Overview
- Microsoft confirmed Phil Spencer’s retirement after 38 years at the company, with him staying on as an advisor during the transition.
- CEO Satya Nadella named Asha Sharma, a former Instacart and Meta executive who led CoreAI at Microsoft, as CEO of Microsoft Gaming reporting directly to him.
- In her first message, Sharma outlined three priorities—big games, a renewed focus on Xbox’s console base, and future innovation—while rejecting AI-generated “garbage” and short‑term monetization plays.
- The leadership shake-up, planned since autumn 2025, also includes the departure of Xbox president Sarah Bond.
- Matt Booty was promoted to chief content officer to oversee the content pipeline across Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda, and Activision Blizzard.