Laura Fryer, one of the original founding members of Xbox, declared that "Xbox hardware is dead" in a video posted over the weekend, delivering a scathing assessment of Microsoft's evolving gaming strategy as the company shifts toward third-party hardware partnerships and multi-platform game releases.
Fryer's criticism comes as Microsoft announced collaborations with Asus on the ROG Xbox Ally handheld and a multi-year partnership with AMD for future Xbox consoles, moves that industry observers see as evidence of the company's retreat from traditional console manufacturing ahead of Xbox's 25th anniversary next year.
"Obviously, as one of the founding members of the Xbox team, I'm not pleased with where things are today," Fryer said in her YouTube video, according to IGN1. "I don't love watching all of the value that I helped create slowly get eroded away. I'm sad because, from my perspective, it looks like Xbox has no desire—or literally can't—ship hardware anymore."1
Fryer, who served as director of the Xbox Advanced Technology Group and produced games including the original Gears of War, characterized Microsoft's partnership strategy as "a slow exit from the hardware business completely."1 She criticized the ROG Xbox Ally as essentially "a rebranded Asus portable PC" with little appeal to consumers2.
Microsoft's pivot has drawn criticism from other industry veterans. Former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra tweeted that it's "tough to see Xbox confused about who it is and what it should be," urging the company to "pick your lane and stick to it," according to GamesRadar1.
The criticism follows Microsoft's February 2024 decision to begin porting exclusive games like Hi-Fi Rush and Sea of Thieves to PlayStation consoles2. More recently, major titles including Forza Horizon 5 and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle have appeared on competing platforms2.
According to Windows Central, Microsoft's next-generation Xbox consoles, tentatively planned for 2027, will be "closer to Windows than ever before" and may support third-party storefronts including Steam3. The company has also reportedly canceled its internal handheld development in favor of third-party partnerships, according to The Verge4.
Xbox president Sarah Bond announced the AMD partnership would create "a gaming platform that's always with you" and deliver "an Xbox experience not locked to a single store or tied to one device," according to TechPowerUp1.
Despite the criticism, Fryer acknowledged potential in Microsoft's approach, noting that Xbox Game Pass "has a lot of value" while questioning the company's long-term strategy2. She wondered whether Xbox's 25th anniversary celebrations might clarify the company's direction: "Maybe next year is the year that the fog will clear."3
