Phil Spencer Confirms Upcoming Consoles, Highlights Xbox Growth Focus on PC and Cloud

Recently, Microsoft’s series of strategic decisions have left gamers pondering the company’s direction, especially with talks about Xbox exclusives possibly heading to PlayStation without “red lines.” However, when it comes to Xbox consoles, Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox, assures fans that Microsoft plans to continue developing consoles and explore “other devices” in the future.

In a detailed interview with Rolling Stone about Xbox’s future, Spencer highlighted that the most significant growth in Xbox player numbers is coming from PC and cloud gaming. He explained, “The console market overall isn’t expanding. We cherish our console players, but to keep growing Xbox, we need to focus on PC, cloud, and making our games accessible across various platforms.”

This discussion aligns with Xbox’s latest campaign. The video, featured above, emphasizes that regardless of the device you own—whether it’s an Xbox console, PC, Samsung Smart TV, handheld device, mobile phone, Amazon Fire TV Stick, or even a Meta Quest—you have access to Xbox. Spencer spoke about evolving the brand, mentioning, “It started as a literal box—the Direct X box. Now, it’s all about accessibility. Xbox is no longer tied to just one device; it’s on your smart TV, PC, and phone, and we are in the midst of this transition.”

Moreover, Spencer remarked that while the Xbox team will indeed develop more consoles, they’re also focusing on other types of hardware. “We’re redefining what Xbox means for the future,” he noted. “I want Xbox to still be relevant and thriving 20 years down the line, which means embracing a variety of hardware.”

Looking ahead, it’s evident that the Xbox team is thinking big: Microsoft is already in the early stages of creating an Xbox handheld device, although it might be several years before it’s released. Meanwhile, Xbox engineers continue to enhance the Xbox app for use on diverse hardware, underscoring their commitment to a wider gaming ecosystem.