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The Latest Breaking News from Matthew Ball

After years of mixed messaging, Xbox is putting exclusives front and center and making it clear they still matter

Xbox appears to be highlighting its renewed focus on console exclusives with a new EXCLUSIVE label on the Xbox Series X|S dashboard. The move follows recent comments from Xbox leadership confirming that players can expect signature exclusives every year going forward.

Windows Central

"The rumors are false": No, Microsoft isn't already looking to 'reverse course' on Xbox exclusives — but it's not hard to understand why these rumors spread

Rumors picked up over the weekend spread by anonymous forum posters that Microsoft wasn't truly committed to exclusive games. Microsoft has denied them.

Windows Central

Why Xbox (and others) are considering the role of "ads" on console — it's more complicated than simple "greed," unfortunately

Even before the current memory crisis and various other crises, the volume of players spending literally *nothing* on consoles like Xbox and PlayStation is increasing. When you're selling hardware at a loss, that's a problem.

Windows Central

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Xbox exec clarifies that Netflix-style in-game ads that interrupt gameplay would be a bad idea, actually

"Ads should be used to offer more affordable alternatives alongside today's ad-free experiences"

GamesRadar

Xbox's chief strategist considers using ads to "offer more affordable alternatives" for experiences — but says "The question is not 'Can we cram ads in everything?'" [UPDATED]

Xbox's chief strategist is considering ads that might help "keep our products affordable" and "fund outstanding work from our development teams."

Windows Central

"We have no desire to move away from the console business": Xbox reaffirms Microsoft's commitment to console even as it plans to "get better" at PC, mobile

While Microsoft and Xbox plan to explore other platforms, it says it needs to "shore up the platform we have," and vows it won't "move away" from consoles.

Windows Central

Xbox's new chief strategy officer is still a big believer in in-game ads

Matthew Ball predicted a rise in ad-supported gaming before joining Xbox, and he still thinks it's a good idea.

PC Gamer

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"It has become difficult to articulate why you should pick an Xbox console": Xbox says exclusives are about more than just selling games

Xbox Chief Strategy Officer Matthew Ball says Xbox has struggled to clearly explain why players should choose its consoles. In a recent interview, Ball argued that exclusives are about more than selling games, helping give players a stronger reason to invest in the Xbox ecosystem.

Windows Central

"The crisis is the right term": Xbox strategy chief says memory shortages will impact next-gen and Project Helix, but Microsoft will work to adapt

Microsoft's Xbox CSO Matthew Ball says it's doing everything it can to adapt to the impact of the RAM crisis as it develops the Project Helix console.

Windows Central

"Play your PC games — have backward compatibility": Xbox doubles down on Project Helix's core vision amid uncertainty

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has reaffirmed that Project Helix will support PC games, backward compatibility, and high-end performance, providing greater clarity following recent comments that sparked speculation about the console's future direction.

Windows Central

Xbox admits some exclusives will sell fewer units but promises a steady pipeline of games

Xbox has reiterated its commitment to exclusives, with Chief Strategy Officer Matthew Ball promising a reliable pipeline of future Xbox-only titles. While Microsoft says exclusives remain important to platform growth, questions remain about which games will stay exclusive going forward.

Windows Central

Xbox executive says Game Pass "lost millions of subscribers" as a direct impact of the brand's egregious price hikes

Xbox has revealed that its controversial Game Pass price increase led to the loss of millions of subscribers. New comments from Matthew Ball offer a rare look at the impact of the decision and how Xbox has since adjusted its subscription strategy.

Windows Central

Xbox lost 'millions' of Game Pass subscribers after last year's massive price hike

This would explain why Asha Sharma moved so quickly to lower them.

PC Gamer

Xbox Game Pass lost "millions of subscribers" in just "a few months" after 50% price hike

As it turns out, people don't like when subscription prices go up that much

GamesRadar

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GamesRadar

"Our business today is not healthy": Xbox exec says plan for exclusive games is "not ready" but Microsoft is working on it

Gears of War is exclusive, but Halo is not

Windows Central

How Microsoft’s new Gaming Chief Strategy Officer Matthew Ball could save Microsoft's Xbox business

XBOX has a new chief strategy officer as part of another leadership shakeup from CEO Asha Sharma. How might Matthew Ball handle XBOX's future? We can infer a bit from his own analysis.

Windows Central

“Our job is to turn around the business": New Xbox chief strategy officer says joining was "irresistible," and his goal is "reviving storied franchises"

As part of plans for "strengthening Xbox’s console business," its new CSO Matthew Ball aims to elevate Microsoft's social "creator-centric" games.

Windows Central

Microsoft's Xbox CEO Asha Sharma hires "widely respected" gaming industry analyst for strategy — the move helps "position Xbox for the future”

In her latest wave of Xbox leadership hires, CEO Asha Sharma has brought industry analyst Matthew Ball and two others into the fold at Microsoft.

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PC Gamer

Former Elder Scrolls Online boss was told in 2001 that 'There's already enough MMOs out there, no one is ever gonna play a new one'

An extremely funny thing to say three years before World of Warcraft.

Windows Central

Oof, Roblox has as much player engagement as Steam, PlayStation, and Fortnite combined — and now it's even nipping at Netflix's heels

A new report reveals that the free-to-play game Roblox has enough player engagement to match that of Steam's, PlayStation's, and Fortnite's combined.

PC Gamer

Players spent roughly 10,250,000,000 monthly hours in Roblox in 2025, analyst says—more than Steam, PlayStation, and Fortnite combined

Roblox alone accounted for 67% of the games industry's growth outside of China in 2025.

Windows Central

The game industry's core issues go beyond Xbox, and PlayStation's shutdown of Bluepoint proves it's far more widespread

The industry is in turmoil as it chases the bottom line, but gamers are choosing somewhere else to spend their time.

Operation Sports

Report: Mature Gaming Markets Are Losing the “War for Attention”

Gaming is struggling to find a permanent space in the public consciousness.

PC Gamer

Videogames are 'losing in the War for Attention': Analyst says many of the industry's biggest markets are spending less time on gaming

It's a crowded battlefield.

The Guardian - UK

Ballet star Matthew Ball on gruelling roles and getting ogled on Instagram: ‘I don’t feel precious about my body’

Tall, handsome and used to receiving fire emojis on his social media posts, the dancer has, with his partner Mayara Magri, been called ‘the Posh’n’Becks of ballet’. But there is suffering in his art: ‘I kind of enjoy negativity,’ he says

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