XboxThe new Chief Content Officer emphasizes the importance of first-party games to Microsoft and suggests that the gaming titan has no intention of moving solely to publishing. Microsoft has seen some big changes at its flagship gaming brand in recent weeks, with several executive positions being replaced and a long-time face of the company saying goodbye. Microsoft Gaming boss Phil Spencer has officially announced his retirement effective February 23rd, with Xbox President Sarah Bond also stepping down from her position at the same time. However, the change in Xbox leadership has seen a wide range of reactions from the community.
Microsoft's big change in leadership brought a lot of new faces to the forefront of the Xbox division. Asha Sharma has stepped in as Microsoft Gaming's newest CEO following the departure of Phil Spencer, while Xbox recently appointed Matt Booty as Chief Content Officer. The move up Xbox's ranks has already seen some worrying projections from the former Xbox figurehead, with Xbox co-founder Seamus Blackley hinting that Sharma's role will “slide Xbox gently into the night”. Now, a recent interview with Matt Booty suggests that Blackley's fears may be unfounded.
Microsoft issues statement on possible layoffs after major changes in Xbox leadership
A key Microsoft executive shares an official comment on the possibility of layoffs following major changes in Xbox management.
Xbox is fully committed to first-party games, says new CCO
In an interview with Windows Central, the new CCO of Xbox, Matt Booty, made some bold statements about the future of the Microsoft Gaming brand. Booty suggests that Xbox Studios is “fully built on being first-party” and claims that the company is “not built” to function solely as a publisher without developing its own first-party. Booty claimed that Xbox is “not backing away” from being a first-party publisher, following recent moves towards Xbox releasing some of its biggest franchises on other consoles. Matt Booty and CEO Asha Sharma stressed that fans shouldn't expect to see drastic changes right away as Xbox executives work on the right course for the Xbox brand.
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The interview was accompanied by Asha Sharma's recent personal statements about the gaming company Xbox. Sharma spoke plainly about recent fan concerns about Xbox pushing previously first-party games onto rival platforms, telling one fan on Twitter “I hear you”. Sharma also responded to fans who were concerned that Xbox may be pushing for greater use of AI in games, stating that she intends to keep “mindless AI slop” off the platform. Sharma also spoke of Microsoft's gaming division's intention to “return to Xbox” and refocus on improving its console brand.
While Sharma tried to ease fans' fears, in recent years some of Xbox's biggest names have gone multi-platform. 2025 saw both Forza Horizon 5 and Gears of War: Reloaded jump over to the PlayStation 5 Halo: Campaign Evolved bringing the franchise to PS5 for the first time in 2026. Xbox has even caught fake news from some employees for its move to other consoles and PC, with Microsoft's “This is Xbox” ad campaign said to be unpopular internally. Xbox has yet to confirm any immediate shifts in its strategy following the executive shake-up at Microsoft Gaming.
The big changes to Xbox come with the gaming brand set to release some high-profile games throughout the year. In addition to the already mentioned Halo: Campaign EvolvedMicrosoft will make its long-awaited return to Fable franchise, which plans to launch a full reboot developed by Playground Games in 2026. Forza Horizon 6 It is also expected to launch on May 19, giving players a plethora of stunning locations to explore in a stylized version of Japan. Xbox fans have a lot to look forward to from the company as Microsoft's new gaming leadership settles into their new roles.
