Microsoft: Inside Xbox closure "logical"
Xbox Europe interactive entertainment VP Chris Lewis explains recent decision
Speaking at E3, Microsoft Xbox Europe interactive entertainment VP Chris Lewis has further explained the reasons behind it's closure of popular video show Inside Xbox.
"We just felt it had reached a logical and natural position where we felt that we had a strong voice to that community in any case," he told Eurogamer.
"We've got 40 million people on Xbox Live, we know that audience closely follows what we're up to, so we felt it was logical [to close it]."
And while Microsoft are planning to replace the gap left by the closure with new content, Lewis wouldn't reveal what form that might take. Just that it would still satisfy a core audience, while making the most of the console's more casual friendly features too.
"The key to answering your question though is our commitment to keep bringing that kind of content to satisfy the appetite of that audience. We have no desire to move away from that. In my opinion, we are focussed on it more than ever - understanding how to target that audience, how not to alienate that audience."
"We want to be the entertainment hub in the living room - the box of choice in every respect, whether it is hardcore gaming, fitness, music, whether its browsing, voice search. We think we're so well placed in regards bringing that to life versus anybody else."
Meanwhile on Twitter Dan Maher, formerly of Inside Xbox, shared his frustrations at the lack of communication between Microsoft and fans of the show.
"A month on, and people are still asking me where Inside Xbox is. Could someone who works at MS please get someone to actually communicate its closure on the Euro dashboards and not as a well-hidden addendum to a single language blog from a US-only personality?"
"If you see fit to get rid of us, don't leave the messaging to us. It's not fair to us and it's not fair to the community. It upsets me," he continued. "I'm forced to tell people I've been made redundant, because you refused to communicate it via the surviving community channels. Enough."