Todd Howard talks about the new stage of Xbox: enthusiasm for the hardware and sadness for the departure of Phil Spencer

The director of Bethesda acknowledges that he is experiencing the change in Xbox with excitement and some nostalgia.

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Recent changes in Xbox’s leadership continue to generate reactions within the industry. One of the latest to speak out is Todd Howard, creative director of Bethesda, who has shared his vision for the new era that begins for the brand after the departure of Phil Spencer.

During a recent interview with IGN, Howard explained that he is experiencing mixed emotions about this moment. On the one hand, he acknowledges that he is saddened by Spencer’s departure, a figure he considers fundamental to the relationship between Bethesda and Xbox. On the other hand, he is also optimistic about the future that the company is preparing.

Todd Howard confident in Xbox’s future and new leadership

The Starfield director highlighted that Phil Spencer has been a very important figure for Bethesda, even before the studio became part of Xbox after the acquisition of ZeniMax Media. According to Howard, the executive has always shown a great commitment to the studios and the protection of the developers’ creative vision.

The creative recalled that he has seen on numerous occasions how Spencer and Matt Booty analyzed projects internally, seeking the best way to support the teams and bring the games to success. In his opinion, both have played a key role in Xbox’s growth over the past few years.

Despite this departure, Howard also expressed enthusiasm for the brand’s new era, especially regarding the hardware plans that Xbox is preparing for the coming years. The Bethesda director assured that he has known the company’s technological direction for some time and is very positive about what’s to come.

In his statements, he also had words for Asha Sharma, the new head of Xbox, pointing out that within the industry, she is a highly respected figure and that there is confidence in the work she will do at the helm of the division.

Although Howard did not delve too deeply into the details of Xbox’s future, he did hint that the coming years will bring significant changes in hardware and game development for consoles, with an increasingly focused approach on expanding technical possibilities rather than limiting themselves to specific specifications.