Since taking over as the new CEO of Xbox at the beginning of the year, replacing Phil Spencer, Asha Sharma has been vocal about her commitment to her role. She not only ended the “This is an Xbox” campaign and introduced Project Helix, but also implemented a welcome change to Game Pass pricing. Now, alongside Matt Booty, she has issued a message to all employees and the gaming community, clarifying her leadership goals.
In the message published on the official Xbox website, Booty and Sharma emphasize their desire to recapture the original spirit of Xbox and acknowledge the reasons behind player frustration. They understand that new audiences have different expectations and that Xbox now competes with various media, including experiences like those in Roblox, for player attention and time.
To maintain relevance, they believe it’s crucial to stay true to the Xbox brand. Therefore, they have decided to rename Microsoft’s gaming division, Microsoft Gaming, back to Xbox.
To achieve their objectives, they will focus on the following principles:
- Hardware: They aim to build a solid foundation for the ninth console generation with Project Helix, ensuring its quality, developing accessories, and creating an attractive ecosystem.
- Content: They plan to secure a strong lineup of beloved player franchises, expand into China and the mobile market with service-based games, and focus on platforms where players can create content, such as Minecraft, The Elder Scrolls, and Sea of Thieves.
- Experiences: They seek to make Xbox “the best place for creators and developers,” mend relationships with players, and improve the tools for community connection.
- Services: Finally, they intend to strengthen Game Pass, make it more understandable to users, and enhance cloud gaming.
While these are encouraging words, the effectiveness of these plans remains to be seen, as executives are often skilled in rhetoric. It is noteworthy that artificial intelligence was not mentioned in the statement.
