Phil Spencer is a memorial. Indeed, the legendary Xbox boss is highly regarded by gamers and the press and has established himself as one of the most recognizable faces in video games over the past few years. Phil Spencer is more than these equivalents at Nintendo or Playstation, more than some video game developers, the embodiment of the brand he carries. And if the man generates a lot of affection within the community, the idea of his departure now seems completely unlikely. But his succession, in his own words, is already underway.
Phil Spencer’s successor is seething
Friendly and smiling, Phil Spencer is the one who got Xbox back on track. After the debacle at the launch of the Xbox One, he succeeds Don Mattrick and transforms the manufacturer’s image. To the point where he is quickly assimilated as a savior as he occupies an increasingly important place in the industry. Phil Spencer is thus portrayed as the man to whom we ran the Backward Compatibility Program, the launch of the Xbox One X and Xbox Series X | S, the Bethesda buyout or the birth of the Game Pass. Of course, it’s not up to him, but these successes come under his leadership and become his legacy.
A legacy that he inevitably has to leave behind at some point. The gaming boss at Microsoft sees this very realistically and knows that he has it “More years back [lui] than in front “. Nothing normal anymore after 33 years at Microsoft, including almost 20 at Xbox. And for this reason he is already thinking and preparing for the future. More precisely, that Microsoft is pushing it. Because it’s less about changing people than about ensuring that the teams deployed can continue to work in an ideal environment. That’s how he describes it below GQ.
You have to do this if you are thinking about the sustainability of your teams in the long term. […] The longevity of this team, its durability, there is nothing more important to me at the moment. and [Il faut s’assurer] that we make the right decisions about who to bet on. All of this has to survive me
Indeed, Phil Spencer’s philosophy last became the identity of Xbox. A company that is able to be innovative, take risks for the future and establish itself as a unique player in the market. With the Game Pass, the adaptive controller and cloud gaming, the company is now making its mark in the industry. And the challenge is to maintain that state of mind in the future. This is all the more important as Xbox is now an important part of Microsoft’s strategy.
[Grâce à Microsoft] We have the financial capacity to do the things we believe we need to do
Who should take over the helm of Xbox in the medium term?
When it is difficult to say with certainty who will succeed Phil Spencer, three names seem more appropriate than the others. Most natural would probably be Matt Booty. Xbox Game Studios director held much the same position as Spencer prior to assuming his post at the helm of Xbox. The man is known to the players, has a well-functioning contact book and knows how to manage and organize talent within development teams. It is also involved in the acquisition of the latest teams and perfectly embodies the creative freedom Xbox desires and sustains.
Matt booty
Sarah Bond also seems to have the wind in her sails. In fact, the vice president is becoming increasingly visible and regularly sits next to Phil Spencer at Xbox events. She perfectly embodies the future of the brand, she is responsible for partnerships with third parties. More than anyone else, she is involved in obtaining publication contracts for the Game Pass, which is at the heart of Microsoft’s strategy. And when its qualities can no longer be proven, it also perfectly embodies the contemporary values of the manufacturer.
Sarah Bond
Finally, more discreetly, we probably shouldn’t forget about Kareem Choudhry. The brilliant mind of Cloud Gaming has had a number of technical achievements in recent years that have helped Xbox to differentiate itself in the industry. Backwards compatibility? It is thanks in large part to him. xCloud? Unthinkable without Kareem Choudhry. And the man is undoubtedly still busy with other projects today. In other words, more than Booty or Bond, he’s the one who deeply carries the innovation and risk-taking advocated by Phil Spencer.
Kareem Choudhry
The future will tell us what it will be made of. What is certain, however, is that Xbox is already bearing the fruits of the Spencer era. An era that is slowly drawing to a close and that could well bring about a “new golden age” to comfort her. The brand image is doing very well, the prospects for games have never been better and the players seem very happy. Spencer’s story doesn’t end there. His legacy too.
