Wow, the news about Xbox is still hard to believe! It’s been a few days since Phil Spencer announced he’s stepping down as head of Microsoft Gaming, and I’m still shocked. What’s even more surprising is that Sarah Bond, who I thought was a natural fit to take over as Xbox president, is actually leaving Microsoft altogether to start something new. It’s a huge shake-up, and I’m really curious to see what happens next.
The situation wasn’t as simple as it seemed. According to reports from The Verge’s Tom Warren, employees had a varied reaction to the “This is an Xbox” campaign. The issues started with the departure of Jerret West, Xbox’s marketing chief, in June 2024. Following his exit, marketing teams began reporting to Bond, and shortly after, Microsoft started considering whether an Xbox console was even needed anymore.
It seems the plan was to prioritize cloud gaming and mobile devices as the main ways to play Xbox games, which led to a marketing campaign that reportedly upset many workers. Several current and former employees also described Bond as challenging to collaborate with. While people who supported her ideas were welcome on the team, even raising concerns could lead to being removed.
Inside the company, the plan was apparently not working well and faced repeated doubts. Warren also pointed out that, besides Spencer, none of the other leaders who sent out memos – including CEO Satya Nadella, newly appointed Chief Content Officer Matt Booty, and the new gaming CEO Asha Sharma – even mentioned Bond.
Based on recent comments, the company appears to be prioritizing Xbox moving forward. However, with the next Xbox console not expected until 2027, there’s still a lot of work to be done.
Read More
- Best Controller Settings for ARC Raiders
- FRONT MISSION 3: Remake coming to PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One, and PC on January 30, 2026
- Mark Zuckerberg & Wife Priscilla Chan Make Surprise Debut at Met Gala
- Meet the cast of Good Omens season 3: All the actors and characters
- 7 Great Marvel Villains Who Are Currently Dead
- Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun season 4 release schedule: When are new episodes on Crunchyroll?
- Nippon Sangoku Is The Best New Post-Apocalyptic Anime of Spring 2026
- Wistoria: Wand and Sword Season 2 release schedule: When are new episodes out?
- The Boys Season 5 Officially Ends An Era For Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy
- Khloe, Kourtney Kardashian Call Out Kylie Jenner for Mother’s Day Post
2026-02-23 19:11