Matt Booty makes it clear: Xbox will not abandon its own games or hardware

The executive vice president rules out the brand becoming "just a publisher".

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Since Xbox started releasing some of its titles on other platforms, especially on PS5, a recurring comparison has resurfaced: could the brand end up like SEGA after the Dreamcast era and focus solely on publishing games? The doubt has gained strength among part of the community, but now the company’s top management has come out to clarify it.

Matt Booty, executive vice president and top executive of Xbox Game Studios, was straightforward: Xbox will not move away from its own games or hardware.

Xbox will continue to be first-party and collaborate on hardware

Booty explained that Xbox’s studio system is built around the first-party model and that collaboration with Microsoft’s platform begins with the first hardware decisions. He cited the work done to make franchises like Gears of War run optimally on new devices like the ROG Xbox Ally, making it clear that this integration is an essential part of the current structure.

According to his words, there is no intention to abandon this foundation or simply become a multi-platform publisher without its own identity. The strategy may evolve, but the link between internal studios, hardware, and ecosystem remains a priority.

These statements are in line with what Asha Sharma recently expressed, who stated that any “return to Xbox” starts with the console and hardware. At a time of debate about the brand’s direction, the joint message is clear: the first-party model continues to be a central piece of Xbox’s future.