Next Xbox Should Be More Innovative, Phil Spencer Says

With an increasing numbers of Xbox console-exclusive games starting to appear on Sony’s PlayStation 5, some players are openly wondering why they should purchase one of Microsoft’s consoles. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has fueled some of that talk by pushing for more Xbox titles on other consoles and PC. In a new interview, Spencer also acknowledges that the hardware differences between Xbox Series X and PS5 have drastically diminished.

Spencer recently appeared on The Destin Channel, and he shared his belief that the the current console generation is too similar. That’s why he wants to see the next iteration of Xbox offer innovations that will make it an easier choice for players.

“I want us to innovate and make the hardware the differentiator,” explained Spencer. “We’ve got into this space where the differentiation on the hardware has gone down and it’s really been locked games that you’ve tried to make the identity of the hardware. I love when I see handhelds, when I see kind of unique things that hardware manufacturers do. And I want our hardware to compete… so let’s have our platform continue to innovate with services and the hardware work that we’re doing… I think that’s our identity going forward and it’s working for us now.”

This lines up with Spencer’s recent comments that he wants Xbox to “win” any console wars, while reiterating that Microsoft still plans to require that games be released on both Series S and Series X. Spencer’s remarks about handhelds may also fuel the rumors that Microsoft is developing a handheld console of its own.

In the short term, Spencer hasn’t ruled out games like Starfield crossing over to PS5, while Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Doom: The Dark Ages are both making the leap to Sony’s platform in the first half of this year. There are even reports that Xbox franchises like Halo and Gears of War may make the leap to PlayStation 5.