Former Xbox President and COO Sarah Bond has shared a farewell statement with colleagues and fans after announcing that she will be stepping down from her roles alongside Phil Spencer, who is also leaving the company. Xbox and Microsoft Gaming will undergo their first major C-suite shakeup in some time, with Asha Sharma taking on the mantle of CEO at Microsoft Gaming and the dual role of Executive Vice President with Matt Booty, who will also serve as the newly appointed Chief Content Officer at Xbox. Despite the unexpected leadership moves, Sarah Bond's comments about the departure share an optimistic outlook for the future of Xbox and words of support for the new leaders who will shape the future of Microsoft Gaming.
Sarah Bond first joined Microsoft in 2017 to help with gaming business partnerships and eventually rose through the ranks, being promoted to president of Xbox in 2023, working alongside then-Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer. Xbox has seen a number of massive changes in its approach to both hardware and services during Bond's tenure, with recent years seeing a strong focus on changes to Xbox Game Pass, the company's move away from console exclusivity, and major deals such as the Activision-Blizzard acquisition in 2022. Sarah Bond helped guide Xbox through the trials and tribulations following the Activision-Blizzard deal, helping the company overcome various challenges. As Bond prepares to leave Microsoft and Xbox, the outgoing president shared a reflective look at what she and her team have achieved under her leadership, along with an encouraging look at Asha Sharma and the new direction for Microsoft Gaming.
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Former Xbox president Sarah Bond shares a farewell message with colleagues and fans
In a dedicated note shared with her team and posted publicly on LinkedIn, Sarah Bond said she was “incredibly proud” of what Xbox and her team have been able to build over the past 8 years, noting in particular the rapid growth of PC and cloud gaming, the development of the next Xbox console, and laying the groundwork for a “more open gaming platform.” Bond revealed memories of her commitment to help lead Xbox through a “period of critical change” and sees the current state of the video game industry as a “transformative technological era”. As such, Bond believes this moment offers a unique opportunity for “eyes and new leadership” to lead Xbox and Microsoft Gaming into the next chapter of gaming. She thanked Phil Spencer and Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, for their support over the years and sent her best wishes to Asha Sharma.
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An interesting note from Bond was that he will be assisting Asha Sharma during this transition period as a special advisor. It is not known whether this role will be performed in any official capacity, or whether it will simply allow Bond to assist Sharma in establishing new responsibilities with occasional guidance. Sarah Bond's message ended with three crucial questions she used while serving as president of Microsoft Gaming. All of these questions revolve around performing at your best while helping others succeed and ensuring an excellent outcome. The departures of both Sarah Bond and Phil Spencer have left many weary of the immediate and long-term impacts on Xbox, though this Bond departure and Matt Booty's comments have assured staff and fans alike of passionate support for the new changes at Microsoft Gaming and Xbox.
Despite the industry upheaval as Sarah Bond and Phil Spencer leave Xbox, it's far from the first time a major gaming player has experienced a management shakeup. Nintendo president Doug Bowser will step down from his position in December 2025, taking over from his predecessor Reggie Fils-Aime, who left the role in 2019. Only time will tell if Bond and Spencer's successors make any major changes in the coming years, so interested fans may want to keep an eye out for any upcoming announcements from new Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma or others on the Microsoft Gaming site. Xbox.
