Why Xbox Live is the focus of Microsoft’s gaming business

If it seems like Microsoft is de-emphasizing the importance of owning an Xbox console to play its games, that’s because the company cares way more about its digital platform and about a box that sits next to your TV.

Xbox Live, not Xbox One or even the souped-up Scorpio, is the central pillar of Microsoft’s gaming strategy, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said in a presentation to investors on Thursday. Spencer sees Xbox Live as the social network that kickstarts consumer interest in spending money on Microsoft’s content. And while that might’ve happened primarily on the console in the past, he wants Xbox Live at the center of the gaming experience across any device with a screen.