A reader is frustrated by what he describes as Xbox’s defeatist attitude and what appears to be a growing disinterest in console sales.

The biggest problem Xbox is currently facing is that the brand has lost its identity. This is not a trivial matter. Xbox has become the embodiment of Jason Bourne, who no longer knows who they are. Xbox used to be derided as the “shooter box,” but even that nickname no longer applies.

Phil Spencer recently spoke to Bloomberg and stated that there are “no red lines” and that he does not view their portfolio as “thou shalt nots.” To suggest he didn’t read the room is an understatement.

The Xbox audience will never buy into a multiformat strategy. Just like PlayStation fans aren’t keen on games moving to PC. Tribalism is not going away anytime soon. But even the Xbox faithful have had enough. The problem Xbox has isn’t unique to their fan base. It’s a negative perception that has clearly had an impact on the casual market. It’s the opposite of the Xbox 360 era, which even emerged from hardware failures relatively unscathed.

I put myself in the category of players who own multiple consoles each console generation, but lean toward Xbox. So I buy a PlayStation for their exclusives, but tend to buy 3rd party games on Xbox along with their exclusives. Phil Spencer has created a scenario where I no longer have to buy an Xbox to play their exclusive games. That’s why they’re going to lose out on the third party sales I made on Xbox. I get the impression that Phil Spencer and his cronies haven’t really thought this through.

I think Xbox could get away with a multiformat strategy if the following were to happen. Stop the mixed messaging and adopt transparency. There still needs to be incentives that reward the fanbase. Maybe that’s a six month/one year exclusivity period for all first party games. Make a decision and stick to it. The continued ambiguity has not done the Xbox brand any favors.

Only when they atone for their mistakes will improvements occur. There are at least some positive signs that they are looking to reboot Halo and Gears Of War. The biggest fear for Xbox fans is that Microsoft will decide to stop producing hardware altogether. Customers who have built digital libraries are particularly concerned.

When long-term exclusives are off the table, only unique, compelling hardware can help turn the tide. The claims that they would deliver “the biggest tech leap in a generation” had better be true. Together with the critically acclaimed handheld that lives up to expectations.

Customer confidence is at an all-time low for Xbox. Game Pass is hands down the best value in gaming, but Microsoft hasn’t been able to market it effectively. Instead, they launch an ad campaign that literally informs customers that they don’t need to buy an Xbox. I understand the sentiment behind the ad, but it undermines the value of the console. It’s a bizarre strategy.

It’s clear that Xbox, or more specifically Microsoft, isn’t listening to fans anymore. Phil Spencer looks disheveled and doesn’t seem to be having fun anymore. This year in particular has taken its toll. If Microsoft doesn’t care about their console business, why should the customer? The only incentive to buy an Xbox can’t just be Game Pass. Phil Spencer’s message is loud and clear: ‘Thou shalt not buy an Xbox’.

At this point, I don’t know how Xbox will regain its identity. Phil Spencer’s defeatist attitude has been clearly visible for some time now. While he did well when the Xbox One was in disarray, I feel like his time is up. When he said an 11/10 match wouldn’t make a difference he lost all credibility.

Many of the problems Xbox faces are of their own making. While I’m sure their strategy will please shareholders and will likely result in record profits, we are witnessing the Xbox console, along with its fan base, being sidelined.

Jason Bourne eventually got his memory back. I don’t have much confidence that Microsoft will do that. They no longer care what the fans think, which usually doesn’t bode well. As Princess Leia once said, “If money is the only thing you love, then that’s what you receive.”

By reader Si

Reader characteristics do not necessarily represent the opinions of GameCentral or Metro.

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