"Xbox is not for sale" despite all of the layoffs and neat repackaging of studios within Microsoft's corporate structure, CEO Asha Sharma says
Despite recently having overseen the laying off of 268 staff in the second of multiple rounds of cuts planned for this financial year, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has denied that their are plans to sell Microsoft's gaming division. The bloodletting at Xbox in recent months has not only seen workers let go, but the place of studios within the company's structure being altered. Rather than lots of studios…
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.
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