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Xbox will do for Microsoft what the iPod did for Apple

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iBOX

Back in the early 2000s, Apple became known for their iPod devices instead of their over-priced PCs, thanks to a solid focus on that emerging digital market. Gaming is in a similar position right now, and that’s a bit of history that Microsoft is keen on repeating.

“I fundamentally believe that gaming can be a real catalyst for Microsoft’s re-emergence as a consumer company,” New Xbox chief Phil Spencer said said on the Xbox Live director of programming Larry Hyrb’s podcast. “I go back and I look at 1999 with Apple. And they, on the back of music, became a very relevant consumer brand.”

Apple has shifted beyond music in recent years, becoming more of a multiple media giant that sells overpriced everything. But it was music that gave the company a leg up when Steve Jobs took all the credit and placed better design ideas on existing products, something that Spencer says Microsoft will have the same opportunity to do so with Xbox.

“I don’t think it’s a lay-up,” Spencer said.

I think there’s a lot of things that have to be done. But it would be great to be at the part where people look back [at our history] and said, this is when Microsoft committed to gaming across everything that we did, led with what we do on Xbox One.

Microsoft had a mixed message last year with the Xbox One, revealing a console that was supposed to do all of the things all of the time. In comparison to Sony and their renewed focus on gaming with the PlayStation 4, the response was less than enthusiastic. But if going forward, if the console finally decides to be a gaming device first and foremost, with multimedia being second? I can get behind that.

Spencer also said that Microsoft’s new CEO Satya Nadella had personally told him “gaming is going to be a first-class citizen within this company.” So none of that worry about Xbox being sold off then.  Now get back to work on that Xbox 360 emulation, patch your hardware to be optimal and folks will want to buy your console when it releases here later this year.

Last Updated: April 8, 2014

30 Comments

  1. Ok bro whatever you say

    Reply

    • Drewidian

      April 8, 2014 at 20:16

      You forgot this.

      Reply

  2. Alien Emperor Trevor

    April 8, 2014 at 11:07

    So they weren’t committed to gaming when they released the Xbox or Xbox 360? Or did a different company release those? I’m confused. This is what I like about suit-speak – you can just pretend the past never happened & most of the people getting stupider by hearing your words won’t even question it.

    Reply

  3. Black Mage [Umar]

    April 8, 2014 at 11:08

    Off of this topic. To be perfectly honest…There is not much games on 360 that I would really want again…I mean they never had THAT many great exclusives, and those exclusives such as Halo are getting remakes. There is nothing new coming to 360 so effort for emulation and backwards compatibility seems like a waste of effort

    Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      April 8, 2014 at 11:10

      Please Umar, if you want to comment on articles please keep them relevant to the topic at hand. Everyone else does. *innocent whistle*

      Reply

      • Black Mage [Umar]

        April 8, 2014 at 11:12

        Yeah , well most of the time you derail the comments into a cesspool of indecent innuendos and crude jokes…Oh wait that’s just Avo. You’re cool :p

        Reply

        • HvR

          April 8, 2014 at 11:16

          do not forget the videos

          damn avo videos…
          *rocks silently back and forth in the corner

          Reply

      • Rince

        April 8, 2014 at 11:21

        Wow 0-O

        Reply

  4. Her Highness the Hipster

    April 8, 2014 at 11:14

    i still love my ipad, and iphone, and imac. apple for life!

    Reply

    • Black Mage [Umar]

      April 8, 2014 at 11:15

      Just had to throw that in there didn’t ya

      Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      April 8, 2014 at 11:19

      i,i,i,i – it’s not all about you ;P

      Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      April 8, 2014 at 11:20

      So last week a friend buys a Iphone and she brings it to the table at the pub asking us if we can help configure her phone. Thing is we all use Android and it ended like a scene from Space Odyssey.

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        April 8, 2014 at 11:21

        Wrong genius bar lol

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          April 8, 2014 at 11:23

          Only one in town apparently

          Reply

      • Rince

        April 8, 2014 at 11:22

        Did you have an Xbone instead of a real one? 😉

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          April 8, 2014 at 11:23

          LOL

          Reply

  5. FoxHoundR - 720p is bestest

    April 8, 2014 at 11:16

    Hatas gonna hate! Xbox is the bestests. It comes with the secret sauce and the poweh of the cloudz.

    http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s–DDCW6ieQ–/c_fit,w_320/gr2jvypq1unw7ujrucci.gif

    Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      April 8, 2014 at 11:27

      We both know that in your case the sauce is not a secret 😉

      Reply

  6. FoxHoundR - 720p is bestest

    April 8, 2014 at 11:18

  7. Rince

    April 8, 2014 at 11:21

    Yeah… NO.

    Reply

  8. FoxHoundR - 720p is bestest

    April 8, 2014 at 11:22

    Sony fans are like this guy

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      April 8, 2014 at 11:24

      They own private jets?

      Reply

    • FoxOneZA

      April 8, 2014 at 12:15

      Fake Banana or not fake bananananna! That is the question!

      Reply

  9. Gr8_Balls_o_Fire

    April 8, 2014 at 11:33

    Apple is entering the domestic helper market this year. The over-priced iRon

    Microsoft will follow with the fabric softener – Microsoft

    Reply

  10. Martin du preez

    April 8, 2014 at 12:42

    Ol’ Philly really needs to lay off the Mageu no1.

    Reply

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