Matthew Ball
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"Our business today is not healthy": Xbox exec says plan for exclusive games is "not ready" but…
Xbox chief strategy officer Matthew Ball stated that the company's current business is "not healthy" and a new plan for exclusive games is being developed under new CEO Asha Sharma. While some games like Gears of War: E-Day will be console exclusives, live-service titles will remain multi-platform, with a clearer strategy to be communicated to players soon.
Xbox Game Lost “Millions” Of Subscribers When It Increased The Price Last fall
Xbox confirmed that a significant price increase for Xbox Game Pass last fall led to a loss of millions of subscribers. Following the price hike, the service experienced an eight-month decline, but growth has since resumed after subsequent price reductions. The article also mentions the upcoming exclusivity of Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution for Xbox, while Fable and Halo: Campaign Evolved are slated for PlayStation 5.
Xbox Game Pass Lost “Millions” Of Subscribers After Massive Price Hike In 2025
Xbox's chief strategy officer Matthew Ball confirmed that Xbox Game Pass lost millions of subscribers following a price increase to $30 per month in 2025. Microsoft later reduced the price of Game Pass Ultimate to $23 per month. The company also noted that stopping new Call of Duty releases on Game Pass resonated with users, and highlighted upcoming console exclusives like Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution.
Xbox explains new exclusives policy: players "can expect a reliable pipeline" of exclusive titles in service of "turning around the business"
Xbox Chief Strategy Officer Matthew Ball detailed the company's new exclusive titles policy, emphasizing a commitment to a reliable pipeline of games for the Xbox platform. This strategy aims to validate player investments and drive business growth, with exceptions made for certain live service titles like Call of Duty and previously announced commitments, such as Senua's Saga: Hellblade II on PlayStation 5.
Is Xbox Fixable?
Xbox's new chief strategy officer, Matthew Ball, discussed the company's approach to exclusives and hardware, including Project Helix. He emphasized a commitment to a reliable pipeline of Xbox-exclusive titles and reassured that Microsoft is not moving away from console manufacturing despite component cost concerns. Ball also addressed a significant subscriber loss for Xbox Game Pass following a price increase.
Asha Sharma commits to "resetting" Xbox, prioritising exclusivity and addressing AI in new strategy
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma is implementing a new strategy focused on resetting the business, prioritizing exclusivity, and carefully integrating AI. She aims to make Xbox the leading gaming and entertainment company, addressing challenges like rising component costs and platform competition. Sharma emphasized a thoughtful approach to AI, ensuring it solves problems and enhances experiences rather than replacing AAA games.
"Nobody's making games for the retired people" – The growing yet underserved market for grey gamers
The video game industry is largely overlooking the growing market of older players, often referred to as 'grey gamers.' Despite an aging global population and increasing numbers of individuals over 40, 50, and 60 playing games, developers are slow to cater to this demographic, who possess disposable income and long-term gaming literacy. Experts suggest a shift in industry mindset is needed to capture this substantial and expanding market, which is currently underserved by game design and marketing efforts.
Fallout Remasters “A Bit Further Off” Than Assumed, The Elder Scrolls 6 is “Quite Far Away” – Rumor
Rumors suggest that remasters for Fallout games, potentially including Fallout 3, are further away than anticipated, with The Elder Scrolls 6 also being quite distant. Industry figures indicate that while remasters might appear next year, The Elder Scrolls 6 could be as far off as 2028 or 2029. Bethesda's Todd Howard has previously confirmed multiple Fallout projects are in development.
XBOX’s New CSO Wants to Revive “Storied Franchises” and Strengthen “The Console Business”
Matthew Ball, Xbox's new Chief Strategy Officer, aims to revive the brand's glory days by focusing on reviving storied franchises and strengthening the console business. He believes consoles remain important and durable despite rising costs, and is implementing changes like the Player Voice feature.
Xbox hires analyst who said games were losing the attention battle with gambling, crypto and porn as chief strategy officer in another leadership revamp
Xbox has undergone another leadership revamp, with new gaming boss Asha Sharma hiring Matthew Ball as chief strategy officer. Ball, an analyst who previously stated games were losing the attention battle to gambling, crypto, and porn, is tasked with strengthening the console side of Xbox. Scott Van Vliet, with an AI background, has been hired as chief technology officer to improve product development.
