Xbox Ushers in a New Era as Spencer Retires and Sharma Takes the Helm

Microsoft announces a major leadership shakeup: Phil Spencer is retiring after 38 years and Sarah Bond is leaving; Asha Sharma will become the new CEO of Microsoft Gaming, with Matt Booty promoted to chief content officer. Spencer will stay on in an advisory role through the summer. Sharma pledges to return Xbox to its core fans, expand across PC, mobile, and cloud, and empower developers—while vowing not to chase short-term efficiency or flood the ecosystem with 'soulless AI slop.' The changes come as Xbox marks its 25th anniversary with upcoming titles like Halo: Campaign Evolved, a Fable reboot, and Gears of War: E-Day, alongside plans for a next-generation console.