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[Chittagong]

We need back our lord and saviour of gaming

Not joking

 

[Sorcerer]

I will give Shurma the fact that she comes across as incredibly nerdy and passionate about what she does.
Phil and Sara had the detached executive sense about them. It would be funny seeing her in the public relations aspect of promoting the Xbox brand at showcases and such.
I would like to think that she could bring that nerdiness to the games division and actually do something great.
But it's more than likely she is there to dismantle the division slowly over time with Nadella's blessing. She is probably his go to girl at the moment. Microsoft could pull the plug on everything tomorrow, but they like to disguise their failure.

 

[Kerotan]

And just like that the Xbox division has a 25% bigger budget to play with as they'll no longer pay media outlets for weekly feel good Phil articles.

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

I see what you did there…

I try to pick my wording carefully for the most part and a lot goes unnoticed, not all though

 

[DeepEnigma]

Hahahaha this is so fucking cringe.

They're not even complete grammatically correct sentences.

AI slop, indeed.

 

[TransTrender]

What return of Xbox means? Xbox1/360 pre Kinect?

Sounds like the typical messaging Xbox has been giving for the last decade.

None of the replies here were...useful...so I want to see what people were saying to the original post from last year. I too am curious to know how to supercharge my career path.

 

[FoxMcChief]

Poor Sarah.

FoxMcChief treat her nice, be gentle.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

OMG.

 

[Topher]

I see the new CEO's name and I only think of one thing

 

[CLW]

Sarah Bond, just as I predicted in some other thread months ago, takes the fall for the immense fuckup around her. I'm not here to talk about racism because I'm very far from the right person to do so, but I just want to take the moment to say that I hope black men and women learn to say no in the future when it comes to the corpo world.

Yeah black people will really advance their lives by refusing 7 figure salaries with golden parachutes stock options. Bond is and will continue to be just fine

 

[Nonehxc]

adamsapple on suicide watch

Petition to Mods to change his tag to:

'Or is that Asha Warma in my throat?'

 

[Unknown?]

Poor Sarah.

FoxMcChief treat her nice, be gentle.

Huh, seems like it wasn't planned?? Or maybe she just kept up the facade till it was official?

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Petition to Mods to change his tag to:

'Or is that Asha Warma in my throat?'

nope. We need to remember who slept with Phil until the end of time.

 

[DForce]

Does this mean you're going to stop seeing those lame ass Phil Spencer memes?

 

[hououinkyouma00]

Hahahaha this is so fucking cringe.

So are your posts

 

[mayham2199]

That sounds a lot like, MS is about to do forced full unification of PC and Console SKUs. No more need for Play Anywhere, if every game has universal license.

lol good luck forcing gta to do anything.

 

[The Mad Draklor]

Hahahaha this is so fucking cringe.

 

[Lionel Richie]

Yeah black people will really advance their lives by refusing 7 figure salaries with golden parachutes stock options. Bond is and will continue to be just fine

Maybe this is her ceiling, but not getting put as the face of an impossible situation could have progressed her career even further.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

"I'll start gathering wood!"

 

[Shadowstar39]

Surely the diverse woman will save the business!

I really miss the days when Bill gates and Steve balmer were in charge and they had some young talent named Gabe Newell on the staff. Back in the DOS to windows 3 to 98 era.

Why did they give it to a foreign born dude named Nutella and his concubine Asha... I kid I kid, but come on such a strange time line.

 

[jm89]

That sounds a lot like, MS is about to do forced full unification of PC and Console SKUs. No more need for Play Anywhere, if every game has universal license.

You got bigger worries Tobi.

Like if the new CEO cancels you precious magnus, and forces you to use cloud to access your library

 

[Plague Doctor]

Sooooo some people are really buying that Phil has been planning this retirement since the fall

.....with no transition phase in mind, nada...

....have it stealth announced on a Friday and then effective immediately on the following Monday.

Coincidentally enough, the heir apparent Bond resigns as well the same day, talking like she still wanted the job 3 hours earlier on social media



On an unrelated point, I now know why MLM and the African Prince email scams work so fucking well now.

 

[gokurho]

The future of Xbox appears ready to enter a bold new era defined by innovation, ecosystem expansion, and a thoughtful balance between technology and creativity. With Asha Sharma stepping in as CEO at just 36, Microsoft is signaling confidence in a new generation of leadership that understands how platforms, AI, and global consumer experiences intersect.

Sharma's background aligns closely with where gaming is headed. At Microsoft, she led major AI platform initiatives, helping build scalable systems designed for long-term growth. Prior to that, she held senior product and engineering roles at Meta, overseeing widely used global services where performance, engagement, and platform strategy were central priorities. As COO of Instacart, she managed complex operations and cross-functional execution at scale, sharpening her ability to align product vision with disciplined execution. This rare combination of AI fluency, operational leadership, and consumer product strategy positions her well for the structural shifts reshaping the gaming industry.

