(Pocket-lint) - The faces at the top of Microsoft may have changed lately, but it's still full steam ahead for the Xbox division. Both new CEO Satya Nadella and ex-Nokia boss, now devices and studios head Stephen Elop, are said to be "extremely committed" to the Xbox hardware and software divisions.

That might seem obvious really, but previous reports suggested that Elop would consider selling the Xbox arm should he have taken over as chief executive officer instead of Nadella. He didn't, but the Xbox division and Microsoft Studios' games development teams are now under his control.

READ: Xbox One review

Speaking at SXSW, the Studios' lead Phil Spencer said that the gaming parts of the business have received great support from the new Microsoft management. "In terms of Microsoft's commitment in the space, I know both Satya and Stephen Elop, I know them well. I've had explicit conversations with them about Microsoft's commitment to Xbox - they're extremely committed to Xbox," he said.

"Xbox is a really critical brand for us as a company as Microsoft; when you think about consumers, what they love about our company, Xbox is one of the most beloved brands that the company has.

"We're in the middle of a good, competitive battle in the console space with PlayStation, which is great for the industry. And they remain extremely committed to us succeeding with Xbox, which is nice to hear, right? It's something that resonates well inside the walls when you're talking to the teams, or when I stand in front of Xbox fans, I want to make sure that they understand we are extremely committed to this product."

The Xbox One might be lagging behind the PS4 in worldwide sales, but this coming Friday, 14 March, represents a massive milestone in the console war. Titanfall is released exclusively for Xbox One and Windows in the UK and many other regions (an Xbox 360 version will follow on 28 March). It will hit the streets tomorrow in the US.

Many believe it could be the game that accelerates Xbox One take-up. Pocket-lint will be reviewing Titanfall soon, so you'll be able to find out if we think that will be the case.

Writing by Rik Henderson.