All articles tagged with #matthew ball
Microsoft/Xbox chief strategy officer Matthew Ball says in-game ads could be used in a restrained, affordable way to balance rising development and hardware costs, potentially directing players to discounts or Game Pass rather than external products; the idea is exploratory with no confirmed plans, and the author notes a personal aversion to ads in fully priced games.
Microsoft's Xbox appoints Matthew Ball as chief strategy officer and Scott Van Vliet as chief technology officer under new boss Asha Sharma, part of a broad leadership overhaul aimed at strengthening the console business and accelerating product development ahead of the Xbox Games Showcase 2026; Ball, who has warned that games face an 'attention war' against tech platforms such as gambling, crypto and adult content, will focus on the console strategy.
Microsoft's Xbox announces a leadership shakeup, naming veteran analyst Matthew Ball as chief strategy officer and Scott Van Vliet—an AI and Amazon veteran—as chief technology officer, in a bid to sharpen strategy and product development while keeping hardware programs intact.
Microsoft’s Xbox has hired game-industry analyst Matthew Ball as chief strategy officer to shape its long-term plan, with Sharma noting Ball has been advising the team since day 10. The company also named Scott Van Vliet as CTO and promoted Chris Schnakenberg, marking the second leadership reshuffle in weeks as Xbox gears up for Showcase.
The video game industry is facing a rough patch with declining sales, usage, and a surge in layoffs. Factors contributing to this include a post-pandemic slump, changes in mobile ad rules by Apple affecting the mobile games business, and rising costs of game development. This has led to a situation where a few big-budget titles dominate sales, making it difficult for new games to break through and stifling innovation. The industry's challenges parallel those of the movie business, prompting concerns about its future.