Xbox CEO Sarah Bond answered a question at the Bloomberg Technology Summit. Bloomber's Dina Bass openly asked what Microsoft's decision means for gamers.
Bond gave an extremely evasive answer, which only to some extent gets to the heart of the matter – the gaming industry is entering a period of stagnation, and the largest “players” in the market are trying to make as much profit as possible. The company's management is committed to maintaining a “healthy” business, and the teams at Tango Gameworks, Arkane Austin Alpha Dog and Roundhouse Studios have been victims of these changes, which is causing a huge outcry from the community.
Dina Bass: “Earlier this week, Xbox announced the closure of four video game studios. I know you're not the head of these studios, but how should we as gamers understand this move in the context of Microsoft's commitment to creating innovative, exclusive games?»
Sarah Bond: “Yeah, you know, it's always incredibly difficult when you have to make decisions like that. I go back to what I said about the industry. When we looked at these fundamental trends, we felt a deep responsibility to ensure that the games we make, the devices we create, the services we offer, are available all the time. Even when the industry is not developing, when we are going through a transition period. The news we announced earlier this week is a result of this, our commitment to ensuring the long-term health of the business.”
Bond stressed that Xbox employees are now focused on providing as much support as possible to developers affected by layoffs and restructuring.
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Cover author: Bloomberg. Cover source: YouTube