Xbox chief views Google and Amazon as its biggest rivals in the future of gaming

Right now, the video game industry has three major brands competing in the console space. There is Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft. Analysts would suggest the latter two as major competitors when it comes to the next-generation platforms – the PS5 and Xbox Series X. However, Xbox chief Phil Spencer apparently does not see it that way. He stated that it might have been the case before, but its an entirely different approach right now. It seems that Amazon and Google are the companies to watch out for.

A report from Polygon reveals that Phil Spencer was talking about cloud gaming, which is speculated to be the future of gaming. "When you talk about Nintendo and Sony, we have a ton of respect for them, but we see Amazon and Google as the main competitors going forward," he said in an interview with another tech publication.

Microsoft reportedly invested a lot on Project xCloud over the years, which is probably the reason why the internet search firm and the online retail group pose such a big threat. "That's not to disrespect Nintendo and Sony, but the traditional gaming companies are somewhat out of position. I guess they could try to re-create Azure, but we've invested tens of billions of dollars in cloud over the years," the Xbox executive pointed out.

For those who are wondering about Azure, it is Microsoft's cloud computing service for various applications. Moreover, Project xCloud relies on this online infrastructure to stream its games to subscribers. While the PS5, Xbox Series X, and Switch have first-party exclusives, Spencer hinted that cross-platform multiplayer will be available for some titles that support the feature.

Hence, it looks like Sony and Nintendo are open to sharing their networks with one another. Meanwhile, Google's Stadia already launched last year and lets users stream games on their via Chromecast Ultra, PC, and some Android phones. Amazon, on the other hand, is speculated to be working on a game streaming service of its own.Xbox chief views Google and Amazon as its biggest rivals in the future of gaming