The question on every Xbox fan's mind as they look forward to the Xbox Series X is when next-gen games will be revealed. Virtually no games have been confirmed for the Xbox Series X launch outside of Halo Infinite, so the hype is more than understandable. Xbox boss Phil Spencer has heard fans' requests for an update, teasing fans once again about Xbox's big plans for the rest of 2020.
Specifically, Spencer says that Xbox has plans for "continued sharing through launch." Which is to say that Xbox will be doing reveals and announcements regularly through launch, likely following its next event. No event has been announced, of course, but there are rumors of something being planned for May. Spencer even says that the "next step is not too much of a wait (games)."
In his response to a fan question, Spencer also frames his answer in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Xbox Game Studios is running on work from policies that could potentially impact game development, after all. Spencer says that the Xbox team "is doing great work and adapting." He even says, "I've never been more excited about Xbox plans."
It's no secret that Spencer inherited Xbox during an extremely tumultuous time in the brand's history. The Xbox One's debut was hugely controversial due to initial plans for a digital shift and massive DRM features. While the Xbox One eventually dropped those plans, the damage was done. It also didn't help that the Xbox One initially struggled to reach 1080p for most multiplatform games as developers prioritized the PS4's better hardware due to its popularity.
Spencer has spent the years since building up Xbox into a brand with supporting again. The Xbox One X out scaled the PS4 Pro in performance and the Xbox Series X is more powerful than the PS5, Xbox One now has massively popular services like Game Pass, cross-play between Xbox and PC is a major focus going forward, and Microsoft has acquired over a dozen studios to bolster its first-party game line-up. Xbox is no longer in rebuilding mode, there are high expectations for the Xbox Series X, from both fans and Spencer.
It's all nothing but talk until Xbox confirms its launch window plans for the Xbox Series X, of course. A weaker first-party line-up has been the biggest thing holding Xbox back. If Xbox can impress fans over the next six months, it could be the difference between an Xbox One era lull and an Xbox 360 era resurgence.
The Xbox Series X releases holiday 2020.