Is Xbox Fixable?
At Summer Game Fest, Xbox's new chief strategy officer Matthew Ball addressed the company's strategic direction, including its approach to exclusives and the future of Project Helix. His remarks, made during The Game Business Live, offered insight into Microsoft's evolving console strategy and the challenges it faces in the current gaming landscape.
Ball emphasized that Xbox understands the importance of exclusives, noting that the company is committed to maintaining a reliable pipeline of Xbox-exclusive titles. This approach is meant to validate the historical investment of Xbox players and keep them engaged with the platform. Two notable exclusive titles announced at the Xbox Games Showcase are Gears of War: E-Day, set for release this October, and Clockwork Revolution, which will arrive in 2027.
However, Ball clarified that major live-service multiplayer games like Call of Duty will remain multiplatform moving forward. Additionally, titles previously announced for non-Xbox platforms will still be released on those platforms due to prior agreements. This balance is crucial for Microsoft as it navigates its console and platform strategy.
The Future of Xbox Hardware
Ball also addressed the Xbox hardware business, pushing back against the idea that it's a dying market for Microsoft. "We have no desire to move away from the console business," he stated, emphasizing that the company is making a strategic investment in its console platform.
Despite this commitment, Ball acknowledged that Xbox exclusives may not always achieve the same sales numbers as their multiplatform counterparts. However, he described this as a short-term issue, arguing that the long-term goal is to grow the console business through these exclusives.
The current AI-driven component price crisis is also a concern for Project Helix, the company's upcoming console. Ball admitted that the situation is worse than anticipated, with the window for resolving the crisis getting longer. This could impact the console's affordability and flexibility, areas where Microsoft is now focusing its efforts.
"We are working very hard to rethink everything that we can about Helix," Ball said, stressing that the company is committed to shipping the console. The goal is to ensure that the console model remains affordable and flexible, without being exclusionary.
Is Xbox Fixable?
Ball also recalled his first conversations with Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, who asked him directly, "Is Xbox fixable?" Ball described himself as a strategic optimist, believing that it's incredibly defeatist to think there's no way to improve the situation.
"I joined because I believed I could contribute to that," he said. "I joined because of what she told me she wanted to achieve, I believed was right and achievable."
Ball also noted that the company has languished for several years and is now working to turn it around and grow the Xbox brand. He emphasized the need to do better by players and the importance of meeting expectations.
The Impact of Price Changes
In a related discussion, Ball addressed the impact of a dramatic price hike on Xbox Game Pass. He noted that the service lost millions of subscribers in the months following the 50% price increase announced in October 2025. Microsoft later reduced the price of Game Pass Ultimate to $23/month, but Ball stated that the price is still higher than it was the same time last year ($20/month).
The value proposition of Game Pass has also changed, with new Call of Duty titles no longer included on day one. Ball said that the changes made this year are resonating with users, though the company is still working to rebuild trust and retain subscribers.
