In a recent interview with the publication Protocol, Xbox’s Phil Spencer talked about Minecraft and the new virtual 3D iteration of the internet that’s come to be known as the metaverse. The Microsoft executive spent time discussing the openness of Minecraft, and how it’s been critical to what the game has become.
In other areas of the interview, Spencer talks about how Minecraft’s success shows where gaming needs to go in the future. He also mentioned that the virtual worlds created by players in Minecraft could help make the metaverse feel more open. It’s something that Microsoft is apparently thinking about seriously. But it sees the metaverse more for the creator, rather than for the company. Per the executive.
But more fundamental to me is why Microsoft? Like, why is this metaverse that a lot of people are focusing on, why is it better for players? Why is it better for creators?
Interestingly, Spencer also reveals that teams at Microsoft, from HoloLens, and other mixed reality experiences, and even Azure have meetings weekly. Particularly, the meetings are about how there could be new games to make use of Microsoft Mesh, the company’s own gateway to the metaverse.
On this matter, Spencer also said that the metaverse isn’t a business thing, but is something companies should try and be creative, work together on, and have freedom with. He pointed to Xbox, and how it’s both first-party and third-party with titles like Roblox, Fortnite, and more. Even things like Game Pass, cross-play, cloud-play, come into the picture, too, according to Spencer.
“We will go at this on the metaverse side with the same sensibilities that we’ve had in gaming, that people should be able to play the games they want, where they want to play them, with the people they want to play with. Because we’ve actually thought that in the end that opens up the largest experience for creators and for players.”
Overall, the interview is a solid read for Xbox fans, and it shows how Microsoft is thinking about the future of the metaverse. It seems as though Microsoft is thinking about players and creators first, which could give it a unique stand as more players enter the metaverse space. Let us know what you think in the comments below.
