Lionhead: Xbox One policy changes prove Microsoft isn’t “as aloof and removed as reputation suggests”

By Stephany Nunneley

Lionhead’s creative director Gary Carr believes Microsoft’s policy changes with Xbox One prove it’s listening to the consumer.

Speaking with OXM, Carr said he believes the changes provide evidence the company cares about its core audience.

“A lot of people sometimes think that Microsoft is too far removed from what people are saying and what people want, but I don’t think that’s actually true,” he said. “The fact that Microsoft turned round and changed its Xbox One online policy within a week – is that a bad thing? I think that’s a great thing. I think it is listening.

“It turned around and admitted ‘we got some things wrong, we’ve heard you and we’ve changed our policy on that’.”

Carr, like Microsoft, believes the future is a digital-only space but also feels it wasn’t wise to force the switch so soon on the consumer.

“I think it’s obviously reaching for the future, and that’s what Apple and all these guys want to do, but you can’t always be sure when people are ready for change, or whether it’s the right change,” he said.

“I think the fact that Microsoft turned around and changed what it showed at E3 shows that the team are not as aloof and removed as their reputation suggests.”

Xbox One is slated for release sometime in Novemeber.