Microsoft Believed It Would Have To Abandon Xbox To Lead Mobile Gaming

Expert Verified By

Wanted To Become Mobile Leader In 2019!

Microsoft’s court hearings against the FTC have revealed various confidential documents, highlighting many internal discussions from Xbox executives like Phil Spencer and Matt Botty. An email also hints at Microsoft’s mobile gaming ambitions.

Previously, the documents revealed plans to make Bethesda games exclusive to Xbox. Additionally, they have highlighted budgets for PlayStation games like The Last of Us Part 2 and Horizon Forbidden West.

A deleted document points to the gaming giant’s ambitions for mobile gaming. Phil Spencer was hoping to break into the market in 2019, but he believed that Microsoft would only be able to become a mobile gaming giant if it shut down Xbox.

Why it matters: Mobile gaming is highly profitable, and Microsoft has been looking to break into the market for several years. This is also one of the primary reasons for the Activision Blizzard merger.

Phil Spencer Xbox Mobile Gaming
Source: Exputer

The email discussed a potential strategy for Microsoft’s growth in the mobile market. However, Phil Spencer claimed that the company could not become a significant part of the market without major sacrifices.

He further said:

“The only thing we could do is close all the Xbox stuff, and with the same OPEX, try to start a mobile gaming company.”

However, Microsoft decided to take a different approach. The gaming giant still supports Xbox, and the Xbox Series S|X consoles are confirmed to have sold over 21 million units worldwide.

Over four years ago, Microsoft also referenced Bobby Kotick’s approach with Activision Blizzard. However, Activision already had a massive presence in the market, and Xbox was struggling to become relevant for mobile users.

Several years later, Phil Spencer continues to be interested in this market. Previously, he claimed that Microsoft’s mobile ambitions became the strategic angle behind the $68.7 billion Activision acquisition.

Gaming giants like PlayStation have also recognized the unique position of the market, planning to bring more IPs to mobile gamers.

Furthermore, Microsoft also plans to compete with Google and Apple by making its app store. The company could launch its own store as soon as next year.

Ownership of Activision Blizzard would allow Microsoft to own games like Candy Crush, Diablo Immortal, and Call of Duty mobile. This would be a huge asset to a potential app store from Microsoft.

Was our article helpful? 👨‍💻

Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋

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

Gear Up For Latest News

Get exclusive gaming & tech news before it drops. Sign up today!

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

Battlefield 6 Devs Don’t Want To Use DLSS As Substitute For Optimization Unlike Other Studios

Battlefield 6 won't rely on DLSS for optimization, with developers aiming for strong performance across PC hardware and consoles.

Injustice 3 Confirmed To Be In Development by Green Lantern and Superman VAs

George Newbern and Phil LaMarr, voice actors for Superman and Green Lantern, have confirmed that Injustice 3 is in the works.

Bungie Now Offering Players $500 Reward Just For Playing Marathon

Sony is inviting select players for a new Marathon playtest. Players are expected to play 1 hour daily for a month to get the reward.

ASRock Releases BIOS 3.40 for AM5 Motherboards with Stability Fixes

ASRock releases BIOS 3.40 for AM5 motherboards, enhancing memory compatibility and CPU stability. Download the update now for stability.

Lost Soul Aside Regional Restrictions Lifted Ahead of Launch

Lost Soul Aside is now available to buy worldwide on Steam, with regional restrictions on the platform also being lifted.