Xbox boss Phil Spencer is retiring after 12 years leading Microsoft’s gaming division. His replacement is Asha Sharma, the president of Microsoft’s CoreAI Product division. And in the new Xbox head’s first memo, she promises to avoid AI slop, but makes it clear that AI will be a part of the brand’s future.
On February 20, Spencer confirmed in an interview with IGN that he is stepping down from his role as CEO of Microsoft Gaming after over a decade leading Xbox. While many assumed his replacement would be Sarah Bond, the president of Xbox, that wasn’t the case. Bond is also leaving Xbox alongside Spencer. Instead, Sharma has been chosen to lead the Xbox division, and in her first memo to the company, obtained by The Verge, the former head of AI at Microsoft promised “the return of Xbox” and claimed she would avoid flooding Xbox with AI slop, but that it would “evolve” and be a part of Xbox’s “future”
“As monetization and AI evolve and influence this future, we will not chase short-term efficiency or flood our ecosystem with soulless AI slop,” said Sharma. “Games are and always will be art, crafted by humans, and created with the most innovative technology provided by us.”
The new Xbox boss also promised that more great games were coming.
“We must have great games beloved by players before we do anything,” said Sharma. “Unforgettable characters, stories that make us feel, innovative gameplay, and creative excellence. We will empower our studios, invest in iconic franchises, and back bold new ideas. We will take risks. We will enter new categories and markets where we can add real value, grounded in what players care about most.”
As for future consoles, something Xbox has previously confirmed and teased, Sharma says the company will “celebrate” its fans and history with a “renewed commitment to Xbox starting with console.” Though the new boss made it clear that Xbox isn’t going back to being simply a console and the brand will continue to expand to more platforms, like mobile and streaming.
“Gaming now lives across devices, not within the limits of any single piece of hardware,” said Sharma. “As we expand across PC, mobile, and cloud, Xbox should feel seamless, instant, and worthy of the communities we serve. We will break down barriers so developers can build once and reach players everywhere without compromise.”
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