“Xbox Is Being Sunsetted,” Says Creator of the Original Xbox, Calls New CEO a “Palliative Care Doctor”
Seamus Blackley, the designer and creator of the original Xbox, has shared his opinion about the recent changes Microsoft is making within its Xbox division. He also spoke about what he believes will be the role of the new CEO of Microsoft’s gaming division in the future of Xbox.
Blackley does not think these changes are meant to truly recover the Xbox division. Instead, he believes Microsoft will slowly shut down the Xbox business unit. In his words, “Xbox, like a lot of businesses that aren’t the core AI business, is being sunsetted. They don’t say that, but that’s what’s happening.” He is convinced that Asha Sharma, who has no background in the gaming industry, will act like a “palliative care doctor,” taking care of what he sees as a dying Xbox division and guiding it quietly toward its end.
Focus on AI and Profitable Business Areas
According to Blackley, Microsoft is now focused on artificial intelligence and on business units that are clearly profitable. In his view, Xbox does not fit into Microsoft’s long-term strategy.
It is important to note that this is only his personal opinion. Microsoft has not confirmed anything about shutting down Xbox. His comments are also hard to accept considering the large amount of money Microsoft has invested in the brand and in the video game market.
The company spent a huge sum to acquire Activision Blizzard and also made other major purchases of game studios. Ending the Xbox brand would not only mean stopping console production, but also shutting down other important business areas connected to it. That makes the idea harder to believe.
At the moment, Microsoft still plans to launch a next-generation Xbox console. The company also wants to expand the Xbox ecosystem by allowing third-party companies to release their own hardware under the Xbox brand.
