Microsoft Gaming CEO: Asha Sharma becomes CEO of Microsoft Gaming, know to whom she will report?

Microsoft Gaming CEO: Indian-origin Asha Sharma has been made the new CEO of Microsoft Gaming. She will replace longtime CEO Phil Spencer. Spencer is retiring after working for the company for almost 40 years. She will report to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Asha has played leadership roles at Meta and Instacart.

Before taking charge of Microsoft Gaming, Asha Sharma was part of the company’s AI platform and product leadership team. Earlier, he had worked in important positions like Chief Operating Officer at popular delivery firm Instacart and Product Leadership at Meta. Asha has a business degree from the Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota. He is considered an expert in growing businesses and leading teams in difficult times.

First official memo sent after the appointment

Asha has sent her first official memo, in which she has clearly explained her vision for the future of Xbox and the use of Artificial Intelligence in gaming. She said, “Today, as I begin my new role as CEO of Microsoft Gaming, I feel two things at once: humility and excitement.

Humble because this team has built something amazing over decades of hard work, and quickly because there is so much change happening in the world of gaming. My first task is simple: to understand how it all works and save it.

It starts with three promises…

• First, great games

Everything starts from here. Before we do anything else, we need to have games that players will love. Memorable characters, heart-touching stories, new ways to play and incredible creativity. We will strengthen our studios, invest in big brands and support new ideas. We will take risks.

I have promoted Matt Booty to fulfill this promise. He understands the art of game making and its challenges. Developers across the industry trust him.”

• Second, the return of Xbox

We’ll work hard to reconnect with our longtime Xbox fans and players who have been with us for the last 25 years, and with the developers who create the incredible worlds and experiences that players around the world love.

Gaming is no longer limited to just one hardware; It is present on every device. As we move to PC, mobile, and cloud, we’ll remove barriers so developers can create games once and reach players everywhere without any compromises.

• Third, the future of gaming

We are seeing the changing nature of gaming. We will explore new business models and new ways of playing to meet the needs of this era. We’ll leverage our iconic teams, characters and worlds that people love. As monetization methods and AI shape the future, we will not chase short-term gains or bring lifeless “AI slop” into our ecosystem. Games will always be an art form, created by humans and enhanced by our latest technology.

Phil Spencer will remain in an advisory role until the summer

Phil Spencer, a well-known name in the gaming industry, is not leaving the company suddenly. He will remain with the company as a consultant till this summer. During Spencer’s time, Microsoft purchased large companies such as Activision Blizzard. There have been many other major changes in the gaming division.

Not only the CEO, Microsoft has also made changes in the entire leadership team. Matt Booty has been appointed Chief Content Officer, who will now oversee the game studio and new titles. Sarah Bond has decided to leave the company. These changes clearly show that Microsoft is preparing to change the identity of Xbox through AI and cloud gaming.

Three big challenges facing Microsoft gaming:

• Profit Margin: Increasing hardware costs and decreasing profits.
• Competition: Competition from Sony PlayStation exclusive games.
• Integration: Changes following the $69 billion Activision Blizzard deal.

Another Indian face in Satya Nadella’s core team

Under the leadership of Satya Nadella, the dominance of Indian-origin executives in Microsoft has increased. The appointment of Asha Sharma indicates that the company is not looking at gaming as just entertainment but as the future of AI and cloud business.