Former Xbox boss says Microsoft was "disadvantaged" before the Xbox 360 era where it was able to "flex its muscles" in third-party gaming: "Having developers feel good, make money on your platform was key"

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"Microsoft was a platform way before we started talking about platforms in video games"

Xbox 360
(Image credit: Future)

There's no denying the Xbox 360 was a triumphant moment for Microsoft despite still trailing the PS3 in worldwide sales. The 360 outsold the original Xbox by a huge margin, introduced groundbreaking features like Xbox Live, and positioned the Xbox brand as an enduring competitor to PlayStation.

One of the ways it managed that was building out the console's third-party repertoire, and it was during the 360 era that Xbox started really cozying up to big name partners like EA, Activision, Take Two, and Ubisoft to bring massively anticipated releases to the box.

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Jordan Gerblick
Jordan Gerblick
Staff Writer

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.

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