The post-console future: where Xbox is looking for its next big hit

Microsoft has been in the video game business for over 20 years, but its Xbox console has been the perpetual runner-up. 2020’s Xbox Series S/X console is being significantly outsold by Sony’s PlayStation 5 – in keeping with its predecessor, 2013’s Xbox One, which was outsold more than 2:1 by the PlayStation 4. It’s currently suffering from a lack of big-ticket exclusive games, and its most recent, Redfall, was a critical disappointment. What’s more, its huge $70bn merger with Activision Blizzard, a deal that would go a long way towards solving its content problem by buying it Call of Duty and much more, is currently by UK regulators.