Xbox's Phil Spencer to Continue Featuring PlayStation, Nintendo Logos at Microsoft Events

Microsoft has recently adopted a new approach in its Xbox showcases, now including logos for rival platforms like PlayStation 5 during announcements. This shift reflects the company's broader strategy to bring its games to multiple platforms, a move that has been increasingly evident over the past few months. For instance, during the Xbox Developer Direct, PlayStation 5 was prominently featured alongside Xbox Series X and S, PC, and Game Pass at the conclusion of segments for Ninja Gaiden 4, Doom: The Dark Ages, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Contrastingly, Microsoft's June 2024 showcase did not initially feature the PS5 logo for Doom: The Dark Ages, although subsequent individual trailers did include it. Similarly, titles like BioWare's Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the Diablo 4 expansion Vessel of Hatred, and Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Shadows were announced for Xbox Series X and S and PC, with no mention of PS5 at the time.

Sony and Nintendo, on the other hand, maintain a different strategy. Their recent State of Play showcase, for example, did not acknowledge Xbox, even for multiplatform titles. Segments for Monster Hunter Wilds, Sega's Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, and Onimusha: Way of the Sword only highlighted PlayStation platforms, omitting any mention of Xbox, PC, or Steam, despite their availability on these platforms.

Sony continues to emphasize its consoles as the primary focus for its gaming business, a strategy that has proven successful over the years. Meanwhile, Microsoft's change in direction has necessitated a corresponding shift in its marketing tactics.

In an interview with XboxEra, Microsoft gaming boss Phil Spencer addressed the inclusion of the PlayStation logo in Xbox showcases. When asked about the new approach, Spencer emphasized transparency and the importance of informing gamers about where they can play Microsoft's titles.

"I think it’s just being honest and transparent about where the games are showing, and we actually even had this discussion last year for the June showcase, and by the time we kind of made our decision, we couldn’t get all of the assets done and it felt weird to have some of them in and some of them out.

But I just want to be transparent with people — for shipping on Nintendo Switch, we’re gonna put that. For shipping on PlayStation, on Steam... People should know the storefronts where they can get our games, but I want people to be able to experience our Xbox community in our games and everything we have to offer, on every screen we can.

And obviously not every screen is equal. Yeah, like there’s certain things we can’t do on the other closed platforms that we can do on open platforms, cloud — it’s different. But games should be the thing that we’re focused on. And the strategy that we have allows us to do big games, while also supporting our native platform from hardware to the platform and services that we have and that’s going to be our approach.

And I know it’s not what everybody else is doing, but I just believe games should be the thing that’s at the forefront. Maybe it’s because of how I’ve grown up in this industry. I came from building games. But I think the games are the things that I see growing in their strength in what we’re doing and it’s because more people can play. So yeah, I’m just trying to be open and transparent with people."

Given this perspective, it's likely that future Xbox showcases, such as the anticipated June 2025 event, will continue to feature logos for PS5 and potentially the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2. This could include titles like Gears of War: E-Day, Fable, Perfect Dark, State of Decay 3, and the latest Call of Duty game.

However, don't anticipate a similar shift from Nintendo and Sony, as they continue to prioritize their own platforms in their marketing efforts.