A profile of Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, who insists that "Xbox is not for sale" despite mass layoffs and divested studios since inheriting the flailing division (Zachary Small/New York Times)

Asha Sharma, CEO of Xbox, has stated that Xbox is not for sale despite facing significant challenges. She took over the division in February with no prior experience in the video game industry, having previously worked at Instacart and Microsoft's CoreAI division. Since her appointment, Xbox has undergone substantial restructuring, including the layoff of a fifth of its staff and the closure or sale of several studios.

Sharma's tenure has been marked by efforts to streamline the business, with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella praising the move towards a "sustainable business model". The division has also seen the transfer of some assets, including Rare and the Halo franchise, to Activision. According to GamesIndustry, Xbox now accounts for around 6% of Microsoft's total profits.

Sharma has emphasized that she will explore the right partnerships and operating models to ensure Xbox's success. Despite speculation about a potential spin-off, she has firmly stated that Xbox is not for sale. The company has also faced challenges with its Game Pass service, which peaked at 34 million subscribers before slowing down.

Brief written by urgent.news from Techmeme, GamesIndustry, The Verge — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.