Microsoft’s Xbox is changing how it does things by letting people play some of its games on different kinds of devices, not just Xbox. This is because they know that young people who play games like to use many kinds of devices and don’t care as much about which company makes the game. The boss of Xbox, Phil Spencer, thinks that games that you can only play on one device will not be as common soon. Sony, which makes PlayStation, is thinking the same way and wants to let people play its games on other devices too.

Microsoft and Sony both like the idea of letting people play their games on any device that has a screen. They want to reach more people because there are millions who don’t have an Xbox or PlayStation but might want to play their games. In 2023, not as many Xbox consoles were sold, so many gamers couldn’t play games that were only on Xbox. Making games available on more devices could help Microsoft and Sony make more money and reach more people.

Even though Microsoft is starting to focus on letting people play games on many devices, they’re not going to stop making Xbox consoles. They still think consoles are important and have bought game studios and plan to make new hardware. Xbox is also working on a service called Games Pass, which lets people play lots of games for a monthly fee. Microsoft hopes to get more people to join this service and is aiming for a big number of subscribers in the future.

Original news source: Xbox, Nintendo or PlayStation: does it still matter? (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

Fast

📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions:
1. Give each student a copy of the article or display it on a screen.
2. Ask the students to read the article individually or in pairs.
3. Instruct the students to summarize the main points of the article in a few sentences.
4. Have each student or pair share their summaries with the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into small groups.
2. Assign each group a role (e.g. Xbox supporters, PlayStation supporters, neutral).
3. Instruct each group to discuss and come up with reasons why they agree or disagree with the idea of playing games on different devices.
4. After the discussion, have each group present their opinions to the class.
5. Conduct a class-wide poll to see which opinion is the most popular.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions:
1. Write down key vocabulary words from the article on separate index cards.
2. Divide the class into small groups.
3. Give each group a set of index cards.
4. Instruct the groups to take turns selecting a card and drawing a picture to represent the word without using any letters or numbers.
5. The other groups must guess the word based on the drawing.
6. Award points to the group that guesses correctly.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into small groups.
2. Instruct each group to create a list of pros and cons for Microsoft’s decision to let people play games on different devices.
3. After the groups have completed their lists, have each group share their pros and cons with the class.
4. Facilitate a class discussion to explore the different viewpoints and opinions.

– Two Truths and a Lie
Instructions:
1. Instruct each student to come up with two true statements and one false statement related to the article.
2. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
3. Have each student or group take turns sharing their statements.
4. The other students or groups must guess which statement is the lie.
5. Encourage discussion and justification for their answers.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Why is Xbox letting people play games on different devices?
2. What is the name of the boss of Xbox?
3. What is Sony thinking about letting people do with their games?
4. Why do Microsoft and Sony want people to be able to play their games on any device?
5. What is the name of the service that Xbox is working on?
6. Does Microsoft plan to stop making Xbox consoles?
7. What is Microsoft hoping for in the future with their Games Pass service?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Microsoft’s Xbox is changing how it does things by letting people (1)______ some of its games on different kinds of (2)______, not just Xbox. This is because they know that young people who play games like to use many kinds of devices and don’t (3)______ as much about which company makes the game. The boss of Xbox, Phil Spencer, thinks that games that you can only play on one device will not be as common soon. Sony, which (4)______ PlayStation, is thinking the (5)______ way and wants to let people play its games on other devices too.

Microsoft and Sony both like the idea of letting people play their games on any device that has a screen. They want to (6)______ more people because there are millions who don’t have an Xbox or PlayStation but might want to play their (7)______. In 2023, not as many Xbox consoles were sold, so many gamers couldn’t play games that were only on Xbox. Making games available on more devices could (8)______ Microsoft and Sony make more money and reach more (9)______.

