Microsoft's head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, has defended the parity clause for indie developers, pushing them to launch their new games at the same time as other platforms launch. Spencer, who went on The Inner Circle Podcast to debate this issue, claimed this is for the Xbox one customers.

 "I look at all the people who buy an Xbox, and they invest their time and their money in Xbox One," Spencer said. "And, as millions of people obviously own Xbox Ones, I want them to feel like they're first class because they are,"

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He added that "when a third party game comes out, it comes out on all platforms at the same time, and when indie games come out, I want them to come out and I want Xbox to feel like it's a first-class citizen when an indie game launches.

"So for me the parity thing is, if you own an Xbox One, I want to work for you to make sure that when great content launches, if it's coming to Xbox and another platform, that you kind of get it at the same time everybody else does."

The parity clause allows them to keep control over indies, by almost threatening indie studios.

Even with the indirect threat, Spencer claims many indies are happy with the Xbox One. He also claims the parity clause works on a "case-by-case" basis, allowing indie developers who cannot port it onto the Xbox One for launch day some breathing room.

Spencer took charge of the Xbox Division midway through the launch of the Xbox One, after Don Mattrick stepped down. He has been in charge of the change of thought in Microsoft in the Xbox Division, bringing a core focus back to games, and less on entertainment.

Spencer  has been a popular early leader due to his revamp into gaming and his focus on exclusives. Spencer is also not afraid to apologize and give reasoning for mistakes, something Don Mattrick shied away from.

TagsXbox One, phil spencer, Xbox One parity, indie games, console wars