Gaming today is no longer defined solely by console cycles. It is about interconnected ecosystems spanning console, PC, cloud, and mobile, supported by subscription models, creator tools, and persistent communities. Sharma's career has focused on building and scaling exactly these kinds of ecosystems. If she can apply that expertise while preserving the creative autonomy of first-party studios and maintaining player trust, Xbox could strengthen its competitive position across every touchpoint.

Her appointment does not feel symbolic. It feels strategic. If innovation is paired with respect for the artistic core of gaming, Xbox's next chapter could be marked by sustainable growth, deeper community engagement, and a broader cultural impact.

 

[Knightime_X]

Press F to pay respect for Sony and MS.

 

[hououinkyouma00]

The future of Xbox appears ready to enter a bold new era defined by innovation, ecosystem expansion, and a thoughtful balance between technology and creativity. With Asha Sharma stepping in as CEO at just 36, Microsoft is signaling confidence in a new generation of leadership that understands how platforms, AI, and global consumer experiences intersect.

Sharma's background aligns closely with where gaming is headed. At Microsoft, she led major AI platform initiatives, helping build scalable systems designed for long-term growth. Prior to that, she held senior product and engineering roles at Meta, overseeing widely used global services where performance, engagement, and platform strategy were central priorities. As COO of Instacart, she managed complex operations and cross-functional execution at scale, sharpening her ability to align product vision with disciplined execution. This rare combination of AI fluency, operational leadership, and consumer product strategy positions her well for the structural shifts reshaping the gaming industry.

Gaming today is no longer defined solely by console cycles. It is about interconnected ecosystems spanning console, PC, cloud, and mobile, supported by subscription models, creator tools, and persistent communities. Sharma's career has focused on building and scaling exactly these kinds of ecosystems. If she can apply that expertise while preserving the creative autonomy of first-party studios and maintaining player trust, Xbox could strengthen its competitive position across every touchpoint.

Her appointment does not feel symbolic. It feels strategic. If innovation is paired with respect for the artistic core of gaming, Xbox's next chapter could be marked by sustainable growth, deeper community engagement, and a broader cultural impact.

 

[Astray]

Yeah, dagger seems far more apt. The division being handed to an AI exec - there is literally no worse scenario that could've happened. Sarah resigning is the biggest tell on whats going on BTS. She was basically Spencer's disciple.

Did they even announce an interim Xbox chief?

Booty became content officer (basically extending his remit over things like films etc?)

Asha is now Microsoft Gaming CEO.

So who's taking over for Bond? There's a supposed new machine that's been taped out and whatever OS stuff they need to do to Xboxify Windows in preparation, who's gonna be the lead on those?

 

[Cyberpunkd]

The future of Xbox appears ready to enter a bold new era defined by innovation, ecosystem expansion, and a thoughtful balance between technology and creativity. With Asha Sharma stepping in as CEO at just 36, Microsoft is signaling confidence in a new generation of leadership that understands how platforms, AI, and global consumer experiences intersect.

Sharma's background aligns closely with where gaming is headed. At Microsoft, she led major AI platform initiatives, helping build scalable systems designed for long-term growth. Prior to that, she held senior product and engineering roles at Meta, overseeing widely used global services where performance, engagement, and platform strategy were central priorities. As COO of Instacart, she managed complex operations and cross-functional execution at scale, sharpening her ability to align product vision with disciplined execution. This rare combination of AI fluency, operational leadership, and consumer product strategy positions her well for the structural shifts reshaping the gaming industry.

Gaming today is no longer defined solely by console cycles. It is about interconnected ecosystems spanning console, PC, cloud, and mobile, supported by subscription models, creator tools, and persistent communities. Sharma's career has focused on building and scaling exactly these kinds of ecosystems. If she can apply that expertise while preserving the creative autonomy of first-party studios and maintaining player trust, Xbox could strengthen its competitive position across every touchpoint.

Her appointment does not feel symbolic. It feels strategic. If innovation is paired with respect for the artistic core of gaming, Xbox's next chapter could be marked by sustainable growth, deeper community engagement, and a broader cultural impact.

Stop posting AI slop.

 

[Coconutt]

Sony took a gun, put it in their mouth and pulled the trigger.

Xbox grabbed a shotgun.

Truly this generations Kurt Cobain.

 

[Topher]

The future of Xbox appears ready to enter a bold new era defined by innovation, ecosystem expansion, and a thoughtful balance between technology and creativity. With Asha Sharma stepping in as CEO at just 36, Microsoft is signaling confidence in a new generation of leadership that understands how platforms, AI, and global consumer experiences intersect.

Sharma's background aligns closely with where gaming is headed. At Microsoft, she led major AI platform initiatives, helping build scalable systems designed for long-term growth. Prior to that, she held senior product and engineering roles at Meta, overseeing widely used global services where performance, engagement, and platform strategy were central priorities. As COO of Instacart, she managed complex operations and cross-functional execution at scale, sharpening her ability to align product vision with disciplined execution. This rare combination of AI fluency, operational leadership, and consumer product strategy positions her well for the structural shifts reshaping the gaming industry.

Gaming today is no longer defined solely by console cycles. It is about interconnected ecosystems spanning console, PC, cloud, and mobile, supported by subscription models, creator tools, and persistent communities. Sharma's career has focused on building and scaling exactly these kinds of ecosystems. If she can apply that expertise while preserving the creative autonomy of first-party studios and maintaining player trust, Xbox could strengthen its competitive position across every touchpoint.

Her appointment does not feel symbolic. It feels strategic. If innovation is paired with respect for the artistic core of gaming, Xbox's next chapter could be marked by sustainable growth, deeper community engagement, and a broader cultural impact.

Dude.....she said no "AI slop"

 

[reinking]

You got bigger worries Tobi.

Like if the new CEO cancels you precious magnus, and forces you to use cloud to access your library

T Tobimacoss is very pro cloud gaming.

 

[saintjules]

"I'll start gathering wood!"

 

[Guardian Monkey]

The future of Xbox appears ready to enter a bold new era defined by innovation, ecosystem expansion, and a thoughtful balance between technology and creativity. With Asha Sharma stepping in as CEO at just 36, Microsoft is signaling confidence in a new generation of leadership that understands how platforms, AI, and global consumer experiences intersect.

Sharma's background aligns closely with where gaming is headed. At Microsoft, she led major AI platform initiatives, helping build scalable systems designed for long-term growth. Prior to that, she held senior product and engineering roles at Meta, overseeing widely used global services where performance, engagement, and platform strategy were central priorities. As COO of Instacart, she managed complex operations and cross-functional execution at scale, sharpening her ability to align product vision with disciplined execution. This rare combination of AI fluency, operational leadership, and consumer product strategy positions her well for the structural shifts reshaping the gaming industry.

Gaming today is no longer defined solely by console cycles. It is about interconnected ecosystems spanning console, PC, cloud, and mobile, supported by subscription models, creator tools, and persistent communities. Sharma's career has focused on building and scaling exactly these kinds of ecosystems. If she can apply that expertise while preserving the creative autonomy of first-party studios and maintaining player trust, Xbox could strengthen its competitive position across every touchpoint.

Her appointment does not feel symbolic. It feels strategic. If innovation is paired with respect for the artistic core of gaming, Xbox's next chapter could be marked by sustainable growth, deeper community engagement, and a broader cultural impact.

A far less optimistic interpretation of this leadership shift suggests that Xbox may be entering a period of uncertainty rather than renewal.

Framing this as a bold new era assumes that platform expertise automatically translates into creative leadership within gaming. It does not. Gaming is not simply another scalable consumer ecosystem. It is a volatile, hit-driven, culturally sensitive medium where creative risk and long development cycles define success. A résumé centered on AI infrastructure, marketplace optimization, and operational scale may be impressive, but those strengths do not inherently prepare someone to navigate the artistic and studio-driven dynamics that power premium game development.

There is also a legitimate concern that an AI-heavy background signals a strategic tilt toward monetization systems, engagement optimization, and data-driven design rather than breakthrough creativity. While AI can support development workflows, overemphasizing platform intelligence risks pushing Xbox further into service-layer abstraction such as subscriptions, cloud delivery, and predictive personalization at the expense of distinctive, must-play exclusives. Gaming history repeatedly shows that hardware ecosystems are anchored by compelling creative output, not backend sophistication.

The comparison to Meta and Instacart may also raise caution rather than confidence. Those environments prioritize growth metrics, engagement loops, and operational efficiency. In gaming, however, aggressive optimization can erode player trust if it manifests as excessive monetization, algorithmic manipulation, or diluted creative identity. The Xbox brand has already faced criticism over inconsistent first-party execution and an overreliance on acquisition strategy rather than organic creative leadership. Doubling down on platform logic without strengthening creative stewardship could widen that gap.

The idea that console cycles are no longer central can also be overstated. While ecosystems matter, flagship hardware and standout titles still shape brand perception. Without a steady pipeline of culturally defining games, ecosystem expansion becomes abstract. Cloud, PC, and subscription models are amplifiers, not substitutes, for compelling content.

