Topic: xbox leadership
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Xbox FanFest world tour continues despite creator's exit
Microsoft is proceeding with its global Xbox FanFest tour despite recent layoffs, including the departure of its creator Chris Munson, which critics see as tone-deaf given the company's job cuts. The tour's schedule spans seven cities from August to November, but tickets are only available via sw...
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Xbox CEO details priorities in memo following major reset
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has set a goal to return the company to player and revenue growth by the end of fiscal year 2027, while improving profits to industry averages through accountability across all functions and studios. Sharma outlined four core priorities for fiscal year 2027,Core, Content, Cre...
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Xbox engineering VP Asha Sharma departs after 3 months
Asha Sharma is leaving her role as Xbox engineering vice president after just three months to join an AI startup, reflecting a broader trend of executives moving from gaming to the rapidly growing AI sector. Her departure comes at a critical time for Xbox as it invests in cloud gaming and next-ge...
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Minecraft Update Lets Players Sit Down
After two decades, Minecraft is finally adding the ability to sit down via a new "cushion item" in an upcoming update, fulfilling a fan request dating back 17 years. The update, scheduled for this fall, also includes straw beds and a new biome, and is available for testing in Minecraft preview bu...
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Xbox CEO's Billion Daily Users Goal Deemed Unrealistic by Analysts
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma aims to entertain over one billion people daily through Xbox services, including Game Pass subscribers, despite recent layoffs of 3,600 employees and studio closures. The goal is extremely ambitious, as even combining the peak daily players of Fortnite (44.7 million) and Robl...
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Xbox's uncertain future and the decline of physical PlayStation games
Xbox leadership under Asha Sharma is deeply divided over a shift to a "start-up mentality" prioritizing speed, causing internal frustration as studios face budget cuts and potential closures while being rushed to deliver projects. PlayStation's decision to stop manufacturing physical discs by Jan...
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Xbox Fans Worry Over Possible ‘State of Decay 3’ Cancellation
Microsoft is reportedly seeking a buyer for Undead Labs, the studio behind State of Decay 3, and if no buyer is found, the studio could be shuttered, canceling the highly anticipated game. State of Decay 3, which has no fixed release date and is targeted for a 2027 launch, has already been announ...
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Xbox Apologizes After PS5 Players Face Barriers to Play ‘Halo: Campaign Evolved’
Xbox apologized after PS5 players faced account and subscription barriers for "Halo: Campaign Evolved", with confusing requirements including needing Microsoft accounts for cross-progression and online accounts for local co-op. The cross-platform issues are part of Microsoft’s broader strategy sh...
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Xbox CEO Asha Sharma's Next 100 Days: Making Xbox Smaller
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma's first 100 days began with goodwill after making Game Pass more affordable, refocusing on hardware, and reversing exclusive title policies, but fan sentiment has soured due to reports of studio closures and mass layoffs. Industry analyst Joost van Dreunen argues Sharma was a...
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Xbox turmoil deepens as studio shuts and executives exit
Xbox plans to restructure its gaming division, including closing Compulsion Games, the studio behind "South of Midnight". An internal memo acknowledged Xbox has "over extended" its studio network and failed to adequately fund key franchises, necessitating a reassessment of investment priorities. ...
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Xbox to revise promotional materials after fan backlash over rival logos
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma acknowledged the inclusion of competitor logos in promotional materials as "a miss" and promised adjustments for future shows. Chief Content Officer Matt Booty defended Xbox's commitment to transparency about game platforms, despite fan backlash prioritizing the Xbox ecosyste...
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Xbox CEO Admits Mistake, Hints at Removing Rival Console Logos from Showcases
Xbox Games Showcase 2026 will feature multiplatform logos for PS5, Steam, and Switch, as confirmed by Matt Booty, with no Project Helix updates planned. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma publicly admitted the logo decision was a mistake and that the company is exploring adjustments for future shows, though th...
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Xbox Showcase to Feature PS5 Logos, Future Plans Uncertain Amid Exec Disagreement
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma contradicted colleague Matt Booty's earlier statement that Microsoft would be "very clear" about platform logos during its showcase, calling his comments a "miss" and signaling a potential shift in how the company displays PS5 logos. The upcoming Xbox Showcase on June 7 will ...
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Xbox Showcases PS5 Logos Amid Executive Contradictions
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma publicly contradicted colleague Matt Booty’s earlier statements about clearly showing PS5 logos in Xbox showcases, calling the stance a “miss” and promising adjustments for future shows. Booty had stated Microsoft would continue its precedent of being transparent about multif...
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Xbox Game Pass price cut shows early signs of success, exec says
Microsoft's price cuts for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass have led to increased subscriber acquisitions and improved retention, reversing a prior trend of slowed growth and subscriber loss. Asha Sharma, who took over Xbox leadership in February, has made strategic changes including aban...
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Microsoft Launches 'Xbox Player Voice' Fan Feedback Program
Satya Nadella holds the most influence over Xbox decisions, as the Board of Directors typically rubber stamps his recommendations based on financial projections. The Board, dominated by lawyers and accountants, can overrule Nadella on major financially transformative moves, but routine decisions ...
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Xbox Teases Project Helix News for 2026, Reveals Full GDC Presentation
Xbox's recent broadcast on the next-generation Project Helix console was a recap of its March GDC presentation, offering no major new information for those who followed the original event. Xbox’s Jason Ronald reaffirmed the company’s commitment to traditional hardware, stating that the console is...
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Microsoft’s Xbox shake-up focuses on platform changes
Microsoft is reshaping Xbox leadership with new hires from its CoreAI division, including Jared Palmer as VP of engineering and Tim Allen as head of design, to prioritize platform innovation and technical expertise. The reorganization focuses on software platform improvements like enhancing real-...
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Microsoft exec exodus: Inside the departures
Microsoft has experienced an unusually high rate of senior executive departures in 2026, including leaders from CoreAI, Windows, Office, and GitHub, driven by a tumbling stock price and fierce competition for talent. Key exits include Manik Gupta (Teams), Phil Spencer (Xbox Gaming), Rajesh Jha (e...
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Microsoft Retires Gaming Brand, Revives Xbox Name
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma announced in an internal town hall that Microsoft is scrapping the Microsoft Gaming brand and reverting to "Xbox" as the name for its gaming division, stating "Xbox needs to be our identity." This decision is part of Sharma's broader "return of Xbox" initiative, which has alr...
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