Microsoft is not giving up on Xbox as a console, says the new CEO
While Microsoft’s position in the console market appears to be dwindling, the new CEO of Microsoft Gaming reaffirms her full commitment to developing a new Xbox console. In an email to employees announcing her role as successor to outgoing CEO Phil Spencer, the newly appointed CEO of Microsoft Gaming Asha Sharma explains, that the motto “This is a Xbox“ also applies to future dedicated console hardware.”
During her time as CEO of Microsoft Gaming, Sharma announced the “return of Xbox” and promised: “We will celebrate our roots with a renewed commitment to Xbox, starting with the console that defined us. It connects us with the players and fans who invest in Xbox, and with the developers who create ambitious experiences for it.”
Nevertheless, the plan to make Xbox available everywhere and anytime still applies. “Gaming today takes place across devices and is no longer limited to individual hardware,” Sharma wrote. “With our expansion to PC, mobile devices and cloud computing Xbox should seamlessly integrate and meet the needs of our communities. We will remove barriers so that developers can build their games once and reach players everywhere without compromise.”
Sharma’s promises to fans also include games that “take risks.” Working with newly promoted Chief Content Officer Matt Booty, “we will explore new categories and markets where we can deliver real value based on what matters most to players.”
Xbox boss wants a shared platform and tools for developers and players
“To meet the current challenges, we will develop new business models and ways to play by building on our existing strengths: legendary teams, characters, and worlds that players love,” said Sharma. “But we will not treat these worlds as static intellectual property that we can only exploit and monetize. We will develop a shared platform and tools that empower developers and players to create and share their own stories.”
One promise that might reassure longtime fans and critics of generative AI is Sharma’s pledge to “neither pursue short-term efficiency nor flood our ecosystem with soulless AI junk.” This stands in stark contrast to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s widely noted criticism of the term “junk” in the context of AI-generated content, as explained in a blog post from the end of 2025 when Nadella argued that “we need to move beyond the scrap versus sophistication debate”.
However, Sharma’s position on generative AI seems to be quite clear, at least when it comes to games: “Games are and will remain art, created by humans and with the most innovative technology available to us,” she wrote.
As a relatively new employee at Microsoft, Sharma faces a major challenge: to get the Xbox brand back on track. But at least on paper, her direction seems clear: she wants to massively expand console development, Xbox Game Studios, and established brands. Whether she ultimately succeeds remains to be seen, but the next generation of consoles from Redmond certainly looks promising.
