'Xbox Hardware Is Dead,' Says Founding Team Member, 'It Looks Like Xbox Has No Desire — Or Literally Can't — Ship Hardware Anymore'

One of the archetypal founding members of Xbox, Laura Fryer, believes the firm's hardware ambitions are "dead."

In a caller video successful which Fryer reflects upon her clip shipping the OG Xbox and Xbox 360, she calls the company's existent roadmap "chaos," asks "is the flashy caller ROG Ally the existent deal," and ponders what the aboriginal whitethorn clasp for Xbox going forward.

"There is virtually nary crushed to bargain this handheld," Fryer opined of the ROG Xbox Ally. "Obviously, arsenic 1 of the founding members of the Xbox team, I'm not pleased with wherever things are today. I don't emotion watching each of the worth that I helped make dilatory get eroded away. I'm bittersweet because, from my perspective, it looks similar Xbox has nary tendency — oregon virtually can't — vessel hardware anymore. So, this concern is astir a dilatory exit from the hardware concern completely. Personally, I deliberation Xbox hardware is dead."

Xbox is focused connected driving fans to Game Pass, Fryer continued, saying that portion there's "value" successful that (and portion it's perchance 1 of the reasons wherefore Outer Worlds 2 was slapped with a $80 terms tag), she inactive questioned what the company's semipermanent strategy is, particularly with Xbox's 25th day looming.

"And here's the happening — possibly it volition work," she added. "Xbox has a heavy portfolio. [Oblivion Remastered] was evidently a immense success, and they tin proceed to outsource that enactment to outer companies and marque a batch of wealth releasing their older games — older games from an epoch erstwhile Xbox knew however to physique them.

"But what is the semipermanent plan? Where are the caller hits? What volition marque radical attraction astir the Xbox 25 years from now?

"Next twelvemonth marks the 25th day of the Xbox, and I'm definite that they volition person immoderate large announcements and plans for honoring the milestone. Maybe adjacent twelvemonth is the year. Maybe adjacent twelvemonth is the twelvemonth that the fog volition clear, and each of america volition spot the quality successful these latest announcements. I conjecture we'll conscionable person to hold and see…"

Last week, we reported that Microsoft is allegedly readying important layoffs successful its gaming concern that could travel arsenic aboriginal arsenic this week. Managers astatine Microsoft person reportedly already been briefed astir the Xbox layoffs arsenic good arsenic wider cuts astatine the company, which are expected to deed income teams successful particular.

For the gaming business, The Verge reported Microsoft plans to marque the cuts up of the merchandise of its adjacent procreation of consoles. It comes aft Microsoft announced a concern with AMD to powerfulness the adjacent procreation of Xbox, including its first-party aboriginal Xbox consoles. Microsoft has yet to accidental erstwhile it plans to motorboat the caller devices.

Vikki Blake is simply a newsman for IGN, arsenic good arsenic a critic, columnist, and advisor with 15+ years acquisition moving with immoderate of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's besides a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her astatine BlueSky.