Phil Spencer's response to his team after Google's Stadia announcement

Thurrott, a website known for reporting on and leaking Xbox news, claims it got hold of this e-mail.

We just wrapped up watching the Google announcement of Stadia as team here at GDC. Their announcement is validation of the path we embarked on two years ago..

Today we saw a big tech competitor enter the gaming market, and frame the necessary ingredients for success as Content, Community and Cloud. There were no big surprises in their announcement although I was impressed by their leveraging of YouTube, the use of Google Assistant and the new WiFi controller.

But I want get back to us, there has been really good work to get us to the position where we are poised to compete for 2 billion gamers across the planet. Google went big today and we have a couple of months until E3 when we will go big.

We have to stay agile and continue to build with our customer at the center. We have the content, community, cloud team and strategy, and as I’ve been saying for a while, it’s all about execution. This is even more true today.

Energizing times.

Phil

Solid response. It's true that Google made a big announcement in terms of what MS will be moving toward, though they are still largely local. It's good to see Phil seeing this as solid competition, and competition typically breeds better and better competitors.

Happy to see that Microsoft isn't pulling punches this E3. Should be interesting.

Their conference should do a great job of showing off PS4/Switch/PC games.

All you can hope for, lol! Have a fun E3! Your point is Moo

I guess it'll be better than Sony's conference...

Also, the games they show will still be tied to MS. Your point was kinda shit.

@the-a-baum said:

@NathanDrakeSwag said:

@XVision84 said:

Happy to see that Microsoft isn't pulling punches this E3. Should be interesting.

Their conference should do a great job of showing off PS4/Switch/PC games.

All you can hope for, lol! Have a fun E3! Your point is Moo

I own all 3 consoles and have actually used my Switch the most this year. I'm just stating facts. MS doesn't have exclusives anymore.

This is great. I'm sorta sad that MS isn't focusing on console exclusives anymore but I'm very happy they are trying to bring their brand to most platforms. It's cheaper for me cause now I don't have to buy another console and I'll still get their games.

There still won't be a single exclusive shown. I'm looking forward to their conference btw. But exclusives have always been what gets people talking at E3 and MS doesn't care about that anymore which goes against what Phil said a year ago about how important exclusive content is to him.

@NathanDrakeSwag: Don't forget your imaginary $2k gaming PC that all you cows seem to have to play MS exclusives!

@the-a-baum: I don't play on PC. Why are you so paranoid?

True that. I guess it depends how they define "exclusive," as we're incredibly strict with the definition. The market is clearly evolving... We have Google entering as a heavy contender, and they're building on a streaming service. The game's changing.

@NathanDrakeSwag:

@NathanDrakeSwag said:

@the-a-baum said:

@NathanDrakeSwag said:

@XVision84 said:

Happy to see that Microsoft isn't pulling punches this E3. Should be interesting.

Their conference should do a great job of showing off PS4/Switch/PC games.

All you can hope for, lol! Have a fun E3! Your point is Moo

I own all 3 consoles and have actually used my Switch the most this year. I'm just stating facts. MS doesn't have exclusives anymore.

The word exclusive makes no sense in this market. Having exclusives to a specific hardware platform is a hindrance to a platform agnostic streaming market. All games that MS are releasing natively on other platforms have Xbox Live integration. But it's increasingly clear that hardware exclusives are becoming less relevant in a services market.

Console exclusives will guarantee you irrelevancy. Especially since people are mobile.

@daniel_su123: Yep, well said.

But some people just can't (or don't want to) grasp it.

so you own all three consoles and you don't play on PC...

so which console will you be using to play the Xbox "exclusive" games and IP that Microsoft will be discussing at E3 like Gears 5 or Halo Infinite?.. also, do you have an Xbox One X and a PS4 Pro?.. if so, where do you play your multiplats?..

It's never concerned me as I play solely on consoles. Friends say they never need another console as everything is coming to pc. I hate the pc arrogance about it though.

Lol :P

If true, it looks like the response I would have expected. However, I have Zero interest in streaming games, and I can understand they have to cater to this market now, but just as long as they understand a big majority of hardcore gamers want nothing to do with this, and I believe they do understand that, so for now I'm just on the sidelines keeping an eye on this whole thing. I want to learn more about the Anaconda

No more talk Phil.

He’s been given a lot of leeway following Mattrick, but it has been 5 years since he took over the gig and Xbox has floundered in projects that were exclusively his. He hasn’t gotten near enough slack for the division’s failings as he deserves.

Oh, look. It's Phil talking again.

Think MS is way ahead of Google and I don't think Google will catch up. Having a physical console AND streaming is so much better. MS also have their game pass set up + a stronger stable of studios now after their shopping rounds. Think Google will tap out a few years from now.

lOL what games?? Another Halo, Gear Forza??

They literally say every E3 is big for them.

@BenjaminBanklin: True, but the signs point to his E3 being especially good. They essentially have center stage, many rumors have gone out about their new Xbox announcement, we know they're gearing up for big changes to take lead next gen, and this email about them responding to Google this E3 (almost) confirms all of that.

@Sushiglutton: idk youtube is almost on everything. If all it takes is a small update and most YouTube apps start supporting gaming i think they will have a major advantage.

That's a fair point I guess. Controlling YT is a big advantage. I still think MS has the edge, but we will see.

Which mean little when they are multiplatform.

Well anything is better than sony they will not be there so.

@the-a-baum said:

@NathanDrakeSwag: Don't forget your imaginary $2k gaming PC that all you cows seem to have to play MS exclusives!

Na that is your imaginary PC since you are the one imagining that you need a 2k PC to walk all over the xbox one X.

That is so lol worthy is not even funny Sony exclusives are actually selling more this gen than last one, Uncharted never sold 10+ millions in a single chapter last gen.

Lemmings should stop pretending than exclusives don't matter simply because they loss theirs, is pathetic and you will not see Mario any time soon on PC,neither Uncharted.

Console exclusive is what set apart one product from another,is the soul of your console the xbox without Halo was nothing in fact is was the best selling game on the original platform even over multiplatforms it was what defined the xbox as the xbox.

You people need to stop this hypocrisy about exclusives we get it you people are hurt because you loss then, but denying the importance of exclusives is a joke i have been here for 16 years i know they do matter.

The fact that he plays on PC or not doesn't change the fact that those games are on PC period and you don't need an xbox one for them.

And you don't care about graphics remember 720p is great with low setting that is what you all were singing from 2013 to 2017,or care for the most powerful console which sony had for 4 years.

They are scared as sh*t because we all know how their demo was completely fake. They thought PS Now would be their competition but Google has completely changed the equation.

Yeah I'm not surprised this is just a continuation of the trend of the tech companies congregating around gaming and Google is just the big flagship one that can challenge MS...

So that's all that really happened and it's not like MS would be pushed out by this or anything is its all in line with ap capitalism and the market forces and everything.

I might be late, but I'm glad Google finally showed the Stadia's controller, so people can shut up about that horrible 3D concept photo.. I couldn't believe people were stupid enough to use that as a basis to judge the controller. lol

Honeslty I doubt Microsoft is even planning a competitor at this point or perhaps at all... they just want everyone to know that they know so to speak...

Which would be obvious hard to miss.