According to Bloomberg, Microsoft has plans to grow its upcoming television programming selection beyond the originally planned Halo series on the Xbox One. Phil Spencer, corporate vice president at Microsoft Studios, declined detailed comments to Bloomberg yesterday at the Tokyo Game Show, but showed Microsoft has full intentions to invade your living room.
Microsoft is aiming to arm its latest console with exclusive features and game tie-ins to dominate the market against their closest competitor, Sony. At the company’s Xbox Reveal event, it was announced that award winning Hollywood director, Steven Spielberg, would be working with Microsoft Studios to create a live-action series based on the Xbox exclusive game, Halo.
While Phil Spencer declined to comment with any elaboration on what actually might be coming for the future of Xbox television programming, he did make a comment noting that “[Microsoft Studios has] literally hundreds of ideas that they are incubating right now”.
Microsoft plans to grab an edge over Sony with its lineup of programming, but until we learn more, we cannot determine if the plan will sail with success or crash to the ground. Spencer did note that, “[Microsoft Studios] will have some new announcements for TV shows coming pretty soon.”
Microsoft’s first commercial for the Xbox One (see above) focused on the console’s ability to provide an over the top NFL experience with integrated Skype conferencing and a fantasy sports app that can be clipped to the side of your TV while viewing the game.
The boys in Redmond do not intend to leave gaming behind, but it is evident that Microsoft is attacking the full living room experience, and while some hardcore gamers might mock it – Microsoft now has the advantage over Sony with a foot in the door. Sony might rule gaming, but Microsoft will rule the living room.
Besides Microsoft’s Halo game series being transformed into a television show spinoff, what would you like to see coming out of Microsoft Studios?
