The CEO of Microsoft Gaming is stepping down after nearly four decades with the company, marking the end of an era for the Xbox brand.
Phil Spencer, the long-time head of Microsoft’s gaming division and the face of Xbox for over a decade, has officially announced his retirement. The transition is set to take effect on February 23, 2026, concluding a 38-year career at Microsoft that began when Spencer joined as an intern in 1988.
Since taking the helm of Xbox in 2014, Spencer was instrumental in pivoting the brand away from a hardware-centric focus toward a multi-platform ecosystem. Under his leadership, Microsoft launched the Xbox Game Pass subscription service, prioritized backward compatibility, and executed massive acquisitions, including ZeniMax Media (Bethesda) and Activision Blizzard.
In an internal memo, Spencer reflected on his journey: “Xbox has always been more than a business. It is a community, and it deserves a careful and deliberate plan for the future.” He will remain in an advisory role through the summer to ensure a smooth transition.
In a significant restructuring, Microsoft has appointed Asha Sharma as the new CEO of Microsoft Gaming. Sharma, a former executive at Meta and Instacart, previously served as the president of CoreAI at Microsoft. Her appointment signals a strategic shift, as she brings extensive experience in artificial intelligence and digital services.
Sharma has already outlined her vision for the future, emphasizing that “everything starts with great games.” While her background is heavily rooted in technology and AI, she assured the community that AI should serve to “support human creativity, not replace it.”
The leadership shake-up also includes the departure of Sarah Bond, the current President of Xbox, who is leaving the company alongside Spencer. Meanwhile, Matt Booty has been promoted to Chief Content Officer, where he will oversee the creative strategy for Xbox Game Studios and ZeniMax, reporting directly to Sharma.
This reorganization marks a pivotal moment for Microsoft as it looks to further integrate its gaming division into its broader cloud and AI-driven ecosystem, moving beyond the traditional console market into a more connected, platform-agnostic future.
Amanda Torati is a linguist and postgraduate researcher who specializes in the intersection of storytelling and interactive media. With a deep fascination for the gaming ecosystem, she focuses on deconstructing game narratives and technical trends to make them accessible to players of all levels. At ABWaves Game, Amanda combines her academic background with in-depth research to deliver reviews and guides that are both precise and engaging, ensuring readers stay informed in a fast-paced digital world.
Modding group Paralympics Productions has successfully ported Grand Theft Auto V to run natively on the original Nintendo Switch hardware using a homebrew build derived from the game's leaked 2023 source code.
CD Projekt RED has revealed that The Witcher 3 Remastered, launching on September 29, is being developed as a major "2.0 revision" rather than a simple visual update, specifically targeting core gameplay adjustments.
Square Enix has released a free playable demo for Final Fantasy Resonance, its upcoming HD-2D RPG. Announced during Sony's State of Play on September 3 alongside a new gameplay trailer, the demo is available on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam and Xbox on PC).
Sucker Punch has officially announced Ghost of Yotei: Complete Edition, launching October 1 on PlayStation 5 alongside the Echoes of Sekigahara story expansion and the new Most Wanted solo roguelike mode.
Sony is holding another State of Play event on Thursday (3) to present updates on upcoming major games heading to the PlayStation 5.
Moon Studios has announced that the 1.0 full release of No Rest for the Wicked has been postponed from its original October date to 2027. Currently available in Early Access via Steam, early access players will receive a founder's pack as a consolation prize.
