The manager responsible for Xbox praises the work of Nintendo and ensures that they have the strongest pedigree when it comes to first party licenses.
Phil Spencer, Chief Executive Officer of Xbox, praised Nintendo’s work in handling and managing its exclusive licenses during the latest episode of Gary Whitta’s Animal Talking. During the conversation with the video game writer, designer and journalist, the manager reflected on the delay of Halo Infinite and the future of Xbox, but also praised one of its biggest competitors, of whom he recognizes a special pedigree.
“They have the strongest first party gaming pedigree”
“In the entertainment business, you know, most things don’t end up being big hits, so there should always be some surprises, but Nintendo is just masterful at what it does,” says Spencer. “As I said before, I think they have the exclusive first parties with the strongest pedigree; and they are a gem for us in this video game industry. It is something we must protect ”, he ends.
It should be said, as context, that the interview took place within Animal Crossing: New Horizons, a video game that Phil Spencer has already stated on previous occasions that he is called amateur; as much as Nintendo Switch. That special essence of Nintendo when it comes to concatenating successes with its main licenses (there are already a dozen exclusive titles that have exceeded 10 million units sold in the hybrid) which allows them to continue linked to success.
Names like Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Pokémon Sword and Shield or Splatoon 2 are just some of the examples of long sagas tour that now live one of its best historical moments.
Xbox’s plan, meanwhile, is to cement a lineup of studios that, as we saw at the Xbox Games Showcase, within the next few years will empower Xbox Series X. The result will be known soon. The console will arrive this November with “thousands of games” through backward compatibility and Xbox Game Pass.
