Xbox could become the new Sega says ex-PlayStation bossAdam StarkeyPublished February 3, 2025 11:27amUpdated February 3, 2025 11:27am Has Microsoft been Dreamcasted? (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)Xbox could be going the same way as Sega, according to former PlayStation boss Shawn Layden, as he addresses Microsofts strategy.As Microsoft continues to bring more Xbox games to other platforms, the future of Xbox has become a huge talking point within the games industry.While the publisher has confirmed it is not leaving the console business behind (for the next generation at least), Microsofts recent marketing push downplays the Xbox Series X/S in favour of its cross-device streaming service Xbox Game Pass.When coupled with the gradual rollout of Xbox games on other platforms, theres a growing concern that Xboxs identity could diminish in the minds of consumers pushing them out of the conversation with Sony and Nintendo.This topic is addressed in a new interview with former PlayStation boss Shawn Layden, who has recently been very vocal on a range of issues affecting the games industry.When asked about concerns around Microsofts multiplatform strategy on the Kiwi Talkz YouTube channel, Layden said: Multiplatform is a strategy, particularly in a world where the cost of development is increasing so dramatically.Multiplatform means widening your addressable market, as the marketing guys say. Just getting more people a chance to see it. I certainly can understand, appreciate, and welcome that ability to have Xbox games appearing on other platforms.What does it do to their brand? It makes the conversation harder to create the FOMO [fear of missing out]. Youre trying to do that by bringing everyone to your platform saying, if youre not here youre missing out, but if its available on all platforms, thats one of your marketing tactics you cant use. You cant say its only available here, if its available everywhere.Layden, who was chairman of PlayStation Worldwide Studios when he left Sony in 2019, went onto to make an apt, if perhaps unflattering, comparison as to Xboxs potential future.Weve seen it before, he added. I was in the business when Sega brought their Dreamcast titles to PlayStation 2. And, in time, then Sega became a software-only company and have had a great transformation in that respect. Theyre doing great. So it does have historical precedence.Segas final console, the Dreamcast, was discontinued in 2001, three years after it launched. Since then, the company has continued to publish games across multiple platforms, specifically the likes of Sonic The Hedgehog, the Like A Dragon series, and Atluss Persona games. Sega has found success with the Like A Dragon series (Sega)While its unclear if this comparison was intended as a sleight against Microsofts plans to stay in the hardware conversation, his comments do emphasise the tough road ahead for Xbox in making any future console, whether handheld or otherwise, an enticing proposition.The acquisition of Activision Blizzard, however, has given Xbox a financial lift, so the companys position as one of the largest game publishers in the world could negate any damage from low hardware sales moving forward delaying any potential exit from the console space like Sega. Layden previously discussed platform exclusivity in an interview last year, describing it as something which becomes less important over time.If youve established your platform and people understand what it is you can bring and why it will be different here than that game would be over there, then youve solved the argument, he said.More TrendingMicrosofts multiplatform approach looks set to only accelerate this year, with Indiana Jones And The Great Circle and Forza Horizon 5 both coming to PlayStation 5. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has also confirmed Xbox games are coming to the Switch 2, with rumours pointing to Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Microsoft Flight Simulator. Forza is coming to PlayStation (Playground Games)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy