One of the original creators of the Xbox, Seamus Blackley, predicts that the brand may be in dire straits following the appointment of its new CEO, Asha Sharma. Xbox has undergone waves of changes over the last few years, making headlines for large-scale layoffs, price increases on consoles and subscription services, and a shift toward multiplatform releases for its first-party titles, including flagship franchises such as Halo, Forza, and Gears of War. Microsoft has even had to confirm its plans for a next-generation Xbox system amid rumors that the device’s release would be canceled.
Recently, Xbox has seen a major leadership shakeup, as Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has announced his retirement after almost three decades at the studio. Spencer first joined Microsoft as an intern in 1998 and became a noteworthy figure in the world of Xbox, helping steer the brand through the disastrous launch of the Xbox One and completing the acquisition of several major developers and publishers, including Bethesda and Activision. Xbox president Sarah Bond has also resigned, and Microsoft’s CoreAI president Asha Sharma will replace Spencer, while Bond’s successor has yet to be named.
Outgoing Xbox President Sarah Bond Issues Statement Following Departure News
Outgoing Xbox President Sarah Bond issues a formal statement following the confirmation that she will be departing from Microsoft.
Original Xbox Creator Believes New CEO Will Sunset the Xbox Brand
In an interview with GamesBeat, Seamus Blackley, one of the former creators and designers of the original Xbox console, predicted that new CEO Asha Sharma will essentially usher in the end of the Xbox brand as a whole. Blackley notes that Microsoft has been sunsetting several of its business initiatives that aren’t related to Microsoft’s CoreAI work, and he believes Xbox is one of those initiatives. With Sharma previously serving as one of Microsoft’s senior AI executives, Blackley believes that Sharma’s new role at the company will be one of “a palliative care doctor who slides Xbox gently into the night.”
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Blackley’s prediction runs in contrast to Sharma’s public stance on the Xbox brand since her appointment as CEO. Thus far, Sharma has promised a strong commitment to the brand and Xbox as a console, even responding to fan requests from players who wish for Xbox to return to releasing exclusive games.
It’s still far too early to tell how Sharma’s tenure as Xbox’s new CEO will go, and Blackley’s comments may seem a bit premature. Still, Sharma faces an uphill battle to revitalize the Xbox brand and win back the trust of gamers who Microsoft’s recent decisions have turned away. Sharma has already faced some level of scrutiny from players for her lighter gaming history compared to Spencer, who was viewed as a more “hardcore” gamer and had over 120,000 Gamerscore on his Xbox profile.
Skepticism toward the Xbox brand seems to be at an all-time high among consumers, and it doesn’t seem to be much better internally. Recent reports indicate that Xbox employees were infuriated by the “This is an Xbox” marketing campaign, which demonstrated the multitude of devices on which Xbox games can be played. With all the strife Xbox has faced over the years, a sudden leadership change like this will only raise eyebrows, and time will tell if Sharma can quell Blackley’s fears and revitalize the Xbox brand.
