Development on Microsoft's next console has begun, and in typical Microsoft fashion, the announcement was big on teases and light on details. Spinning out of this news was a report on a recent Microsoft town hall gathering and how newly appointed Xbox CEO Asha Sharma had been handed a "blank check" by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. A company representative has set the record straight and disputed those claims.
"'Asha Sharma has my full trust and has A BLANK CHECK to revive Xbox and the trust of the fans no matter the cost' was not said," Microsoft lead communications officer Frank Shaw posted on X in response to claims circulating online, adding that the words "blank check" were never said. According to Windows Central, Nadella did say that Microsoft is "long on gaming" and will continue to invest in it.
"Phil [Spencer], he's always talked to me about how gaming is the largest entertainment category--what is gaming in its most expansive form going forward? This doesn't mean we walk away from people are doing today--when we think about a AAA game on a console," Nadella said. "The question is about where else can we go to extend that. For me, we're long on gaming. We'll continue to invest, and we'll always do so. It's up to this team to show an excellence in execution, and creativity. Software always carries risk, but this is software with lots of creation risk. It's way different. But yet, we have to be the best-in-class at it."
Following a tumultuous period at Xbox that has seen the departure of former Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer and former Xbox president Sarah Bond--as well as mass layoffs and studio closures--the new leadership at Microsoft's gaming division says it's aiming to return to the "roots" of Xbox during this transitional period.
Project Helix could be the last hurrah for Microsoft's gaming hardware ambitions, and the console will play both Xbox and PC games. That hardware won't come cheap, as it's rumored that the next-gen Xbox will cost at least $900, close to what it might cost to build a PC that will offer the same level of performance.
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"'Asha Sharma has my full trust and has A BLANK CHECK to revive Xbox and the trust of the fans no matter the cost' was not said," Microsoft lead communications officer Frank Shaw posted on X in response to claims circulating online, adding that the words "blank check" were never said. According to Windows Central, Nadella did say that Microsoft is "long on gaming" and will continue to invest in it.
"Phil [Spencer], he's always talked to me about how gaming is the largest entertainment category--what is gaming in its most expansive form going forward? This doesn't mean we walk away from people are doing today--when we think about a AAA game on a console," Nadella said. "The question is about where else can we go to extend that. For me, we're long on gaming. We'll continue to invest, and we'll always do so. It's up to this team to show an excellence in execution, and creativity. Software always carries risk, but this is software with lots of creation risk. It's way different. But yet, we have to be the best-in-class at it."
Following a tumultuous period at Xbox that has seen the departure of former Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer and former Xbox president Sarah Bond--as well as mass layoffs and studio closures--the new leadership at Microsoft's gaming division says it's aiming to return to the "roots" of Xbox during this transitional period.
Project Helix could be the last hurrah for Microsoft's gaming hardware ambitions, and the console will play both Xbox and PC games. That hardware won't come cheap, as it's rumored that the next-gen Xbox will cost at least $900, close to what it might cost to build a PC that will offer the same level of performance.
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