After a significant leak of Xbox images and confidential documents outlining various company strategies, Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox, has addressed the situation both publicly and privately in a reported memo to Xbox employees.
Spencer took to Twitter, stating, “We’ve observed discussions surrounding old emails and documents. It’s disheartening to witness our team’s efforts being shared in this manner, especially considering how much has changed and the exciting developments in the present and future. We will unveil our actual plans when we are prepared.”
The leaked email correspondences, charts, and documents originated from Microsoft’s legal battle with the FTC, which sought to challenge the company’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Although Microsoft ultimately won the case, a number of documents were inadvertently disclosed during the proceedings, as per an email allegedly sent by Spencer and reported by The Verge.
These documents revealed various initiatives and projects that Microsoft was, or at least had been, pursuing. These included a bold attempt to acquire Nintendo entirely, a release window for Elder Scrolls VI, remastered editions of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Fallout 3, plans for Starfield on the PS5 that never materialized, a redesign for the Series X, a new controller, and more.
In his message to the staff, Spencer expressed his disappointment over the leaks, emphasizing that many of the documents were over a year old and that the company’s plans have since evolved. It is likely that the public will only get a glimpse of the “real plans” during the next major Xbox showcase event or investor call.