Phil Spencer on Xbox Leaks: 'Much Has Changed and There's So Much to be Excited About' - News
by William D'Angelo , posted on 19 September 2023 / 3,819 Views
Late last night plans for the future of Xbox from 2020 were leaked in an document posted by the FTC that Microsoft provided earlier this month.
Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has responded to the leak saying a lot of the plans have changed since the document was made over three years ago and there is a lot to be excited about. The team at Xbox will share the real plans when they are ready.
"We've seen the conversation around old emails and documents," said Spencer via Twitter. "It is hard to see our team's work shared in this way because so much has changed and there's so much to be excited about right now, and in the future. We will share the real plans when we are ready."
We've seen the conversation around old emails and documents. It is hard to see our team's work shared in this way because so much has changed and there's so much to be excited about right now, and in the future. We will share the real plans when we are ready.
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) September 19, 2023
Spencer has also sent internal memo to Microsoft employees obtained by The Verge, which can be read below:
Team,
Today, several documents submitted in the court proceedings related to our proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard were unintentionally disclosed. I know this is disappointing, even if many of the documents are well over a year old and our plans have evolved.
I also know we all take the confidentiality of our plans and our partners’ information very seriously. This leak obviously is not us living up to that expectation. We will learn from what happened and be better going forward. We all put incredible amounts of passion and energy into our work, and this is never how we want that hard work to be shared with the community. That said, there’s so much more to be excited about, and when we’re ready, we’ll share the real plans with our players.
In closing, I appreciate all of the work that you pour into Team Xbox to surprise and delight our players. In the days and weeks ahead, let’s stay focused on what we can control: continuing the amazing success of Starfield, the upcoming launch of the incredible and accessible Forza Motorsport, and continuing to build games, services and devices that millions of players can enjoy.
Phil
Leaked details from 2020 included an Xbox Series X|S mid-generation refresh, the next-generation of Xbox, a new Xbox controller, Bethesda's upcoming lineup, and more. However, as Spencer mentioned plans have changed.
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.
More Articles
Wait, you mean we can’t take emails that are upwards of 3 years old as 100% fact?!?
Of course not.
But even if they were, he naturally wouldn't confirm any of it since this stuff isn't meant to be public info yet.
Time will tell how much of this does it doesn't change.
A lot has changed already. ABK wasnt even on the list at the time. Anyone that really believes MS are now going to be able to Buy Valve or Nintendo or even could of before the ABK deal imo are now just trying to make a big thing out of nothing. Every company has talks like this. Doesnt mean they all come true or can be done. Like i said Its clear a lot has changed since the original Email since ABK wasnt even on it and nothing else has come from that leak in that time. Only thing we can be sure if is some of the games leaked are most likely in development but thats about it.
I'm not sure what you mean. Are you saying that this email doesn't exist. Are you saying that in the email when he said they are already using ValueAct to purchase Nintendo that he was lying? Or that in the email when he said he wanted to acquire Zenimax that that was a lie too?
All the documents were true at point of being written. But we can’t know how much of the plans have changed in the meantime (we can already see changes with a lot of games being delayed). Are they still considering expansion through acquisition, most likely. But how the specifics have changed, especially after Activision we can’t know. But one can assume their plans have changed a lot
Plans may change, but intentions were clear.
The fact they highly value Nintendo was clear. The intention to buy Nintendo if a golden career-defining moment opportunity arises that enables it, that's not announcing their colors, that's only stating the obvious.
Didnt Sony want to make Nintendo a 3rd party dev with the Snes CD drive?. Clearly lots of companies value Nintendo even before now...
Nothing in the mail suggests they were using valueact at this point and nothing has happened since suggest they did.
Also, they did not mention wanting to acquire Zenimax, they mentioned being already in merger and acquisition talks with them and they did announce the merger only a few weeks after this email.
But I guess by twisting this as only an intention instead of something actively engaged you can try to make a narrative where MS acted later on its disclosed "intention" and so all the other points must still be considered accurate and actual.
They are fact. They may not be current though.
Damage Control huh?
