Microsoft is rethinking Xbox following Asha Sharma’s appointment, focusing on openness and accessibility alongside Matt Booty.
The company is considering allowing third party storefronts on future consoles.
«We want the platform to be open for more people to create on the platform and more players to participate in customizing and extending that», «We’ll make those decisions going forward as a team and with our partners. We’ll share more when we can», — said Asha Sharma.
Microsoft also aims to make hardware and services more affordable after Game Pass criticism. «Historically, our pricing hasn’t been as flexible. You saw that with Game Pass. It had become too expensive. So we took a step to address that». Sharma added that the company will balance performance with affordability, without promising specific price points.
Matt Booty also emphasized the importance of understanding players in a competitive landscape.
«It’s on us to understand the fans», «Our job is to build what players want to play and create worlds for them to explore».
He noted the need to balance deep experiences for core players with accessibility for newcomers. «We have to think about how expectations have changed around social games, approachability, and ease of entry, while also balancing hardcore experiences without locking new players out».
As a Reminder, Valve Corporation unveiled the Steam Controller.