What you need to know
- Recently, Microsoft conducted a new interview with License Global magazine, which revolved around the merchandising of Halo.
- During the interview, Xbox head of consumer products John Friend revealed that Halo has raked in over $1.8 billion in consumer spending on merchandising and licensed products alone, excluding video games entirely.
- Elsewhere in the piece, John Friend confirmed that Microsoft is planning some sort of 25th anniversary event for Xbox and Halo, which share a birthday.
- Xbox’s 25th anniversary would fall on November 15, 2026 — which would be an interesting time to launch a new console generation, no?
As an observer with over three decades of gaming under my belt, I find myself intrigued by Microsoft’s ambitious plans for Xbox. Having witnessed the rise and fall of numerous console giants, I must admit that the current state of Xbox is a fascinating study in strategy.
2024 finds Xbox in an unusual situation. As the gaming industry grapples with identifying the source of future growth, Xbox is broadening its extensive gaming domain to PCs, mobiles, and even PlayStation platforms. With strategic acquisitions like Bethesda Softworks (known for Fallout and Skyrim) and Activision-Blizzard (renowned for Warcraft and Call of Duty), Xbox reported a significant 45% increase in revenue in the last quarter. However, its traditional Xbox business experienced a minor decline during this period.
Core Xbox fans have been left concerned what expanding to competing platforms so aggressively might mean for the console business. If fewer people want to buy Xbox hardware, it’ll be even harder for Microsoft to bring third-party developers into the fold potentially, potentially leading to fewer games. The original Xbox all those years ago suffered from a large library gap when compared to the massive global footprint of the PlayStation 2, and whether or not Microsoft under CEO Satya Nadella has the mindset to sustain a shrinking Xbox console business remains to be seen. Although, both Nadella and Phil Spencer say Xbox has more players than ever, which should keep it at pace with increasing costs, at least for now.
Regardless of the perception of Xbox in the core community right now, Xbox is still making plans for the future. Xbox President Sarah Bond unveiled a forwards-compatibility team earlier in the year, while confirming that the next Xbox will represent the “biggest technological leap” for the platform. Microsoft has a promising slate of upcoming Xbox games, even if there are questions about whether or not they’ll remain exclusive. Microsoft is also gearing up for a large Xbox showcase at the Tokyo Game Show later this month.
But we learned even more interesting bits about what Xbox is planning for the future in a recent interview with License Global magazine.
During the interview, Xbox head of consumer products John Friend discussed a variety of topics pertaining to licensing and merchandising, which Xbox has been fairly good at in recent years. They license out their games IP to other companies in some cases, such as the upcoming MechWarrior 5: Clans, while also diving deeper into licensed cross-media properties such as the Minecraft Movie, Fallout TV show, and Halo TV show (obviously with mixed success there, ahem.) In any case, Friend confirmed that Halo alone has seen $1.8 billion in non-gaming consumer spend. Microsoft has quite a prolific merchandising operation going on right now, when you consider the legendary Blizzard store, coupled with the Xbox merchandise shop and the Bethesda gear store too.
Today, let’s delve into an engaging topic: Microsoft has been preparing strategies for celebrating the upcoming significant anniversary of its next-gen Xbox console.
My buddy mentioned, “Our lineup includes colossal, amazing franchises like World of Warcraft, marking its 20th anniversary this year, as well as Halo, Call of Duty, StarCraft, and many others. We’re already making preparations for the 25th anniversary of Halo and Xbox, considering our extensive legacy and history. These communities have been around for so long that it’s essential to commemorate their longevity.
As an analyst, I delve into the evolution of Microsoft’s merchandising strategies, which have become increasingly adaptable and responsive to consumer preferences. Essentially, they’ve refined their methods to cater to smaller, specialized markets, such as the niche game Pentiment, while simultaneously expanding offerings for mass-market hits like Call of Duty.
Microsoft has marked significant achievements with much enthusiasm, such as the Xbox 20th Anniversary event held in 2021. During this occasion, Microsoft launched the free-to-play multiplayer servers for Halo Infinite, increased the number of backward compatible games by 70, and unveiled a virtual museum of Xbox artifacts known as the Xbox Vault (which is currently closed to public access).
Xbox plans for the future
The 25th anniversary of Xbox will occur on November 15, 2026, indicating that it could be within the timeframe for a new lineup of Xbox hardware. Sony recently released the PS5 Pro, but Microsoft has opted not to challenge this in the current generation. Instead, it appears that Microsoft is focusing heavily on developing its next-generation console hardware. According to our sources, this may involve not only a successor to the Xbox Series X, but also Microsoft’s initial venture into handheld gaming with an Xbox version similar to the Steam Deck.
It’d add an emotional touch if we unveiled these fresh gadgets on Xbox’s 25th anniversary, with the level of excitement that seems to have been lacking lately as the brand adapts to new strategies, some of which haven’t always resonated well with its loyal user base.
In terms of merchandise, Microsoft has previously created some impressive Xbox controllers for their 20th anniversary, so it’s likely they will offer customizable options again. Additionally, there might be a special edition next-gen Xbox designed in the Halo style, and maybe even the next installment of Halo will be released by then (fingers crossed). Microsoft’s team working on World of Warcraft is planning an extensive celebration for its 20th anniversary this year, including in-game events within both Overwatch and WoW. It would be great if Halo received similar treatment, such as a Master Chief skin in Overwatch.
I’d like to share a quote from an interview with John Friend, who truly appreciates gaming beyond just playing the games. Cheers to the upcoming 25 years of Xbox!
As a tech enthusiast, I can’t help but see gaming as more than just a leisure activity – it’s an essential aspect of our lives, breaking through the conventional barriers of entertainment. Looking ahead, our ambition is to constantly redefine the limits of what can be achieved, ensuring that every gamer, no matter their background, feels included in this extraordinary adventure we’re all embarking on together.
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2024-09-21 22:09