Most of what he has done for a decade is say he's sorry and people still think he's good at his job.
Don't forget pretending to be kumbaya lord that wants gaming to be accessible for everyone by his caring heart.
Exactly his words about the leak "we will learn from what happened and be better going forward" similar sentiments when talking about their 2022 game famine , that was preceded by a decade of games take time they are in the pipeline the future is bright rhetoric only to be followed up by woe is us Sony is to strong and a bully never has someone lived so long off the failure of his predecessor Don Matrick who at least had the success with the 360,to hang is hat on that and seemingly the MS boards apathy toward the Xbox divisions continued fall during his tenure.
Don didn't have much to do with the success of 360. He took over after Allard and Moore left. Don came over from EA. Pretty late. Don switched focus to the kinect starting in 2009 and it started to sink as a brand around then. Esp watching that 2010 MS E3 again. It was a preview of Xbox One 3 years early.
You are correct I didn't mean to infer Don has ever been responsible for anything good I suppose my point was that if you asked Don would say he was less pitiable by hiding behind the 360 being the most successful Xbox and the kinetics sales sugar hit , while phil would point to his success in not only convincing the MS board to spend billions to bail him out, but have them still believe in the same man who after a decade of empty promises lead them to that position and according to him his crowning glory awaits and its not finally delivering on all those promises but following on the buying stuff bandwagon MS buying Nintendo for him would cement his legacy.
I simply love his PR statements ^^
Press X to doubt. Max damage control. Excited about what Phil? Max industry consolidation? Your plans to continue to not care about making good games but rather buying them? Your plans to own 2/3 of the industry and outbuy the other 1/3 ?
What damage is he trying to control? I don't see where any real damage has been done by any of this stuff.
So you have no problem at all with Phil dreaming of owning 2/3rds of the industry and viewing Nintendo not as a worthy competitor or fellow game maker but some "Prize" or "Trophy" to be won and controlled, bought into submission. I can imagine the Nintendo execs reading his leaked words and realizing he's nobody to be respected and instead a real douchebag with a broken view.
Not to mention the other email reply o'l Phil had where he admitted he has "no idea" how to measure worth and value lol
No, I don't have any problem with anybody dreaming about anything. Nor is it relevant to me how anybody views Nintendo, Microsoft, the executives in those companies, or anything else along those lines.
But, I don't really understand what you're getting at with that. I asked what damage you're talking about him trying to control, as I don't see where any damage has been done by the release of this information.
Ignorance truly is bliss I guess. It really amazes me that theres people out there like you that really truly believe MS is sitting pretty right now sipping beers, being proud of what just happened to them.
Totally not in full on Damage Control, red alert, all hands on deck mode lol
It's totally an awesome spot to be in where every single one of your competitors know every move you'll make for up till 2030. You have no secrets, no surprises, your moves are as clear as crystal.
Big Sony advantage here as well as everyone else.
That's just some BS you made up. I didn't say anything even remotely close to that.
I guess we will see by 2030 If its exposed Ms's grand plans :-D :-D . I can just imagine all companies being like "YES WE GOT THEM EMAILS WE KNOW ALL TE PLANS!!!"
I think if Nintendo read them emails and didnt see how a company such as MS didnt value them would be worse in their eyes.
Better stfu, your ass is exposed.
I'm sure the FTC and the acquisition judges will be happy to learn that the papers they considered essential to the merger are just "old stuff not valid anymore".
This Spencer tool really has a knack of shooting into his own feet. He even uses machine guns as he seems to think a normal pistol is not enough.
What's going on with the leaks left right and center? LoL
This stuff isn't a leak. That's a mischaracterization that the media has been running with. This is just an accidental release by Microsoft. They uploaded private, unredacted information into a forum that was publicly viewable. Somebody just made a mistake.
Hurry on spence. All those promises of what next gen,/current gen is all about, hasn't arrived yet .
Imagine rooting for a company that wants to just buy up everything and monopolize the game industry. What a cancer!!!!
Phil out there pointing fingers everywhere!!!🤣
