Updated
Updated · Aftermath · Jul 7
Asha Sharma Becomes Xbox CEO as Microsoft Prepares More Layoffs
Updated
Updated · Aftermath · Jul 7

Asha Sharma Becomes Xbox CEO as Microsoft Prepares More Layoffs

3 articles · Updated · Aftermath · Jul 7

Summary

  • Asha Sharma has been appointed CEO of Xbox, taking over as Microsoft’s gaming business faces expected layoffs and possible studio closures.
  • Microsoft appears to be positioning Sharma to oversee painful restructuring while it pushes deeper into AI, with her recent role as president of CoreAI making the promotion fit that strategy.
  • Sharma previously held senior posts at Instacart and Meta, experience the report frames as aligning her with companies criticized over AI-driven pricing and social-media harms.
  • The appointment lands amid a precarious period for gaming, where leadership changes can coincide with cost cuts and leave the new chief absorbing public and employee backlash.

Insights

Can a leader with no gaming experience save Xbox by dismantling parts of it?
With studios sold and exclusives going multiplatform, what is the future purpose of an Xbox console?