Mike Ybarra defends Phil Spence for shutting down some Xbox Game Studios

Former CEO of Microsoft and former President of Blizzard Mike Ybarra He publicly defended the head of Microsoft's gaming division, Phil SpencerPointing out that he will certainly be affected on a humanitarian level by the decision taken to close many Xbox game studios, and therefore, He doesn't deserve the criticism he's getting.

I'm seeing a lot of shots of Phil during today's Xbox ads. I get it. But knowing him as a human being, I know this hurts him as much as anyone else. I can't speak for all the leadership there, but I know him and I know what he's probably going through.

I'm not trying…

– Mike Ybarra (@Qwik) May 7, 2024

“I'm seeing a lot of criticism directed at Phil for the Xbox announcements today.”

I'm not trying to defend the decisions made. I think we all find ourselves in difficult and unexpected situations (I certainly do). It's part of the job, as is taking responsibility for the results obtained. but He is a good person and cares deeply about the creative process And with developers. This is my direct experience. I have worked closely with him for over 8 years and have known him for over 24 years.

Ybarra understands the state of mind of many, and he sympathizes with Spencer at this difficult time.

“I 100% understand the anger and confusion and feel deeply for the affected teams today and over the past few months. I didn't agree with all the decisions he made regarding Xbox, and I thought that was very clear, but I believe in your fruitful leadership and I know how difficult these decisions are.

Xbox could have a bright future. I hope they can achieve this and that all the teams have an amazing experience together. It is definitely a difficult time that requires a lot of clarity about plans for the future and how to find enthusiasm from players.

After all, no one doubts that it was also a difficult decision for Phil Spencer. It will simply be a much harder day for those who have lost their jobs. As you know, Microsoft today announced the closure of four development studios: Arkane Austin, Alpha Dog Studios, Tango Gameworks, and Roundhouse Games, the latter of which will be merged into ZeniMax Online Studios.

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