Comings and Goings
Xbox has hired Matthew Ball, a veteran analyst, as its new chief strategy officer. The company also appointed an Amazon veteran to the role of chief technology officer, signaling a strategic shift in leadership.
Xbox Adds Two New Heavy Hitters to Its Leadership Team
Xbox has appointed Matthew Ball as Chief Strategy Officer and Scott Van Vliet as Chief Technology Officer to bolster its leadership team. Ball, formerly of Amazon Studios and CEO of Epyllion, brings extensive strategy and investment experience, while Van Vliet has a background with Microsoft products and gaming development. These appointments are part of ongoing leadership changes under CEO Asha Sharma.
Microsoft hired an analyst with an influential video game blog to fix Xbox
Microsoft has hired Matthew Ball, an analyst known for his influential video game blog, as the new chief strategy officer for Xbox. This move comes ahead of the initiative known as Project Helix, indicating a significant strategic shift for the gaming division.
Xbox announces hire of veteran analyst Matthew Ball as chief strategy officer, and AI and Amazon veteran as CTO
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has appointed industry analyst Matthew Ball as chief strategy officer and Amazon veteran Scott Van Vliet as chief technology officer as part of an ongoing management restructure. Ball, a recognized metaverse expert and longtime gamer, will report directly to Sharma, while Van Vliet will focus on improving the product development pipeline. Chris Schnakenberg was also promoted to corporate vice president of partnerships and business development.
Report: Xbox adds Matthew Ball and Scott Van Vliet to leadership team
Xbox has appointed game industry analyst Matthew Ball as chief strategy officer and Scott Van Vliet, formerly of Microsoft's Azure OpenAI, as chief technology officer to bolster its leadership team. These changes follow Xbox CEO Asha Sharma's recent appointments and directives to accelerate operations.
Grand Theft Auto 6 Should be Priced at $80 For the Good of the Industry, Says Bank of America
Bank of America analyst Omar Dessouky suggests that Grand Theft Auto 6 should be priced at $80, arguing that a higher price point would benefit the entire video game industry by allowing other AAA titles to also break the $70 barrier. This suggestion has sparked debate, with other analysts like Michael Pachter and Matthew Ball also discussing potential higher price tags, while Mat Piscatella and Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick express caution about alienating players with increased base prices.
Roblox unveils new Roblox Plus monthly subscription that pays creators who get players to sign up for the new Roblox…
Roblox has introduced Roblox Plus, a new monthly subscription service designed to offer more value to users and incentivize creator payouts. The subscription includes features like paid private servers, and creators can earn Robux based on player engagement within these servers. This move follows Roblox's significant contribution to the games industry's growth in consumer spending since 2021.
How can your game win the 'attention war?' Turn to storytelling
This article discusses how game developers can combat the 'attention war' by focusing on strong narrative design and player engagement, rather than trying to compete with other platforms. Examples like The Messenger and Detroit: Become Human illustrate how compelling storytelling and interactive presentation can deeply involve players. Developers are encouraged to take creative risks and trust their writing to create memorable experiences.
Get Ready To Pay More For A Switch 2, Experts Say
Experts and industry figures suggest that the Nintendo Switch 2 may experience a price increase, potentially by the end of the year, due to rising component costs and market trends. While Nintendo has not confirmed a price hike, companies like Sony and Microsoft have recently increased prices for their consoles. Nintendo's president, Shuntaro Furukawa, stated that while no decision has been made, the company will monitor market conditions and profitability if memory costs continue to rise.
Take-Two boss says he's not interested in putting ads into premium games: 'It would seem unfair'
Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick stated that the company is not interested in implementing advertisements in premium games, deeming it unfair to players who have paid full price. While acknowledging limited advertising in titles like NBA 2K that fits the in-game context, he believes interstitial ads are inappropriate for $70-$80 games. This stance contrasts with predictions of increased in-game advertising across PC and console titles as a new revenue stream.
