Xbox president: "Our commitment [is] to make sure that the business is healthy for the long term"

gamesindustry.biz:

Xbox president Sarah Bond says that Microsoft's shuttering of four Bethesda studios is to ensure the firm's business is "healthy for the long term."

The comment came from a recent interview with Bloomberg's Dina Bass, as the executive noted that while 2023 saw big game releases, growth in the games industry was still flat, and the cost of AAA titles continues to rise.

Bond was asked how consumers should understand the shuttering decision in terms of the firm's commitment to developing exclusive games.

She said, "When we looked at those fundamental [industry] trends, we feel a deep responsibility to ensure that the games we make, the devices we build, the services that we offer are there through moments even when the industry isn't growing and when you're through a time of transition."

"The news we announced earlier this week is an outcome of that, and our commitment to make sure that the business is healthy for the long term."

The executive also said that Microsoft still has a commitment to having its own studios and working with partners to deliver games large and small.

Currently, the Xbox president said that it is focused on helping the people impacted by the studios' shuttering and to help them through the "hard transition."

Bass' next topic was the closure of Tango Gameworks. She asked if a studio releases a title such as Hi-Fi Rush, which won awards and was well received, shouldn't that ensure a game maker's future?

In response, Bond said, "One of the things I really love about the games industry is it's a creative art form. It means that the situation and what success is for each game and studio is also really unique, like there's no one size fits all to it for us.

"We look at each studio, each game team, and we look at a whole variety of factors when we're faced with sort of making decisions and, and trade-offs like that...but it all comes back to our long-term commitment to the games."