Phil Spencer: DirectX 12 Not a “Massive Change” For Xbox One; Explains Expectations from 1st Party Studios

Giuseppe Nelva June 17, 2014 1:13 PM EST

The introduction of Direct X 12 has caused quite a stir in the community, especially due to how little we know on how much the new API will actually help the Xbox One. Many developers expressed their opinion, with some going as far as making unrealistic statements about doubling the efficiency of the console’s GPU, and others holding on more conservative and realistic stances.

Microsoft’s Xbox division head honcho Phil Spencer gave a quite realistic assessment of what we can expect today on Twitter, explaining that the new API won’t bring a “massive change,” but will help:

It will help developers on XBOX One. It’s not going to be a massive change but will unlock more capability for devs.

Interestingly, Spencer also explained what he expects from his first party studios as opposed to third party ones:

I don’t think it’s about a specific genre, more about creating exclusive franchises, taking some risks 3rd parties might not take. Thing I ask 1st party studios is why is this a 1st party game, what tech, design or creative difference are we trying to land.

Talking about third party studios, Spencer also mentioned that he “really likes” Scalebound, the Xbox One exclusive Hideki Kamiya and Platinum Games are developing in collaboration with Microsoft.

Personally, I find quite refreshing that Spencer isn’t overpromising on what DirectX 12 will deliver, especially considering that some really went overboard with their predictions, presenting scenarios that are simply unrealistic under every point of view.

It’s also interesting to see him talk about taking risks with first party studios, even more so if we look at the fact that nowadays the industry tends to shy more and more away from making risky design decisions, that are often left to indies.