What has changed at Xbox since CEO Asha Sharma took over

At the beginning of this year, Xbox was making headlines for all the wrong reasons. Several reports had claimed that Xbox was “nearing its end” and discussions on Reddit echoed the same sentiment. The Xbox console was also considered weaker against Sony’s PlayStation, Game Pass prices had gone up, and Microsoft seemed more interested in telling people that “everything is an Xbox” than actually making the Xbox brand feel special. But then came Asha Sharma.

When Microsoft appointed the former AI executive as the new head of Xbox in February this year, a lot of people had questions. One of the reasons behind this is as Sharma didn’t really come from a traditional gaming background. But within just a few months, she has managed to completely change the conversation around Xbox. And this didn’t happen because of one big announcement, but through a series of bold and fan-focused decisions. Let’s take a closer look at all that has changed ever since she took over. 

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Xbox is becoming about consoles again

One of the biggest changes under Sharma is the renewed focus on the Xbox console. Over the last few years, Microsoft was quite focused on the idea that Xbox is no longer just a console. The company heavily promoted cloud gaming, subscriptions, and even campaigns like “This is an Xbox,” which suggested that your phone, TV, or basically any screen could become an Xbox.

Now the idea made sense from a business perspective, but longtime fans felt disconnected from it. The Xbox console itself started feeling less important.

Sharma moved quickly to change that narrative. Soon after taking over, she reportedly shut down the “This is an Xbox” campaign and started shifting attention back to consoles. The upcoming Project Helix is testament to that.

Game Pass got cheaper

With time, subscription prices usually go in one direction, and that is upwards. Which is why many gamers were super shocked when Xbox started reducing prices for Game Pass tiers recently.

Sharma acknowledged that Game Pass had become too expensive for many players. And soon after that, Xbox officially announced the reduced prices. However, there was a trade-off involved, including reduced perks like day-one access to some titles in lower tiers. But many gamers welcomed the change nevertheless. 

“We Are Xbox” 

Another big change in the recent months has been branding. After Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard, the gaming division leaned heavily into the broader “Microsoft Gaming” identity. But Sharma appears to believe that Xbox itself should once again be the centrepiece.

An internal memo from Sharma and Xbox content chief Matt Booty reportedly stated that while “Microsoft Gaming” describes the company structure, it does not describe their ambition. The message was simply: “We are Xbox.”

Soon after, Xbox unveiled a brighter green logo that instantly reminded fans of the brand’s older identity. Sharma even posted the logo online with green heart emojis, and the internet loved it. Gaming brands like Razer joined the conversation, while fans celebrated the return of the iconic green aesthetic.

Away from unpopular AI experiments

Interestingly, Sharma’s background in AI has not resulted in Xbox becoming more AI-focused. In fact, she has done the opposite in some areas.

Earlier this year, Sharma confirmed that Xbox would begin winding down its Copilot gaming initiative on mobile and stop development for consoles altogether. The feature was originally thought to be an AI gaming assistant that could provide real-time gameplay help.

But Sharma admitted the initiative no longer aligned with where Xbox is headed.

Now this decision says a lot about the company’s current priorities. Instead of chasing every AI trend possible, Xbox seems more focused on fixing the core gaming experience first.

Trying to make players feel heard

Games like being heard. And it is important to let them know that their feedback isn’t being ignored. To address this, Microsoft recently introduced Xbox Player Voice, a feedback system that allows players to track concerns, see when feedback is reviewed, and understand how Xbox responds to it. Now the company is not promising to implement every suggestion, but the attempt needs to be appreciated.

And this also connects directly with Sharma’s larger strategy. Xbox today feels less like a giant corporation making distant decisions and more like a gaming brand actively trying to rebuild trust with its community.

Of course, it is still early days. Project Helix is likely years away, and Xbox still faces serious competition from other consoles. But for the first time in a long time, people are talking about Xbox with excitement and are curious to see what lies ahead.

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