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Console fanboyism “incredibly unhealthy for our industry,” says Xbox head Phil Spencer
The so-called “Console Wars” have been raging in the video game industry for around three decades, and console gamers have often drawn lines in the sand when it comes to which brands make the best systems. For example, the mid-1990s had the fight between Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis, which had its own attack ads like the “Sega does what Nintendon’t” campaign.
These days the battle is waged between the Wii U, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, but Xbox head Phil Spencer recently told Gamespot that not only does he think there is room for everyone, but also that the fights between different console fandoms are bad for the industry.
“I’ve said before, the one thing that I probably find a little distasteful in the discourse around games is the divisiveness that people try to build between platforms,” Spencer said. “It becomes more about what piece of plastic I own than what games I’m playing. It becomes more about somebody else failing than the things I love succeeding. I don’t think that’s a good place for our industry.”
Spencer said that he believes video games are all about personal preference, and people choose certain consoles because they like them rather than because one is better than another.
“People sometimes will make fun of me that I mentioned Sony or I mentioned Nintendo,” Spencer said. “It’s not to placate anybody or make them think I’m some kind of good guy. My job isn’t really to keep you from buying something else. My job is to make you proud of what we offer, and to give you an enjoyable experience with the product we have.”
He added, “I’m trying to keep our organization and, hopefully, our fans, out of [fighting about consoles], because I think that’s just incredibly unhealthy for our industry.”
Spencer explained that both he and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella are focused on giving gamers a reason to love Xbox rather than to put down other systems.
“I don’t see any reason to go after and be pithy towards somebody who’s just trying to do a good job with the product that they’re building,” he concluded.
Photo by – EMR –
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