Xbox chief Phil Spencer: Microsoft's game studio acquisition spree to continue

It's no hugger-mugger that Microsoft is in buying manner right at present. The large Redmond giant has been acquiring companies left right and center for the future of its platforms, recently picking up Clipchamp for Windows and Office, and a few months ago picking upward Nuance for its Azure services. Xbox has been growing also, with Microsoft purchasing well over a dozen studios in the past few years, from Obsidian Entertainment to Bethesda'due south ZeniMax stable, spending billions in the process.

Speculation most who, or what, Microsoft may buy for Xbox side by side never abates, although the acquisitions have slowed down a flake in recent years, despite rumors to the reverse. Xbox lead Phil Spencer recently spoke to the WSJ to reiterate that they are indeed, still on the sentry.

"We're always out there looking for people who we think would be a good lucifer and teams that would be a expert match with our strategy, then nosotros're definitely not done."

Microsoft hasn't been shy about its strategy for growth with Xbox, gunning for gamers outside the typical console ecosystem via the deject, and native experiences on PC. Sony's Jim Ryan recently echoed similar sentiments, signaling that PlayStation may follow suit. Ryan lamented how "frustrating" information technology is that their studios tin can't achieve hundreds of millions, due to the fairly static install base of consoles.

Mobile gaming has outpaced consoles for growth in recent years, possibly made more severe by the pandemic and global semiconductor shortage. In the same WSJ interview, Phil Spencer noted that Xbox Series 10 and Xbox Series S supplies are "gone instantly" after hitting shelves.

Meeting gamers where they are will help Xbox circumnavigate restrictions on silicon supplies, but only if they take the right content to do it. This year, Microsoft has Halo Space, Age of Empires IV, and Forza Horizon 5 to entice users on PC into the Xbox ecosystem with its subscription-based all-you-can-eat gaming service Xbox Game Pass. But much like Netflix, subscription services require a steady flow of high-quality content. Microsoft'due south portfolio of game studios is huge, but there'southward probably a future where Xbox guns for 1 big desirable Xbox Game Pass release at least every quarter to keep subscription figures rolling. To achieve that, more than studios have to be on the menu. Right now, we can just judge and speculate on exactly what those studios might be.

An internet connection will soon be required when setting up Windows 11 Pro

UH OH

An internet connection will before long exist required when setting up Windows 11 Pro

Microsoft has announced that later this year, users will be required to connect to the internet and sign-in with a Microsoft Account during the out of box setup experience on Windows 11 Pro. Microsoft has already been enforcing this requirement on Windows 11 Home since launch terminal October, and Windows 11 Pro is now expected to follow accommodate shortly.

These are the best gaming mice for folks with large hands

I like 'em big ... I like 'em chunky

These are the best gaming mice for folks with big hands

A bang-up gaming mouse is important for anyone looking to get into PC gaming. However, if y'all have large hands, you may struggle to find a mouse that feels comfy for you. Thankfully, there are plenty of plus-sized mouse options on the market.