Even though Microsoft is starting to focus on letting people play games on many devices, they’re not going to (10)______ making Xbox consoles. They still think consoles are important and have bought game studios and plan to make new hardware. Xbox is also working on a service (11)______ Games Pass, which lets people play lots of games for a monthly fee. (12)______ hopes to get more people to join this service and is aiming for a big number of subscribers in the future.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is Xbox?
2. How do you feel about playing games on different devices?
3. Do you like playing games on Xbox? Why or why not?
4. What do you think about Microsoft and Sony letting people play games on any device?
5. How would you feel if you couldn’t play a game because it was only on Xbox?
6. Do you think it’s a good idea for Microsoft and Sony to make games available on more devices? Why or why not?
7. What do you think about Microsoft still making Xbox consoles even though they’re focusing on letting people play games on many devices?
8. How do you feel about the idea of a service like Games Pass, where you can play lots of games for a monthly fee?
9. Do you think more people will join the Games Pass service in the future? Why or why not?
10. How would you feel if you couldn’t play a game because it was only on PlayStation?
11. What other devices do you think would be good for playing games on?
12. Why do you think Microsoft and Sony want to reach more people and make more money?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. devices
2. common
3. boss
4. consoles
5. available
6. focus
7. studios
8. hardware
9. service
10. subscribers
11. aiming
12. millions

Meanings:
(A) Help or work given to others, often for a fee
(B) Something you can get or use
(C) Places where people make movies or video games
(D) The physical parts of a computer or machine
(E) People who sign up to regularly receive something, like a magazine or online game
(F) Special machines made for playing video games
(G) The person in charge, like the captain of a ship
(H) A very big number, more than you can easily count
(I) Something you see or find a lot, not rare
(J) Things like phones, computers, or game systems you can play with or work on
(K) Paying a lot of attention to one thing
(L) Trying really hard to reach a goal
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why is Microsoft allowing people to play Xbox games on different devices?
(a) Because Xbox consoles are not selling well.
(b) Because young people like to use many kinds of devices to play games.
(c) Because Sony is also allowing people to play PlayStation games on other devices.
(d) Because Microsoft wants to stop making Xbox consoles.

2. What does Sony want to do with its games?
(a) Only allow people to play them on PlayStation consoles.
(b) Stop making games altogether.
(c) Sell its games to Microsoft.
(d) Let people play them on other devices.

3. Why do Microsoft and Sony want to let people play their games on any device with a screen?
(a) To make their games more expensive.
(b) To make their games only available on Xbox and PlayStation consoles.
(c) To stop making Xbox and PlayStation consoles.
(d) To reach more people who don’t have an Xbox or PlayStation.

4. What happened in 2023 that made it difficult for gamers to play Xbox games?
(a) Xbox games became too expensive.
(b) Microsoft stopped making Xbox games.
(c) Not as many Xbox consoles were sold.
(d) Sony bought all the Xbox consoles.

5. What is Microsoft’s plan for the future of Xbox consoles?
(a) They still think consoles are important and plan to make new hardware.
(b) They are going to stop making Xbox consoles.
(c) They are going to sell Xbox consoles to Sony.
(d) They are going to focus only on making Xbox games.

6. What is Games Pass?
(a) A new Xbox console.
(b) A service that lets people play lots of games for a monthly fee.
(c) A game studio owned by Microsoft.
(d) A service that lets people play PlayStation games on Xbox consoles.

7. What does Microsoft hope to achieve with Games Pass?
(a) Stop making Xbox consoles.
(b) Sell Xbox consoles to Sony.
(c) Get more people to join the service and have a large number of subscribers in the future.
(d) Make Xbox games more expensive.

8. Who is Phil Spencer?
(a) The boss of Xbox.
(b) The boss of Sony.
(c) The boss of Microsoft.
(d) The boss of Games Pass.

