Former Xbox Boss Reflects on Console Wars Era
During a recent interview on Danny Peña’s YouTube channel, former Xbox boss Peter Moore opened up about his role in encouraging the infamous console wars between Xbox, PlayStation, and even Nintendo. Moore acknowledged that he played a part in fueling the fierce competition between gaming giants, believing that it was ultimately beneficial for the industry as a whole.
Encouraging Healthy Competition
Reflecting on his time shaping the original Xbox and Xbox 360 era, Moore admitted that he saw the console wars as a way to keep gaming companies like Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo relevant in a time when video games were still a controversial topic in mainstream media. Moore was known for his PR stunts, including getting a Grand Theft Auto IV tattoo to align the game more closely with Xbox than PlayStation.
“We needed to do a ton of missionary work in those days, and at the same time we were young enough to have fun, and do all the daft stuff that we did, and all the stunts,” Moore shared. “I think the console wars that you’re kind of alluding to were healthy for the industry.”
Shifting Strategies in the Gaming Industry
Moore also commented on the current state of Xbox, noting that Microsoft’s focus has shifted from traditional console warfare to a more inclusive approach of bringing first-party games to multiple platforms. This change in strategy was exemplified by the “This Is an Xbox” ad campaign.
“The acquisition of Activision Blizzard changed things, I know, at Microsoft,” Moore stated. “This is not the old days of the console wars, and punching each other, and trying to steal customers and trying to get market share and build your attach rate. This is bigger than that in an economic sense.”
While acknowledging that the industry may have lost some of the excitement and feistiness that defined the console wars era, Moore emphasized that the economic landscape of gaming has evolved significantly, with collaborations and acquisitions playing a more prominent role.