Microsoft has launched a new marketing campaign titled 'This is an Xbox,' which has sparked controversy among gamers, particularly console enthusiasts. The campaign redefines what constitutes an Xbox, inclusively mentioning various devices such as laptops, smartphones, ROG Ally, Meta Quest 3 VR headset, and Amazon Fire TV stick, all of which can run Xbox games through the Xbox Cloud Gaming service.

Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer explained that this campaign is part of the company's strategy to expand the Xbox brand beyond traditional consoles. He emphasized that while console sales are not growing, the biggest growth in Xbox players is coming from PC and cloud gaming. Spencer assured that Xbox will continue to produce consoles and other hardware in the future but noted that the brand's success now depends on making games available across multiple platforms[1][2][5].

The campaign aims to highlight the accessibility of Xbox games on various devices, leveraging the Xbox Cloud Gaming service. However, it has raised concerns among console purists who fear this might signal the end of traditional Xbox consoles. Spencer addressed these concerns by stating that Xbox will 'definitely' create more consoles and other devices, but the focus is now on expanding the platform to include PC, cloud, and mobile markets[1][2][3].

Additionally, the campaign reflects Microsoft's broader strategy of making its games available on more platforms, including PlayStation and Nintendo consoles, as part of their 'Play Anywhere' initiative[2][5].

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