Microsoft Gaming head honcho Phil Spencer says 'I don't like expansions that are manipulative... like, the third level you cut before you launched'

Gaming IndustryMicrosoft Gaming head honcho Phil Spencer says ‘I don’t like expansions that are manipulative… like, the third level you cut before you launched’When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Phil Spencer announces PC Game Pass expansion

Microsoft Gaming chief Phil Spencer has been doing a few interviews as 2024 draws to a close, celebrating Microsoft’s generally strong lineup of games over the year while also warning that the PC-heavy lineup is “historical” and an “anomaly” following the $69 billionActivision-Blizzard acquisition.

Spencer’s focus at the moment is talking up the strength of Xbox’s lineup while flogging Game Pass, and moving towards a “Play Anywhere” marketing line that will see Xbox games work across a variety of devices. It’s Game Pass that feels like the real driver right now, however, with the recent launch ofBlack Ops 6the first time a Call of Duty title has been available day one on the subscription service. But that’s part of a wider slew of offerings that, for the moment at least, tend to exclude most DLC and expansions across the slate.

In a new interview withnewsletter GameFile, reporter Stephen Totilo pointed out to Spencer that three of Microsoft’s nine fall releases are expansions: Diablo 4’s Vessel of Hatred, World of Warcraft’s The War Within, and Starfield’s Shattered Space. Given that the Game Pass model is the blindingly simple subs, subs and then more subs on top, Totilo suggested that expansions are becoming more important revenue-wise, with Microsoft able to hive off paid expansions for popular titles and then offer them to a captive audience. This isn’t small beans: Shattered Space was a $30 release while Vessel of Hatred was $40.

Spencer says there’s no “top down mandate” on expansions, but then that’s exactly what he would say from the top. “It’s really left to the creators what plan they have for their stories. I think it’s a great way for us to re-engage players who may be lapsed.”

Big Phil points out that Vessel of Hatred offered a new class in Diablo 4, while Shattered Space added a new world to Starfield, both being of obvious interest to existing players.

“I don’t like expansions that are manipulative,” said Spencer. “I want it to have a unique point of view. I don’t want it to be, like, the third level that you cut before you launched.

“But we’re always learning. Todd [Howard] and I were talking about Shattered Space. Starfield is a game I put a ton of hours into and really love, but they’ve had this thing where they’ve added features throughout the year and then they had an expansion. I think some of the feedback on the expansion is: ‘We wanted more features.’ And he’s like, ‘Well, should we have waited to put buggies out?'”

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals

The buggies arrivedshortly before the paid expansion, and were free for existing players, though I’m not sure they’re the slam-dunk response to player issues that Howard and Spencer think. Not least because the buggies were, essentially, solving a traversal problem where the game’s treks between locations can be extremely boring.

Anyway, Spencer goes on to talk about balancing “both development effort and the impact of the expansion” when managing Microsoft’s portfolio in this respect, ending on the note that “not every game will do expansions.”

Shattered Space didn’t seem togo down tremendously wellor offer a huge amount of new content but, even then, I wouldn’t call it “exploitative” or muse too much about the balance between the free buggies and the paid stuff. The truth is more banal: People will smile and fork over for great expansions without complaint. Maybe Starfield’s expansion just wasn’t a very good one.

TOPICSXbox

TOPICS

More about gaming industryPiranha Games will lay off employees after Mechwarrior 5: Clans ‘performed below projections’TikTok’s time in the US may be ticking to a close as it makes a last stand in the Supreme Court, though Trump now says he ‘opposes banning’ it

More about gaming industry

Piranha Games will lay off employees after Mechwarrior 5: Clans ‘performed below projections’TikTok’s time in the US may be ticking to a close as it makes a last stand in the Supreme Court, though Trump now says he ‘opposes banning’ it

Mechwarrior 5: Clans

Piranha Games will lay off employees after Mechwarrior 5: Clans ‘performed below projections’

A phone displaying the TikTok logo in front of the US flag.

TikTok’s time in the US may be ticking to a close as it makes a last stand in the Supreme Court, though Trump now says he ‘opposes banning’ it

Latest

Double headed wizard man holding arms up looking sad

See more latest►

Most PopularFinal Fantasy 14 communities panic as it turns out change to blacklisting, meant to help reduce stalking, also lets players use mods to track their altsTikTok’s time in the US may be ticking to a close as it makes a last stand in the Supreme Court, though Trump now says he ‘opposes banning’ itMSI intros cheaper ‘back connect’ Project Zero Intel motherboards for super-clean PC builds you might actually be able to affordThermaltake’s new 2000 W PSU is too powerful to be sold in the USA and comes with four PCIe 5.0 GPU power connectorsAMD accuses Intel’s Arrow Lake of being a ‘horrible’ product and implies a lack of options for consumers has caused the Ryzen 7 9800X3D shortageThis Jinx-inspired gaming PC is my favorite of CES 2025 and I’m head over heels for the hardwareHarrowing report alleges years of horrific abuse at Brandoville Studios, an Indonesian support studio that worked on Assassin’s Creed Shadows and The Last of Us RemakeTencent says it’s not a Chinese military company and is willing to sue the US Department of Defense if it isn’t removed from a blacklistAll Zenless Zone Zero 1.5 livestream codesAsus reveals three new Slash Travel Bags for carting around your ROG Ally—however, none of them are particularly fashion forwardToday’s Wordle answer for Friday, January 10

Most Popular

Final Fantasy 14 communities panic as it turns out change to blacklisting, meant to help reduce stalking, also lets players use mods to track their alts

TikTok’s time in the US may be ticking to a close as it makes a last stand in the Supreme Court, though Trump now says he ‘opposes banning’ it

MSI intros cheaper ‘back connect’ Project Zero Intel motherboards for super-clean PC builds you might actually be able to afford

Thermaltake’s new 2000 W PSU is too powerful to be sold in the USA and comes with four PCIe 5.0 GPU power connectors

AMD accuses Intel’s Arrow Lake of being a ‘horrible’ product and implies a lack of options for consumers has caused the Ryzen 7 9800X3D shortage

This Jinx-inspired gaming PC is my favorite of CES 2025 and I’m head over heels for the hardware

Harrowing report alleges years of horrific abuse at Brandoville Studios, an Indonesian support studio that worked on Assassin’s Creed Shadows and The Last of Us Remake

Tencent says it’s not a Chinese military company and is willing to sue the US Department of Defense if it isn’t removed from a blacklist

All Zenless Zone Zero 1.5 livestream codes

Asus reveals three new Slash Travel Bags for carting around your ROG Ally—however, none of them are particularly fashion forward

Today’s Wordle answer for Friday, January 10

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

A bunch of the best Steam Deck accessories on a blue background.

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review

Thank Goodness You’re Here review

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review

Thank Goodness You’re Here! review

2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review

3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

4Ikea Utespelare desk review

Ikea Utespelare desk review

5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals#

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals