Microsoft acquiring Activision Blizzard is a major gamechanger across gaming, and it's understandably raised questions about further consolidations in the industry's future. Phil Spencer's evidently aware of this, and he's gone on record stating he "trusts" Xbox's competitors.
Speaking with The Washington Post, Spencer reaffirmed his trust in Nintendo, Sony, and Valve, stating:
"They have a long history in video games. Nintendo’s not going to do anything that damages gaming in the long run because that’s the business they’re in. Sony is the same and I trust them. … Valve’s the same way."
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Phil Spencer "Trusts" Nintendo and Sony Wouldn't Harm The Gaming Industry
However, Spencer also pointed out that they're looking into other rivals in the tech industry, continuing:
"When we look at the other big tech competitors for Microsoft: Google has search and Chrome, Amazon has shopping, Facebook has social, all these large-scale consumer businesses. … The discussion we’ve had internally, where those things are important to those other tech companies for how many consumers they reach, gaming can be that for us."
Within this interview, Spencer also spoke about how Microsoft "had a good discussion" with Activision Blizzard"about their plan to address ongoing accusations of sexual harassment and a toxic environment. CEO Bobby Kotick is likely stepping down once the deal is settled too. Make sure to follow us for more gaming news and updates as it happens.