Game Informer reports Microsoft has said the company is more focused on engagement, leading it to choose Xbox Live usership as its leading statistic these days. Still, Eric will surely be missed as he was one of the public faces of Microsoft after Phil Spencer and Major Nelson. However, the competitiveness of the console marketplace has accelerated since then, as video games become ever bigger business.
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“It’s been an incredible ride”, he wrote on Twitter.
The consolidation of Microsoft’s PC and console gaming experience has led to what CEO Satya Nadella calls an increase in “active users” of Xbox Live. “So long, and thanks for all the Gamerscore!”
While he was part of a crew, he also got the lucky distinction of having the first Xbox Live gamertag, the simply named “e”.
Xbox Live’s growth has been very significant. Mobile gaming, the potential for systems to be contained within virtual reality helmets, a prevalence of streaming services, and a gaming model that may increasingly veer towards subscription rather than ownership, all suggest that the Xbox Two could be significantly different from any previously released console.
Microsoft has been rapidly improving its Xbox app for Windows 10, and the company has started to preview changes with a separate beta version in the store.
In-app Store access. The Store link in the nav menu on the left now opens a Store view in the app instead of opening the Windows Store app. And this view provides access to both Windows 10 and Xbox One games, putting the Games with Gold and Deals with Gold games right up front and center, which is really nice.
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During his time at Microsoft, Neustadter held a number of positions. It is not clear if e’s departure is related to the round of layoffs which affect about a thousand people.