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Microsoft and Sony hope that making games available on fewer devices will help them make more money and reach more people.
2. The boss of Xbox, Phil Spencer, believes that games exclusive to one device will become less common.
3. Microsoft is still going to make Xbox consoles because they believe they are important, and they have plans to create new hardware.
4. In 2023, many Xbox consoles were sold, so many gamers could play exclusive Xbox games.
5. Young people who play games like to use various devices and don’t care about the company that makes the game.
6. Microsoft’s Xbox is restricting people to play games only on Xbox.
7. Microsoft and Sony both want to reach fewer people by allowing their games to be played on limited devices with a screen.
8. Sony, the maker of PlayStation, also wants to let people play its games on other devices.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. Why is Microsoft letting people play its games on different kinds of devices?
2. What does Sony want to do with its games?
3. Why do Microsoft and Sony want to make their games available on more devices?
4. Are Microsoft and Sony going to stop making Xbox consoles?
5. What is the name of the service that Xbox is working on?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Xbox is letting people play games on different devices because they know that young people like to use many kinds of devices and don’t care as much about which company makes the game.
2. The boss of Xbox is Phil Spencer.
3. Sony is thinking about letting people play their games on other devices too.
4. Microsoft and Sony want people to be able to play their games on any device so they can reach more people and make more money.
5. The service that Xbox is working on is called Games Pass.
6. No, Microsoft does not plan to stop making Xbox consoles. They still think consoles are important.
7. Microsoft is hoping to have a lot of subscribers in the future with their Games Pass service.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) play
(2) devices
(3) care
(4) makes
(5) same
(6) reach
(7) games
(8) help
(9) people
(10) stop
(11) called
(12) Microsoft
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. devices
Answer: (J) Things like phones, computers, or game systems you can play with or work on

2. common
Answer: (I) Something you see or find a lot, not rare

3. boss
Answer: (G) The person in charge, like the captain of a ship

4. consoles
Answer: (F) Special machines made for playing video games

5. available
Answer: (B) Something you can get or use

6. focus
Answer: (K) Paying a lot of attention to one thing

7. studios
Answer: (C) Places where people make movies or video games

8. hardware
Answer: (D) The physical parts of a computer or machine

9. service
Answer: (A) Help or work given to others, often for a fee

10. subscribers
Answer: (E) People who sign up to regularly receive something, like a magazine or online game

11. aiming
Answer: (L) Trying really hard to reach a goal

12. millions
Answer: (H) A very big number, more than you can easily count
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why is Microsoft allowing people to play Xbox games on different devices?
Answer: (b) Because young people like to use many kinds of devices to play games.

2. What does Sony want to do with its games?
Answer: (d) Let people play them on other devices.

3. Why do Microsoft and Sony want to let people play their games on any device with a screen?
Answer: (d) To reach more people who don’t have an Xbox or PlayStation.

4. What happened in 2023 that made it difficult for gamers to play Xbox games?
Answer: (c) Not as many Xbox consoles were sold.

5. What is Microsoft’s plan for the future of Xbox consoles?
Answer: (a) They still think consoles are important and plan to make new hardware.

6. What is Games Pass?
Answer: (b) A service that lets people play lots of games for a monthly fee.

7. What does Microsoft hope to achieve with Games Pass?
Answer: (c) Get more people to join the service and have a large number of subscribers in the future.

8. Who is Phil Spencer?
Answer: (a) The boss of Xbox.
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Microsoft and Sony hope that making games available on fewer devices will help them make more money and reach more people. (Answer: False)
2. The boss of Xbox, Phil Spencer, believes that games exclusive to one device will become less common. (Answer: True)
3. Microsoft is still going to make Xbox consoles because they believe they are important, and they have plans to create new hardware. (Answer: True)
4. In 2023, many Xbox consoles were sold, so many gamers could play exclusive Xbox games. (Answer: False)
5. Young people who play games like to use various devices and don’t care about the company that makes the game. (Answer: True)
6. Microsoft’s Xbox is restricting people to play games only on Xbox. (Answer: False)
7. Microsoft and Sony both want to reach fewer people by allowing their games to be played on limited devices with a screen. (Answer: False)
8. Sony, the maker of PlayStation, also wants to let people play its games on other devices. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