East Xbox President and Chief Operating Officer Sarah Bond shared a parting statement with colleagues and fans when she announced she would be stepping down from her role alongside Phil Spencer, who is also departing the company. Xbox and Microsoft Gaming are undergoing their first major C-suite shift in a while, with Asha Sharma taking on the dual role of CEO and executive vice president at Microsoft Gaming alongside Matt Booty. Despite the unexpected executive changes, Sarah Bond's departure comments shared an optimistic outlook for the future of Xbox and words of support for the new leaders shaping the future of Microsoft gaming.
Sarah Bond first joined Microsoft in 2017 to help with gaming business partnerships and would eventually climb the ranks to become president of Xbox in 2023, working alongside then-CEO of Microsoft Gaming Phil Spencer. Xbox has seen several major changes in its approach to both hardware and services during Bond's tenure, with recent years seeing a strong focus on changes to Xbox Game Pass, a corporate shift away from console exclusivity, and major deals such as the Activision-Blizzard acquisition in 2022. Sarah Bond helped advance Trivision through Xbox-Blizzards and Trivision. The company has to overcome various challenges. As Bond prepares to leave Microsoft and Xbox, the outgoing president shares a reflective view of what he and his team have accomplished under his leadership, along with an exciting vision for Asha Sharma and a new direction for Microsoft Gaming.
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Former Xbox president Sarah Bond shares a parting message with colleagues and fans
In a dedicated note shared with her team and posted publicly on LinkedIn, Sarah Bond said she is “incredibly proud” of what Xbox and her team have been able to build over the past 8 years, with rapid growth in PC and cloud gaming, development of the next Xbox console, and laying the groundwork for a “more open gaming platform”. Bond reminisced about his commitment to helping lead Xbox through a “period of significant change” and sees the current state of the video game industry as “a transformative technological era”. As such, Bond believes this moment presents a unique opportunity for “eyes and new leadership” to guide Xbox and Microsoft Gaming into the next chapter of gaming. He thanked both Phil Spencer and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella for their support over the years and sent his best wishes to Asha Sharma.
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Interestingly, Bond mentioned that he would assist Asha Sharma as a special advisor during this transitional period. It is unknown if this role is served in an official capacity or if it allows Bonds to help Sharma settle into new duties with occasional guidance. Sarah Bond's message ended with three important questions she used while serving as president of Microsoft Gaming. Those questions all revolve around performing well while helping others succeed and ensuring great results. The departure of both Sarah Bond and Phil Spencer has left many exhausted of the immediate and long-term effects on Xbox, although Bond's parting statement and comments by Matt Booty have reassured both employees and fans with passionate support for the new changes in Microsoft gaming and Xbox.
While Sarah Bond and Phil Spencer left the Xbox, the shockwaves in the industry were restricted, but this isn't the first time gaming's major players have seen executive shakeups. Nintendo president Doug Bowser stepped down in December 2025, taking over the role from his predecessor, Reggie Fils-Aime, who left the role in 2019. Only time will tell if Bond and Spencer's successors make any significant changes in the coming years, so avid fans will want to stay tuned for any new Microsoft Sharma or CEO announcements in the coming years. Xbox.
