For as long as there have been consoles, players have been committed to comparing the brands and using different features to try to justify which one is better. This infighting within the gaming community has led to a toxic environment that the higher-ups have noticed at Microsoft and Sony. And now, the CEO of Microsoft Gaming, Phil Spencer, has weighed in on the console war.

At DICE 2022, Spencer was awarded a lifetime achievement award and dedicated part of his acceptance speech to today’s negativity in gaming. Shortly after, the head of Xbox talked with IGN about his appreciation for his team and what message he has for gamers in the next decade.

“Keep playing, keep using your voice. Understand the power of creativity, the power of community,” Spencer said before switching to a more serious message. “Let’s respect creators… creations can be kind of weaponized and used in battles between platforms… I look at everyone who is brave enough to create something, put it out, have their kind of peers, the industry, players play and analyze… Let’s just celebrate that so many great games are coming out.”

Over the last couple of years, Xbox and Sony have been making monumental strides in next-gen consoles and games. It seems, however, that each new release is met with some form of criticism based on what platform it’s being praised on. Likewise, console exclusives have been treated with ire by the opposing faction. 

It seems that Spencer has had enough of the gaming community fighting among itself and instead wants them to direct that energy toward appreciating games. Spencer shared his love for the connections that gaming has fostered in the past. He hopes the future can offer similar opportunities when players are done fighting among themselves.

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