of a second, significantly less-powerful machine that will omit a disc drive and be offered at a reduced price. Because Microsoft is becoming so flexible and actively working to keep their customers, theyll likely push the Xbox back to the top of the gaming console list. Im really excited about the opportunity in gaming. All eyes are on Microsoft on Tuesday, following the company's announcement that it's moving to acquire Activision Blizzard in a monumental $70 billion deal. Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Additional Crew: Conker: Live and Reloaded. So it won't be long before mobile catches up to desktop in terms . Just after E3, Mattrick revealed that it would change course regarding online connection requirements and used games, instead having them work as they did on the Xbox 360. The legendary games and franchises across that company have delighted millions of people for decades. As a company, Microsofts all-in on gaming. The same situation occurred with Bethesda's Deathloop, which initially launched on PS5 and PC in September 2021 and then came to Xbox Series X/S a year later. Time is running out. Ahead of the first-ever Xbox & Bethesda Showcase on Sunday, Head of Xbox Phil Spencer hosted a series of conversations with Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, and members of Microsoft's Gaming Leadership team on the future of gaming at Microsoft.We've shared some highlights from the day in another article, but we also wanted to share one of the day's biggest moments on its own. "Combining all our software, gaming and content assets across the Xbox team under a single leader and aligning with the [Operating Systems Group] team will help ensure we continue to do great work across the Xbox business, and bring more of the magic of Xbox to all form factors, including tablets, PCs and phones," said Nadella. Spencer said . The Xbox branch at Microsoft had been without a single, official leader since Don Mattrick, the president of the division, left the company last July to become CEO of Zynga. Microsoft's gaming leadership is uniting under Phil Spencer's guidance. Please join if you can. And with the cloud, gaming players can participate fully in the same Xbox experience as people on local hardware. Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox since 2014, is known to players as the guy who. Accessibility is not about competition. As players and partners, we all know how talented and dedicated the teams and studios are across Activision Blizzard. We have a lot more work, a lot more learning, a lot more experience [left], Spencer said. The much-anticipated sequels $125 million in sales made it the most successful launch of any entertainment product whether game, movie, or music album in consumer history up to that point. Even with all of the problems for early adopters of the system, the 360 sold amazingly well. The directional pad has also be changed to more closely resemble the Xbox Elite controller, but the face buttons, sticks, triggers, and shoulder buttons remain very similar to the Xbox One design. The Xbox head Phil Spencer has reportedly attempted to reassure members of the Xbox team that the cancellation of the Activision Blizzard deal will not negatively . And thats fantastic to see. Many still remained skeptical of what they saw, seeing nothing more than a fancy PC dressed up as a gaming console. That cost, the retail model have limited the audience for creators and the entire industry. And one of the things Im most excited about is how we are enabling game developers to do just that with AzurePlayFab, which now holds more than 2.5 billion player accounts. But in the rush to get the 360 into households, some serious problems with the system got a pass. Official sources referred to the new generation as, before unveiling the Xbox Series X name. For sighted individuals, this information is learned over time by trying different cars or courses. Microsofts $30 million purchase of Bungie a short time later made headlines in the game industry, but it was Bungies decision to adaptHaloto make the best use of the new consoles abilities and turn it into a first-person shooter. His official title is Head of Xbox. Nadella: Thats right. To start, Id like to thank everyone for all of the hard work and dedication that have built this business and this community. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Weve shared some highlights from the day in another article, but we also wanted to share one of the days biggest moments on its own. Games like The Last of Us Part 1s 2022 remake and The Last of Us Part 2, every NetherRealm Studios title since 2013, and The Vale: Shadow of the Crown are examples of games that are accessible to blind/low vision individuals within a vast industry of iconic series and genres. It also meant the writing was on the wall for the original Xbox. Despite renewed enthusiasm in the Xbox brand following the decision to remove consumer-unfriendly features, the Xbox One has found itself in a nearly constant struggle to match the sales of the PlayStation 4. Still, Microsoft pushed forward with new features aimed at making the Xbox and its heirs the all-purpose online media hub that it was supposed to be all along, with Xbox Live Arcade launching in November 2004. Alongside audio indicators, Helsley explains that another feature within Blind Driving Assists, the steering guide, took several years of fine-tuning before it was in an entertaining and usable state. Theyre creating entire college campuses on Minecraft. Initially known by its internal development name Scarlett, Microsoft officially unveiled the Xbox Series X during The Game Awards 2019. Nadella: Thanks so much, Phil. They have been gaming and writing for most of their life starting with the original Xbox, and started out as a freelancer for Windows Central and its sister sites in 2019. What we wanted to do is build something that fit into the oral landscape of the game already, Helsley said. 468 likes, 3 comments - BitMe (@tvbitme) on Instagram: "Adems de eso, a finales de ao pasado, Phil Spencer, Head of Xbox, confirm que tambin los ." We look forward to extending our journey to create a more diverse and inclusive culture to our new colleagues at Activision Blizzard, and ensuring all our employees can do what they love, while thriving in a safe and welcoming environment one where everyone feels empowered to do their best work.

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