New Xbox CEO Pledges Returning The Platform To Its ‘Renegade’ Approach

Although views have skewed on what platforms stand, Xbox is still one of the largest brands in gaming. Amid its ongoing controversies, 2025 has stood to being a reality check for Microsoft. It was reported the entire calendar year to be the worst performing for the platform. Atop of that, rumors have swirled going back to summer that Phil Spencer would retire due to it; which was later denounced at the time.

However, things appear to be shifting internally at Microsoft. Amid the ongoing difficulties for manufacturing thanks to AI, AMD has disclosed that plans are still underway for a new console release by Microsoft in 2027. And with that still in motion, Xbox now finds a new boss with Asha Sharma now taking the helm from Phil Spencer as CEO.

Recently, Sharma spoke to Window Central elaborating on some of her ambitions for Xbox as the new commander-in-chief. On X, she has expressed her three testaments: Great Gamers, Return of Xbox, and Future of Play. Going further into detail, she elaborates that the major focus for Xbox’s grand return is to recapture the ‘renegade’ aspect the platform pioneered when originally founded.

“For me, the spirit of ‘Return to Xbox’ is about returning to the spirit that the team was founded on. It’s that spirit of surprise, it’s the spirit of building something nobody else was willing to try — I’ve heard ‘renegade,’ ‘rebellion,’ and ‘fun.’ used. That’s what I was thinking about when I wrote that,” Sharma told the publication. “I think that our core Xbox fans and players have invested up to 25 years of themselves in these universes and our console. I want to make sure everybody knows I’m committed to Xbox, starting with the console.

“We’re going to keep meeting players where they are — the world continues to evolve and change. We’re going to make sure Xbox is a great place for developers and players. We want to invest in reducing the artificial divide between different types of devices that they want to use with us. I think that’s going to mean a lot more investment in breaking down the barriers, in helping developers build once and show up across different hardware experiences. For me, I believe Xbox starts with its fans, and we’ll grow from there. That’s what I wanted to signal with the ‘return’ to Xbox.’”

Similarly, this sentiment is also shared over at Sega too. With the New Energy initiative from the publisher, it plans to rekindle its alternative moniker that the Dreamcast was famously known for and inject that into its games moving forward. You can read the full report by heading here.

Are you for Sharma’s statement or believe a different approach is necessary for Xbox’s guaranteed success?

Source: Windows Central