Calling the appointment purely strategic may overlook the risks of cultural misalignment. Leading AI initiatives or operational marketplaces is fundamentally different from managing the creative tensions of game studios, where autonomy, morale, and long development periods require nuanced leadership. If platform integration efforts are perceived as intrusive or overly metrics-driven, top creative talent could disengage.

In short, this move may represent modernization, but modernization does not guarantee momentum. Without a clear and demonstrated commitment to creative excellence, not just ecosystem expansion, Xbox risks becoming more technologically sophisticated yet less culturally relevant. Innovation alone is not enough. In gaming, creative conviction ultimately determines who leads and who follows.

-brought to you by Ai as well

 

[Topher]

T Tobimacoss is very pro cloud gaming.

It's damn near a cloud fetish

 

[Hugare]

Imagine fucking up at your job for 10 years, wasting billions from Microsoft, completely destroying one of the Big 3 and still retiring with millions of dollars

God clearly has his favorites

 

[viveks86]

Hahahaha this is so fucking cringe.

Ok now I'm convinced her twitter is handled by AI. May be the bros DMing her are the ones to be on guard…

 

[Astray]

From a few months ago, Jez dooming about what would happen if Phil/Sarah left.

It's damn near a cloud fetish

He has KPIs to hit.

Have mercy on him he's getting a performance review soon enough.

 

[Dirk Benedict]

Uhh, holy shit. This seems like a forced decision considering he's out by next Monday. Phil seemed like he had good intentions but just executed things poorly. Not sure who Asha Sharma is but hopefully they get Xbox back to where it should be.

Where should Xbox be at this point?
I called this shit out months ago; that they were winding down their hardware endeavors and going 3rd party with some hardware on the side.
It actually played out faster than the 3-5 year timeframe I gave Microsoft.

 

[Magic-DEI-Hire]

Did they even announce an interim Xbox chief?

Booty became content officer (basically extending his remit over things like films etc?)

Asha is now Microsoft Gaming CEO.

So who's taking over for Bond? There's a supposed new machine that's been taped out and whatever OS stuff they need to do to Xboxify Windows in preparation, who's gonna be the lead on those?

Supposedly, Asha will be handling both.

 

[Represent.]

The issue is that she will only manage decline xbox until AI proves not capable of making AAA games in 10 months.

It's impossible to be worse than Phil SpendSir

Microsoft quite literally turned into a 3rd party publisher due to his immense, historical failures

They bought fucking Activision and still didn't move the needle at all. Just a completely irrelevant brand under SpendSirs watch.

She can't fail that bad. It's impossible. She will be better than him.

 

[gametimedecision]

From a few months ago, Jez dooming about what would happen if Phil/Sarah left.



He has KPIs to hit.

Have mercy on him he's getting a performance review soon enough.

From a few months ago, Jez dooming about what would happen if Phil/Sarah left.



He has KPIs to hit.

Have mercy on him he's getting a performance review soon enough.

Crazy how fast Jez fell in line. At this point they could announce that Magnus is canceled and we probably get a "cloud gaming's future is now" article within the hour.

 

[Astray]

Supposedly, Asha will be handling both.

This is the most sensitive stage of making a new console (taking a concept from R&D to production), it makes absolutely no sense to change guard now.

I also don't think her taking two positions was announced.

 

[Topher]

It's impossible to be worse than Phil SpendSir

Microsoft quite literally turned into a 3rd party publisher due to his immense, historical failures

They bought fucking Activision and still didn't move the needle at all. Just a completely irrelevant brand under SpendSirs watch.

She can't fail that bad. It's impossible. She will be better than him.

This is Microsoft

 

[geary]

 

[Pasta la Vista]

I wouldn't be surprised if even Elder Scrolls 6 even gets cancelled at this point.

 

[Dirk Benedict]

Herman out as PS CEO. Spencer takes the reign , adamsapple becomes PS spokesman.

adamsapple
WTF, bro?

 

[N30RYU]

Phil... told you that karma is a bitch... but Sharma will be too

 

[adamsapple]

adamsapple
WTF, bro?

 

[JimmyRustler]

Thanks for all the promises I guess, Phil.

Biggest fluke gaming head in history. All talk, no results.

 

[Jesb]

I wonder if there's possibly been a switch in directions once again prompting the two of them leaving. Maybe things have changed and they are abandoning the new console. Unlikely but I wouldn't be surprised either of anything from Microsoft.

 

[Magic-DEI-Hire]

I also don't think her taking two positions was announced.

It wasn't, which is why I don't see this announcement being a positive one.