Dear Phil,

AN OPEN LETTER TO XBOX-MICROSOFT EXECUTIVES

Firstly, an apology. This is not a dear John letter though it may read like one at times. I know your names are Misters Spencer, Booty and Miss Bond. Perhaps Borgins & Burke may be better suited as you do seem to be trading in rare and seemingly cursed magical artefacts such as the current generation Xbox. A vanishing cabinet of sorts when it comes to studio and talent acquisition. Even though my first real console was a Gameboy Advance, my induction into the fellowship of gamers was via a used Xbox 360 a few years ago. The first games I dove into were Tomb Raider(2013) and Alan Wake(2010). I fell head over heels with these titles and with gaming in general as it dawned on me that this was a revolutionary medium for story telling. The cinematic campaign in Alan Wake styled as a miniseries pulled me in and I found myself utterly bewitched, bothered and bewildered by its phenomenal single player only campaign. I needed more. I’m not a “gamer” in the traditional sense. I don’t care for online gaming and care even less for multiplayer titles. I do however love art. Games serve as a marriage of so many art streams flowing in congruence to tell unique stories uniquely. Furthermore, games actively involve us in influencing the outcome of the story even if they are predetermined. Great sound design, beautiful scores, great game direction and the rumble feedback on the Xbox gamepad make for a perfect recipe for complete immersion in the virtual worlds created.

Each time I grab on to the grips of the Xbox controller it feels as if I’m shaking hands with an old friend. A compadre joining me on yet another adventure. Not just a guide but an ally. Whispers of the game developers’ thought processes telegraphed directly into my palms. That is the power of great engineering. I recently acquired an Elite Series 2 controller and this statement couldn’t be truer. I’m afraid to admit it but I’m having an affair with my gaming console. Quick resume, auto HDR and FPS boost are practically witchcraft. The enchantments that keep me entranced by my Xbox Series X. While much can be said about the hardware, very little can be said about the software.

Microsoft seems to have completely given up the ghost on creating great art pieces. These seem to come few and far in between. Because I came into gaming rather late in my life I’ve had an excellent back catalogue to go through. Practically feasting on banquet after banquet of great titles from yesteryear. Sadly, it does seem that the pantry is seldom restocked and sooner rather than later my table will be littered with scraps. Morsels incapable of satisfying even my modest appetite.

It is fabled that characters who happen to be either beautiful women or men of caucasian ethnicity have become anathema to the Xbox brand. It is peculiar because while I’m neither a beautiful woman nor a caucasian male, I’ve always been affected by the great stories and narratives interwoven in the gameplay of many of your first party titles regardless of whose eyes I experience them through. I thought the whole point of sharing great stories was to highlight the human condition all the while mourning and celebrating its various aspects. Some wonderful, others macabre. Even with titles that aren’t story driven I’ve found great appreciation for the software engineering. So much so that titles such as Forza Horizon have re-ignited a passion for motoring in me that I thought was lost to the annals of history. I am almost as besotted with the 296 GTB and its handling in the virtual roads of Mexico as I am with Kassandra. Both of whom I’d like to go with on an Odyssey. Perhaps I can learn how to be an assassin. Japan might be a great place to start. I could learn how to do the “tango.” I may just need to put in some work though from recent events I hear that may no longer be possible. It does seem more and more that the evil of corporate greed at Microsoft is already within.

It has been incredibly disheartening to see a once great brand with a great product left flailing by the wayside. Studios recently purchased shutting down for unclear reasons, first party games released on the console running noticeably worse than on their contemporary. Is there a culture that has completely subverted the Xbox division where excellence no longer matters? The magic that has enthralled many for decades seems to be fading. I understand that technology companies in America have become cathedrals where doctrines which favour identity over merit are preached but surely this can’t be the root cause of this unfolding tragedy, can it? Most of us the world over aren’t adherents to this religion. However, it does seem to not only be infecting but affecting things that we love and things that have brought many together regardless of culture or creed. Whatever the trouble is at Xbox I do hope you are able to resolve it soon. Xbox cannot be allowed to fail. For the good of all mankind.

Your Dearest,

Keli.

Image credits in order of appearance: Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay; Image by CreatureSH from Pixabay; Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay; Image by Welcome to All ! ツ from Pixabay