Phil Spencer doesn't regret taking a chance on Mixer

Mixer (previously Beam) was set to become a true competitor to streaming giant Twitch following its acquisition by Microsoft but not all plans work out, as made clear by Mixer's imminent shut-down and merger with Facebook Gaming later this month. The decision was, to those outside of the company, sudden but it wasn't a surprise as numbers continually failed to impress.

In a recent interview with Gamesindustry.biz, Xbox boss Phil Spencer explained that the decision was an unfortunate one that had to be made, "It's obviously a disappointment when you try to grow something to the scale it needs to get to and you don't get there".

Spencer does not, however, regret the chance Microsoft took with the platform; "I don't have regrets. You make decisions with the best information you have at the time, you apply your best effort, and we're in a creative industry. We are in a hits-driven industry. And if we get into this space that we get afraid of disappointment that we won't achieve what we're trying to achieve as an organisation", Spencer stated, before explaining that taking risks is integral; "I think it's fundamental to us that we're not afraid of trying things that might not work. And that is just the art of making video games, and frankly game platforms".

Read the full interview here.