Two years ago, Microsoft released the next generation of gaming consoles, the Xbox One. Since the console's intitial reveal until today, the console has changed quite a bit. It went from always-online to online whenever you want it to be, it went from having Kinect inclusion only to offering Kinect-less bundles – in short Microsoft has done their best to offer fans what they want.
Comparing the Xbox One's reveal and the Xbox One today, you could say Microsoft did pretty well. Now, with the Xbox One running smoothly, attention has turned to the future of Microsoft's gaming division – will the Xbox One be the last proper console from Microsoft?
It would be easy to consider that, as Microsoft has revealed gaming support for Windows 10 and analysts have said that this generation would be 'the last real console cycle.' According to the Head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, in an interview with Wired this isn't the case.
"I fully expect that you’ll see another console from us […] Our best customers are Xbox console customers, and I want to keep those people engaged both on the Xbox One and anything we might do in the future. I’m 100 percent committed to that.
I don’t want to dilute what the Xbox console customer feels. I want to expand what we’re able to do for more customers. I love that console experience. It’s obviously the core of what Xbox is about, and Xbox One is our most important gaming device inside the company. There’s no doubt about that."
Microsoft isn't simply looking at the console experience for the future of Microsoft. They are considering every Microsoft device to be utilized in their agenda to expand to new users.
"We also know there are millions and millions of gamers who access Microsoft [in other ways,] whether it’s Windows, their phone, Skype — it could be many different things every day," said Spencer. "As head of gaming inside of Microsoft, I think about how we make sure that all of those customers feel as supported and engaged as the Xbox fans do who own a game console."
It almost sounds like the future Xbox could offer an expanded crossover experience between different Microsoft devices. For now, Microsoft will be carrying on supporting the Xbox One and with it, Windows 10.
