During a town hall meeting today, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma spoke to staff to help reassure them following mass layoffs and studio closures related to the “reset” of the business.
Windows Central reports that Sharma told staff that Xbox is “making the right decisions” and that “after an all time low, we’ve started to return to growth,” though she did not share any specifics. She added that Gears of War: E-Day, Minecraft Dungeons 2, and World of Warcraft: Forever had “strong” starts, though she did not share any specifics.
Sharma said, “We’ve started to return to growth, more than 2 to 3 times what we were, and we expect that continue.” She did not share any specifics about what “2 to 3 times” actually means, though.
Sharma also told staff that Xbox’s “Gen-10” platform–AKA Project Helix–will be, as rumored, a “family of devices” because “there is no one device that fits all.”
She said it’s important for Xbox to have a “great console first,” but there will also be options for players who are “on the go.” Sharma went on to say that Microsoft will manufacture some of these devices, and others Microsoft will find partners for.
“So, we will be sharing more about that as our plans develop. The operating system is starting to look really good. We’re very excited about this,” she said.
Sharma didn’t get into specifics about its next console or portable devices, but they’re in the works amidst a very challenging time given the AI-fueled demand for memory and components. The global macroeconomic environment that has driven up oil prices has also rocked markets. Not only this, but in the US, the Federal Reserve recently raised rates, impacting borrowing costs with the effects trickling through various market categories, including gaming.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella praised Sharma for making such deep and extensive cuts at Xbox. This has so far included 1,600 layoffs in July, close to 300 more in September, and additional job losses to come. Microsoft also closed or divested of a number of studios, including Double Fine and Ninja Theory.
Some theorized Sharma was streamlining Xbox to make it more attractive to a prospective buyer, but she recently insisted that Xbox is not for sale. A lot of people don’t believe her, though, pointing back to her comments about how “the plan’s the plan until it’s not the plan.”
Beyond these moves, Sharma also oversaw a massive restructuring of the Xbox business that included Activision taking over the Halo series and Bethesda’s remit expanding to also cover Obsidian.
