2023-08-24 13:20:09
American Phil Spencer has been at the helm of Xbox since 2014. PIERRE TROUVé / LE MONDE
After the cancellation of E3 in Los Angeles this year, Gamescom, whose 2023 edition opens its doors today in Cologne, can now claim the title of the most anticipated video game fair. In the spans of the Kölnmesse, not yet crowded because reserved for a day for professionals in the sector, it is difficult to escape the posters or the circular logo of the Starfield from Bethesda Studios (owned by Microsoft since 2020), which is scheduled for release on September 6 on PC and Xbox.
The ambitious space adventure is crucial for Microsoft and its “video games” division. Phil Spencer, the boss of the latter, has also made the trip to participate in the preview presentations to the press.
Many people ask to take a selfie with you when they see you in the living room. It’s rare in video games. Does that surprise you?
I appreciate this connection. It goes a bit against my personality, because I’m quite an introverted person. But I know very well that they are above all passionate people. I greatly respect their commitment to our products and their investment in our games.
If people recognize you, it’s also because you regularly participate in game announcement conferences. Is it a way to embody your brand?
I don’t really care about being the face of Xbox, although that’s kind of part of the job. But we have more than 10,000 employees, I only do a very small part of the job. One of the crucial aspects of my business is that these teams feel motivated and have confidence in their leaders. Players, on the other hand, want to have confidence in the platform. I feel like being a player myself helps build that connection.
How to reconcile this practice, which requires a lot of free time, with a position of responsibility?
I never watch television. So in the evening, I play with my friends. I become a simple player again, under the identifier “P3”, and I am not surrounded by colleagues. I’ve always wanted my work in this industry not to spoil my passion, I’m looking for a certain balance.
You explain that you have already extensively explored “Starfield”, which has not yet been released. Have you crossed the line between work and passion there?
Usually I don’t like to play our games early. When I started Starfield, last November, I was doing it during the day and writing feedback to the teams. But I didn’t finish it because I want to go through with it as Phil the gamer and not as Phil the Xbox manager. But I played it a lot because it’s a very special game.
It is very ambitious but also very expensive. How could such an expense be justified, and how did its developer, Bethesda, defend a one-year delay to your services?
Making sure our business is growing and profitable is my number one responsibility. Not just to Microsoft, but also to our players and creators. Because if business is good, we’ll last and that’s what matters. And, from time to time, you have to make big investments to have a big impact. Betting on a team like Todd Howard and Bethesda Studios, who have some amazing games under their belt [Skyrim, Fallout 4], was ultimately an easy investment. And postpone the date of Starfield was the way to give them time to make the game that fits their vision.
Do you also play “Candy Crush”?
Candy Crush [qui appartient à Activision Blizzard, dont Microsoft a annoncé le rachat en 2022] is installed on my phone. I didn’t spend a lot of time there, just less than Diablo Immortal, which is more to my liking. Smartphone gaming is the biggest industry in gaming, and learning how to create and grow communities of mobile gamers is very important for our future. It also doesn’t mean we’re going away from consoles or PC. This acquisition helps us add experts in this field to our existing teams.
Phil Spencer, in Los Angeles, June 11, 2017. The 55-year-old American notably led the takeover of “Minecraft”, the most played game in the world, by Microsoft. MATT SAYLES / INVISION FOR MICROSOFT
The takeover is not yet finalized. He still gets stuck with US and UK regulators. What do you remember from the many hearings with the various competition authorities in which you had to defend it?
I feel like most regulators were taking an interest in the video game industry for the first time. It was therefore necessary to do a lot of pedagogy, explain the sector and how it is different from cinema, music and television. But it’s not wasted time for us because governments have an important role in regulating consumption. This allowed us to build a relationship of trust with them and to make them better understand that this industry, which generates more than 200 billion dollars in turnover per year, is massive. This may slow down the acquisition, but it is a good investment in the long term.
You have said several times that this takeover is a way to diversify your catalog and reach new people. Aren’t you afraid to scatter yourselves?
When you are in this position, you have to abandon an idea: that of succeeding in satisfying everyone with a single thing. I rather think that the communities of players are very varied and that their tastes are too. That’s why we also have to do different things. Some will love Flight Simulator, Microsoft’s oldest franchise – which is even older than Windows. Others will be more attracted to the brand new Starfield.
New tools using artificial intelligence are transforming the creative process in video games. What is your view on this subject?
There is no question of replacing individuals, human creativity will always be present in this process. So I look at these tools and wonder, “How can they help teams? Many of today’s games are so large and expansive that it’s very difficult to have them thoroughly tested by humans before they launch. And sometimes there’s more work to do than employees in a studio. I hope this will help find solutions, anticipate deadlines, whether to set a release date or refine the development.
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