Typically, when watching a first-party showcase from a major gaming platform, they won’t show the logo of their rival companies in their game trailers, even if the game is releasing elsewhere. For Xbox this changes now though, as going forwards their showcases will openly use the PS5 logo alongside the Xbox logo where games will be releasing on multiple platforms. This is a small change, but represents a much larger shift in Microsoft’s approach towards gaming as a whole. The news comes from an XboxEra interview with head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, so credit to them for asking some good questions!
Expanding on the change, Spencer said “I just want to be transparent with people – for shipping on Nintendo Switch, we’re gonna put that. For shipping on PlayStation, on Steam… People should know the storefronts where they can get our games”. The switch to being open about where its multi-platform games will go is part of Microsoft’s larger strategy to make Xbox a video game brand, rather than focusing all their efforts on being a leading console. As Spencer puts it, “I want people to be able to experience our Xbox community […] on every screen we can”.
It’s an interesting time in the industry to see Xbox change its branding and public image so strongly, from being a primary PlayStation competitor to openly working alongside them, and announcing that practically any device with a screen “is an Xbox”. It’s a small step, but including Nintendo, PlayStation and Steam logos in their own showcases pushes Xbox that bit further into being less about console domination, and more about relevance across platforms and the wider industry.
Have you been enjoying Xbox’s shifting approach to gaming? How do you play Xbox, if at all? Let us know in the comments down below, and keep your eyes on GameLuster for more breaking gaming news.
