Veteran game designer and former Xbox executive Peter Molyneux has told Edge that he believes Microsoft should focus on games rather than connected entertainment with their next generation console which will be unveiled on May 21st.
"I'm going to be absolutely fascinated to see what they finally come out with, because I kind of knew a lot when I was at Microsoft about what their plans were, and plans change and aspirations change," Molyneux commented. "I'm sure they'll have put a lot of time and thought and rehearsal into that press briefing, but I'm going to be fascinated to see what the hardware is, and how it will fit into this new world that we're in now – this new world of hyper-connectivity, of super portability.
"Or whether they'll double-down and say 'you know what? We are the games console, and that's what we define ourselves as' and say [they] don't really care about hyper-connectivity or hyper-portability. It'll be fascinating which way they jump," he added.
Over the last several years entertaiment apps and experiences have overtaken games to become the primary use for the Xbox 360. Microsoft have hired television executives and there have been rumours their next console will feature strong TV integration. There have also been reports the company is looking to revive the TV series Heroes for the next Xbox.
Regardless, Molyneux would prefer the XboxNext to be a gaming-first device.
"This is my personal feeling as a gamer," he elaborated. "What I would do is double-down on what this console if for: it's for playing game. It's for playing games for this massive, incredibly loyal audience of gamers out there. When they start to mix all this other stuff in there I'm kind of like: 'look, I don't want another way of looking at Facebook.' You know, I've got all the ways of looking at Facebook. I don't want another way of looking at Netflix. Just give me what I've paid for, and that is to play amazing, incredible computer games.
"There's always this talk about making consoles 'input one' on the TV," Molyneux added. "It's the fight over moving from it being your Sky box to your Xbox or PlayStation 4, and for me, as a gamer, I don't want that. I want my 'input two' to be my games console, and I think all that stuff tends to confuse it."
Molyneux left Microsoft and Lionhead, the studio he founded, last year in order to open 22Cans which has released Curiosity: What's in the Cube for iOS devices, despite leaving the company he will apparently be attending the next Xbox's reveal though not at Microsoft's behest.
