“The more consumers who buy Xbox One, it’s a virtuous cycle for more developers to make and more consumers to play games,” the head of Microsoft’s European Studios said at a London preview event last week.
Microsoft’s been getting a lot of attention for its recent call to offer a cheaper, Kinect-free Xbox One later this year. Now, Phil Harrison, former president of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios and current chief of Microsoft’s European Studios, has said that the move will ultimately create a “virtuous cycle,” leading to more Xbox One owners followed by more developer support.
“Last week we made a very significant announcement about giving gamers a choice, a choice about how they want to enter the Xbox One ecosystem,” Harrison told OXM. “And fundamentally that is good for opening up the Xbox One ecosystem – the more consumers who buy Xbox One, it’s a virtuous cycle for more developers to make and more consumers to play games, and that is what we’re committed to achieving and continuing.”
Harrison stated that Microsoft remains “committed to Kinect as the premium way to experience the Xbox One vision.” More than 80 percent of Xbox One Kinects are active, with an average of 120 voice commands being issued each day by all users. “When you have this premium experience that is where the Xbox One comes alive,” he told OXM.
While Harrison clearly wants to paint a rosy picture for the Kinect’s future, comments from other Microsoft heads raise some questions. Last week, Microsoft’s corporate vice president for devices and studios stated that removing the Kinect could leave the Xbox One with more processing power for games.
Source: OXM
Published: May 23, 2014 06:58 pm