Microsoft’s Xbox chief Phil Spencer admits being aware of the issues surrounding the entire gaming industry. Problems like abuse, exclusionary attitude, harassment, and toxicity, are just few of the many issues the industry is facing.
Spencer claims that these issues hold gaming back from being a force for good. Even more so, these issues are starting to spread beyond their traditional demographic.
The Xbox chief, in an attempt to battle these toxicity issues, revealed that Microsoft is going to launch an industry-wide initiative. The tech company plans to share solutions and technology, as well as commit to the aggressive implementation of the initiative.
In a blog post titled “Video Games: A Unifying Force For The World,” Spencer said that “gaming is for everyone.” He believes that no single entity or group “owns” it. Whether someone is new to the world of gaming or a diehard fan, he/she is always welcome to play and have all the fun that comes with it.
Spencer suggests that there two fundamental truths when it comes to gaming. The first one is that gaming, by essence, does not limit itself to skin color, nationality, age, gender, and even sexual orientation. The second one is more about companies across the world realizing the need to foster a safer culture. Both of these, according to him, are essential in giving people around the world access to the many benefits of gaming.
The Xbox executive further claims that it is about time companies like Microsoft implement policies and tools that can generate positivity across the community and the industry. Gaming is – and always will be – “a safe environment.”
Spencer also reveals that Microsoft is going to commit itself to a number of new initiatives specifically designed for making games safer, less toxic, and more accessible. In fact, one of its first initiatives is publicly updating its Community Standards, detailing what behavior is deemed acceptable on Xbox Live and how the company implements bans and suspensions.
Microsoft will also introduce new moderation tools for community managers on Xbox Live. The company is confident that through these tools, it can better regulate behavior throughout its platform.
Spencer ends his blog post by explaining the potential of cloud gaming and naming well-known services like Google Stadia and Microsoft xCloud. He believes that cloud gaming is important in bringing newer possibilities, one of which is expanding gaming to newer audiences.
