(Credit: Microsoft)
Video game purists may not like it, but Microsoft is doubling down on its push to expand the Xbox business to devices outside of traditional consoles, including smart TVs, phones, and PCs.
Microsoft today introduced a new "This is an Xbox" marketing campaign, which highlights how gamers can get the Xbox experience on a variety of gadgets, from PC gaming handhelds and Amazon Fire TV Sticks to the Meta Quest 3S VR headset.
This is possible because of Microsoft's investment in cloud gaming via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which starts at $19.99 and supports game streaming on a growing array of third-party devices.
(Credit: Microsoft)"This Is an Xbox invites people to play with Xbox across multiple devices and screens," Microsoft says in a blog post, which adds: "It reinforces the idea that whatever device you choose, you’re likely able to play with an Xbox."
The company also notes that Windows PCs can also be Xboxes since they support the Xbox app to access cloud gaming.
Microsoft created an online quiz to educate consumers on what devices support Xbox games, whether it be through the cloud or natively.
This effort is all about Microsoft attracting more users, game sales, and Game Pass subscriptions. Notably, in 2022, the company brought Xbox cloud gaming to select Samsung TVs, removing the need for customers to pay for console hardware.
On the downside, Microsoft’s plan has also raised concerns about the long-term future of the Xbox and whether the company might stop making consoles one day. Microsoft is already bringing Xbox games to other platforms, including Sony’s PlayStation, thus reducing the incentive to buy an Xbox Series X/S.
"We just have to anticipate that there’s going to be more change in how some of the traditional ways that games are built and distributed," Microsoft's Xbox chief, Phil Spencer, said in August. "That’s going to change. That's going to change for all of us. But the end result has to be better games that more people can play."