Moon Studios CEO Thomas Mahler stated that the leadership of Microsoft's gaming division had been focused on the company's past achievements for too long. He shared his thoughts amidst reports of the closure of several Xbox Game Studios.
According to media reports, Ninja Theory, the team known for the Hellblade series, was among those affected by the cuts. Notably, just a few days ago, the studio unveiled a new game at the Xbox Games Showcase. Additionally, it is reported that Double Fine and a number of other teams are trying to negotiate new terms of cooperation with Microsoft to avoid a similar fate.
Although Mahler called the situation "heartbreaking", he believes that the current changes could benefit both Xbox itself and the gaming industry as a whole. In his opinion, the company has struggled for many years to find, support, and protect talented creative teams that could strengthen the brand's position.
As an example, the head of Moon Studios recalled the development period of Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps. According to him, at that time, Xbox's attention was almost entirely focused on key franchises such as Halo, Gears of War, and Forza.
Mahler also said that he repeatedly suggested to Microsoft's leadership to develop the Ori series as one of the brand's main symbols. He even approached Phil Spencer, the head of the gaming division, with this idea, believing that Xbox needed its own family-friendly character, comparable in significance to Disney or Nintendo heroes.
However, according to the head of Moon Studios, these initiatives did not develop because the company's leadership was too focused on existing series and Xbox's past success. In his opinion, it was precisely this approach that ultimately led to the need for the current large-scale reorganization.