XBOX has been trying in various ways to get back on its feet and regain the glory of the XBOX 360 era for some time now. The new director of XBOX this year has made a series of moves, which we have continuously reported on earlier, that have restored some player trust as these moves were a direct adoption of the players' wishes.
However, XBOX is once again stirring up dust and is under heavy fire from the public due to increasingly loud and tangible rumors of a new wave of mass layoffs and the shutdown of iconic development studios. Former PlayStation chief Shawn Layden has now joined the discussion, publicly and unfiltered on social media, criticizing the leadership of Xbox, accusing them of a fundamental misunderstanding of the video game market.
Former PlayStation head Shawn Layden responded to a LinkedIn post detailing the verbal sparring the company is engaged in, stating that the current leadership of XBOX has a "fundamental misunderstanding of how the world of interactive entertainment moves." Layden begins his post by saying he risks sounding like a "hater," but that he really isn't. In Layden's view of the industry, he vaguely states: "iykyk (if you know, you know), and if you don't, you don't." Currently, Layden has not clarified what he means by that last part, but as the president who led PlayStation through one of its most prosperous periods, it's easy to believe that he understands well what works in the industry and what doesn't.
Shawn Layden was in charge of PlayStation between 2014 and 2019, a period during which the PS4 dominated sales over the XBOX One and an era that former XBOX CEO Phil Spencer famously said XBOX lost the console war. Layden's statements suggest that the current problem with XBOX is not necessarily its message, but its actions. Much of what is happening with XBOX is that the company is saying things will change and be better, and is trying to sell a completely new version of the XBOX brand, but still contradicts itself and does not offer anything new that fans have been waiting for, at least not yet. However, the XBOX Games Showcase showcased many positive things for the company.
The current state of XBOX is changing, and the company has a lot prepared for the next year that could turn the situation in its favor. Gears of War: E-Day and Fable looked particularly strong at the XBOX Games Showcase and could be the hits XBOX needs to maintain momentum after Forza Horizon 6. However, rumors of layoffs and studio closures do not bode well for the company, especially after some significant long-time industry veterans have begun leaving XBOX for seemingly unclear reasons.
We continue to closely monitor the situation regarding XBOX day by day and hope for a return to the glorious times of XBOX 360!
