- The new CEO of Xbox, Asha Sharma, has discussed her vision for the brand in a recent interview
- She said wants to “return” to “the spirit that the team was founded on” and remains “committed” to consoles
- Still, she also revealed that there will be continued efforts to reduce “the artificial divide between different types of devices”
Asha Sharma, the new CEO of Xbox, has revealed her vision for the future of the brand.
In an exclusive interview with Windows Central, she explained that the “Return to Xbox” referenced in her first internal memo since taking on the role is all about taking the brand back to its roots.
“The spirit of ‘Return to Xbox’ is about returning to the spirit that the team was founded on,” she said. “It’s that spirit of surprise, it’s the spirit of building something nobody else was willing to try.”
Given the company’s recent push away from dedicated hardware, best exemplified by the maligned ‘This Is an Xbox’ campaign, many die-hard Xbox fans are understandably concerned that Xbox consoles are on the way out.
Sharma offered some words of reassurance: “I think that our core Xbox fans and players have invested up to 25 years of themselves in these universes and our console. I want to make sure everybody knows I’m committed to Xbox, starting with the console.”
In spite of this, it’s clear that efforts to bring Xbox software to other machines aren’t going away. “We want to invest in reducing the artificial divide between different types of devices that they want to use with us. I think that’s going to mean a lot more investment in breaking down the barriers, in helping developers build once and show up across different hardware experiences,” she said.
“For me, I believe Xbox starts with its fans, and we’ll grow from there. That’s what I wanted to signal with the ‘return to Xbox’.”
The idea of a “return” to what made the brand great is undeniably what a lot of fans want to hear, but it seems a tad contradictory in the light of these subsequent comments. Xbox sales have slumped as a result of many factors, significantly the recent Series X and Series S console price hikes but also the gradual release of desirable exclusive titles like Forza Horizon 5 and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on other platforms.
Surely it’s impossible to be “committed” to the console first and foremost while continuing down a path that has only decreased its relevance?
With rumors suggesting that the next Xbox is on track for a 2027 launch, we’ll have to wait and see whether this approach pans out.
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dash.wood@futurenet.com (Dashiell Wood)
