If there’s anything that we’ve learned from the gaming industry all these years, it’s that nothing’s truly predictable, or permanent for that matter. That said, Microsoft Gaming chief Phil Spencer has announced his retirement after a career spanning 38 years, coinciding with the resignation of Xbox President Sarah Bond, who has been a key figure in the brand’s business development and ecosystem strategy since 2017.
Asha Sharma, the current President of Microsoft’s CoreAI product and a former executive at Instacart and Meta, will succeed Spencer as the new CEO of Microsoft Gaming. Along with this transition, former Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty has been promoted to Chief Content Officer, and will work closely with Sharma. Booty has commented that the Xbox brand’s strength “comes from teams who know how to adapt and keep delivering.”
Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma (left) and Chief Content Officer Matt Booty (right).
The duo’s exit also falls on the Xbox’s 25th anniversary, which doesn’t exactly help in strengthening the brand’s somewhat unstable image over the past couple of years, at least as far as fans are concerned. On the other hand, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella does seem optimistic about the change—part of his official statement reads:
Together, Asha and Matt have the right combination of consumer product leadership and gaming depth to push our platform innovation and content pipeline forward. Last year, Phil Spencer made the decision to retire from the company, and since then we’ve been talking about succession planning. I want to thank Phil for his extraordinary leadership and partnership.
Meanwhile, Bond says that her exit comes as part of a new step forward regarding personal and professional decisions, and adds that she has spent time with Sharma for the transition, citing the latter’s strong track record and experience with tech and commerce. Additionally, she states:
I want to thank Phil for his mentorship and friendship over the years. He’s been a consistent champion of this business and the people who make it what it is, and I’ve learned a great deal from the way he leads through both opportunity and challenge. I’m grateful for his trust and support throughout my time on the team. I also want to thank Satya for his sponsorship and support throughout my time at Microsoft.
According to Spencer, he’s confident that Sharma will be able to take over the role, citing the latter’s “deep commitment to understanding players, creators,” as well as big-picture decisions. As per his announcement:
Today marks an exciting new chapter for Microsoft Gaming as Asha Sharma steps into the role of CEO, and I want to be the first to welcome her to this incredible team… We know this is an important moment for our fans, partners, and team, and we’re committed to getting it right. I’ll remain in an advisory role through the summer to support a smooth handoff.
… Sarah has been instrumental during a defining period for Xbox, shaping our platform strategy, expanding Game Pass and cloud gaming, supporting new hardware launches, and guiding some of the most significant moments in our history. I’m grateful for her partnership and the impact she’s had, and I wish her the very best in what comes next.
As for what Xbox fans can expect, Sharma says that she’s focused on three major commitments which continue Spencer’s work with Xbox, promising “great games” via investment in studios and major franchises, recommitting to core Xbox fans and players, and the the “reinvention of play” through new business models and focusing on “iconic teams, characters, and worlds that people love.”
Spencer’s retirement takes effect on February 23.