I have been an Xbox gamer and supporter since the original Xbox beta program. I have never strayed from the gaming brand or its hardware. I was in line for the Xbox Live launch, and I watched Trixie 360 and Major Nelson on a weekly basis. I suffered through the red ring of death, purchasing or repairing multiple consoles, but I still never left the brand. I’ve purchased every mainline console, except for some of the special-branded versions that Microsoft has made. The days of going to the local shops, trading in, getting new hardware, or new titles to come home and play, the joy of gaming, the joy of having fun.
Fast forward a few years, I’m older, time is limited, but I still desire to have fun, I still desire that moment with nieces, nephews, friends, and the yell of victory and the agony of defeat spilled out over my Xbox headset. I’m a competitor who knows my place; I stay in my casual gaming lane. Over the last few years, I saw some of my wishes come true, Xbox finds PC, handhelds, and new ways to play, yes, Play Anywhere was something I really wanted. Game Pass, I’ve always been the Ultimate supporter. Even through the price increase, which I knew would come after the Activision acquisition,
Now here we sit in mid 2026: component prices are on the rise, and Microsoft continues to raise console prices, pushing them further out of reach. Handhelds have also skyrocketed in price, and for the last several weeks, all we hear about is more studio closures, job losses, and gamers left wondering whether the games we were promised will even be made anymore.
Gamers and Employees are Victims
I’m doing my best to keep my composure and remain professional. I would really love to write a scathing mad post right now. I’m sure there are many on the unemployment line who would be willing to help me. See, spending billions on AI is okay; talking about cloud computing numbers is all okay. Gamers and employees have been given what feels like the leftovers from a meal gone wrong in the Xbox division. Phil Spencer retired, Asha Sharma is now leading the division, and has gotten off to a good start by adjusting Game Pass pricing, which is a win. I feel like, with the studio closures that have already happened and those rumored to be coming as soon as tomorrow, gamers and gaming employees alike have become victims of AI. AI is the next big thing, triggering a shift in spending for many companies and adjusting priorities for those funds. I get it. Business is sometimes about taking chances and following what is believed to be the next cash cow.
In my opinion, Xbox is the casualty of AI-focused spending. AI did spark the component pricing increase; that’s where the investors and the revenue are headed, and suddenly Xbox and its studios become what feels like a very disposable number on the balance sheet, and Microsoft is doing just that.
So What’s the Plan?
Only Microsoft can tell us, and I sure hope someone in the building knows what the end game is. Does Microsoft want to publish games? It doesn’t feel like it. I didn’t say they didn’t want to; I said it doesn’t feel like it. Don’t mistake the two. Making hardware doesn’t make sense; Microsoft doesn’t have the buy-in volumes of a Lenovo, Asus, or MSI, just to name a few. When you have buy-in volume on components, you get things cheaper, which lowers prices for consumers; it feels like simple math to me. So it’s time, I’m calling it, source out the hardware to someone with a gaming division, with an existing buying power, and let Microsoft go back to what they did a few times even before Xbox had a game, produce games.
Gamers are a special and loyal group. But you only get so many chances to rock their boat. Xbox continues to flounder, while Sony and Nintendo are already waving the welcoming flag. If gamers want a console experience at all, that is, after Microsoft has left a bad taste in their mouth.
I want to game; gaming makes people happy in this challenging climate we’re living in. Microsoft, let gamers have that, provide that, or find someone who will, and cash more checks for your AI cash cow. Your loyal gamers and gaming-related employees deserve that.
