Phil Spencer – the CEO of Microsoft Gaming – has gone on record with an internal memo that directly addresses the monumental Xbox-related leaks that hit the airwaves just yesterday. In these leaks, which came from within the FTC vs. Microsoft trial, Xbox’s plans for the next decade were laid bare. Everything from hardware to software was detailed in these leaks, which also included critical information regarding Xbox’s operations and strategies for the next ten years.

By way of a response, Spencer circulated a memo internally – but that too inevitably found its way to the surface. In this memo, Spencer mentions that many of the documents contained in this ‘catastrophic’ leak were more than a year old, and since they were created, plans have evolved. However, given that a lot of the documents were dated within the last year and spoke about key plans leading up to 2030, it stands to reason that a lot of relevant information was still disclosed.

Xbox Now Needs To Recover

It was a set of dire circumstances for both Xbox and Microsoft, as it was later revealed that the latter party was responsible for the leak in the first place. This gaffe has led to countless tidbits of information surfacing across social circles the world over, revealing much of Xbox’s future even some key financial information. We broke down the most critical points in a comprehensive debrief, but here are a few of the points that were leaked:

There are new Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles being released in late 2024
There’s a brand-new Xbox controller being released at the start of 2024
There’s a ‘Cloud Console’ that is funded within Xbox – Project Keystone
Bethesda Game Studios is working on or has worked on Oblivion and Fallout 3 remasters
It can cost anything from $100 million to $300 million for AAA titles to be secured for Game Pass on Day One

Here’s Phil Spencer’s memo that addressed these dire leaks:

‘Team,

Today, several documents submitted in the court proceedings related to our proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard were unintentionally disclosed. I know this is disappointing, even if many of the documents are well over a year old and our plans have evolved.

I also know we all take the confidentiality of our plans and our partners’ information very seriously. This leak obviously is not us living up to that expectation. We will learn from what happened and be better going forward. We all put incredible amounts of passion and energy into our work, and this is never how we want that hard work to be shared with the community. That said, there’s so much more to be excited about, and when we’re ready, we’ll share the real plans with our players.

In closing, I appreciate all of the work that you pour into Team Xbox to surprise and delight our players. In the days and weeks ahead, let’s stay focused on what we can control: continuing the amazing success of Starfield, the upcoming launch of the incredible and accessible Forza Motorsport, and continuing to build games, services and devices that millions of players can enjoy.

Phil’

What Happens Now?

Now, Xbox enters a period of recovery, attempting to save face and regain lost ground. If Phil Spencer’s claims are anything to go by, then the plans revealed in these leaked documents may not be relevant anymore and things have evolved. That could be a saving grace for Xbox, as it could mean that many developments are still being kept under wraps. However, there’s no doubt that this is an epic blow for Microsoft, and it means that competitors – such as PlayStation – can prepare for the future right now.

Read More: What Can Unity Do to Save Face?