"The Caretaker"

5 January 2026

2 mins 05s

Custodian sentence.

2025 was a year for Microsoft and Xbox. Not only was a reboot of 'Perfect Dark' cancelled, the studio attached to the game, The Initiative, was also shuttered. Chuck in a hefty drop in hardware sales and you have a brand keen to flip the script. That's why this spot from director Nicolai Fuglsig is for Xbox Game Pass, the subscription service that goes beyond traditional consoles.

Norman, therefore, goes above and beyond to ensure every game looks its best. He's one of several caretakers who tidy up after players: if there's spent ammunition on the floor of 'The Outer Worlds 2', he'll try and sweep it up without turning off the gravity; if the pitch is covered in confetti after a match in 'EA Sports FC', he's there with his trusty vacuum cleaner. He'll only enter 'Grounded 2' if it's an emergency, though—have you seen the size of the spiders in there?

Some parts of the facility are off limits for now, as the likes of 'Gears of War: E-Day' and 'Halo: Campaign Evolved' are still in development. For those who still think Xbox marks the spot, it's good to know that people like Norman care about the job at hand. His employer, meanwhile, hopes the number of out of order signs are kept to a minimum in 2026.

UK

Electronic Gaming