Subsequent 12 months marks the twenty fifth anniversary of Xbox, however one of many console’s unique workforce members, Laura Fryer, is brazenly questioning one aspect of Microsoft’s gaming division. Fryer–who not works for Xbox–recently shared her response to Microsoft’s current handheld and console partnerships and concluded that the corporate “has no need” to create {hardware} anymore.
On her YouTube channel (through IGN), Fryer famous that the upcoming ROG Xbox Ally handheld units will not have any unique video games to drive gross sales and added that Microsoft’s partnerships with Asus on the hand-held and AMD on the subsequent era of Xbox displays a dim future for its consoles.
“Clearly, as one of many founding members of the Xbox workforce, I am not happy with the place issues are right now,” mentioned Fryer. “I do not love watching the entire worth that I helped create slowly get eroded away. I am unhappy as a result of, from my perspective, it appears like Xbox has no desire–or actually can’t–ship {hardware} anymore. So, this partnership is a few gradual exit from the {hardware} enterprise utterly. Personally, I believe Xbox {hardware} is lifeless.”
Fryer acknowledged that remasters of traditional video games like The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered have been massively profitable, however she questioned Xbox’s skill to make new hits. She additionally notes that Microsoft has a helpful useful resource in Sport Go, however believes that it is not sufficient to drive {hardware} gross sales by itself.
Former Xbox Dwell and Sport Go vp Mike Ybarra had a barely totally different evaluation on X. Whereas Ybarra additionally believes that Microsoft is pulling again from {hardware}, he thinks it will possibly change into the largest gaming writer if it focuses on that aim alone.
“They’ve to determine what wants to alter, and quick,” wrote Ybarra. “I am an enormous fan and can at all times bleed inexperienced… Decide your lane and stick with it… It is easy to me, Xbox ought to try to be the world’s largest writer of leisure content material. Do away with all the things else and get centered. Don’t be afraid to say what you’re. Embrace the lane… Straddling the fence isn’t a successful plan.”
A current report prompt {that a} new spherical of layoffs might hit Microsoft’s gaming division as quickly as this week. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has mentioned a number of occasions that the corporate wants to chop Xbox employees to be a sustainable enterprise. On the similar time, Microsoft’s latest quarterly report famous that web income the corporate achieved web income of $70.1 billion (up 13%) and a web revenue of $25.8 billion (up 18%). The Xbox division additionally posted year-over-year income progress.