Phil Spencer Addresses Recent Studio Closures, Says He Has To Run Business

Expert Verified By

"I Have To Make Hard Decisions"

Story Highlight
  • Several Xbox studios and hundreds of employees have been laid off from Xbox this year.
  • Phil Spencer has finally talked about this after yesterday’s showcase.
  • The head of Xbox states that he took no joy in closing Arkane or Tango Gameworks.

Recently, things have been hard for Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox, as he had to make some harsh decisions. Those decisions included massive layoffs and the closure of studios like Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks.

The latter also seemed to be working on two new projects when this announcement was made, leaving fans angry and confused. Phil Spencer has finally discussed this decision recently.

According to the head of Xbox, these decisions were made to keep the business going.

Why it matters: Running a business requires compromises, and the one at the top often has to make harsh choices.

Hi-Fi Rush
Hi-Fi Rush 2 Was Potentially In Development At Tango Greatworks

In an interview with IGN’s Ryan McCaffrey, Phil Spencer discussed this situation in detail. He commented on the decisions of the hard choices he had to make this year. 

I have to run a sustainable business inside the company and grow. That means sometimes I have to make hard decisions.

-Phil Spencer

The Xbox boss also stated that he does not enjoy making such decisions. However, he believes that someone has to take the initiative and do what’s necessary to keep the business up and running.

It seems like Phil Spencer has a bit of regret about closing those studios and laying off so many people. However, as the head of Xbox, the responsibility lies on his shoulders at the end of the day.

YouTube video

He has also revealed the reason he hasn’t talked about this publicly.

The company focuses on the team and individuals. As he said, it has been hard for everyone. As a leader, Phil Spencer has to ensure that the company is doing the right thing for the team and the individuals.

He further stated that it’s not about his PR—it’s about Xbox PR. It seems like this has also taken a toll on him since Microsoft’s gaming division has been through a rough ride over the past six months.

Still, it is good to see that the Xbox boss was ready to talk about it, as this is the first time he addressed the layoffs. While there have been some hard times, the showcase last night was spectacular and the best one we have ever seen.

Was our article helpful? 👨‍💻

Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋

How could we improve this post? Please Help us. 😔

Join Our Community

Still having issues? Join the Tech4Gamers Forum for expert help and community support!

Latest News

Join Our Community

104,000FansLike
32,122FollowersFollow

Trending

AMD’s 9800X3D Pictured As ‘Ultimate Processor For Elite Gaming’ Leak Suggests

AMD Ryzen 9800X3D Expected To Launch This Year With A Promotional Game Bundle Including The Black Ops 6 Game .

Ubisoft Says Its Goal Isn’t To Push Specific Agenda, Despite Numerous Controversies

Ubisoft assured fans that it is an entertainment company and doesn't want to push any specific narrative besides making enjoyable games.

God of War Ragnarok: Bugs Make PS5 Version Look Better Than PC With RTX 4090

God of War: Ragnarok PC port has some bugs that make the visual quality a lot worse than the quality mode on PS5 at 4K native resolution.

PlayStation Expanding DE&I Unit By Hiring Specialists For First Party Games

PlayStation seems to be ramping up DE&I efforts for its first-party games across all major studios, with new hires in the DE&I department.

In Valve’s Deadlock Players Can Turn Cheaters Into Frogs By Voting

Deadlock is still in the Alpha playtest, and Valve has released a feature that allows the opponents to turn the cheater into a frog.