Yesterday, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer announced that he would be stepping down from his leadership position and leaving the company altogether, and now Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has made an official statement in this regard. Xboxthe future of This statement from Nadella discusses the continued importance of Xbox to Microsoft, talks about Phil Spencer's legacy, and sheds more light on who will take over.
Phil Spencer joined Microsoft as an intern in 1988, and with the launch of the Xbox in 2001, he became general manager of Microsoft Game Studios EMEA. In 2008, Spencer was promoted to general manager of Microsoft Studios, and almost a decade later was given the title of executive vice president of gaming, where he reported directly to Satya Nadella. In 2022, Phil Spencer was given one final promotion, becoming CEO of Microsoft Gaming, a title he held until yesterday's announcement.
BREAKING: Phil Spencer to retire from Xbox amid leadership shuffle
Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer is stepping down amid a major Xbox leadership shakeup, along with other resignations and promotions.
Following the announcement of Phil Spencer's departure on 20 February, an official statement from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella was published on the Microsoft blog. Nadella's statement begins with the line, “Gaming has been a part of Microsoft from the beginning,” and the CEO continues to affirm how important Xbox and the gaming medium are to Microsoft, saying that “gaming has a long and central role in our consumer ambitions.”
The next, and longest, segment of Nadella's statement introduces Asha Sharma, the new executive vice president and CEO of Microsoft Gaming. Briefly detailing Sharma's past experience as Meta's vice president and chief operating officer at Instacart, Nadella claims he brings “deep experience building and growing platforms, aligning business models to long-term value, and operating at a global scale.” Nadella then confirms that Matt Booty will report directly to Asha Sharma, stepping up from his old role as president of game content and Xbox Studios to become executive vice president and chief content officer.
Nadella highlighted Phil Spencer's history with Microsoft. Along with confirming Spencer's decision to leave Xbox for the first time last year, Nadella praised Spencer's work over the past 38 years, highlighting his cross-platform efforts, his acquisitions of Activision Blizzard, ZeniMax, and more. Minecraftand his “unwavering commitment to players, creators, and his team.” Nadella says he is “personally grateful” for Spencer's leadership and advice, and says he will continue to work with Sharma to ensure a smooth transition. One of the closing lines of Nadella's statement read, “I'm excited about how we'll seize the opportunity ahead and define what's next, based on what players and creators value.”
Statement by Phil Spencer and Asha Sharma on the future of Xbox
In the same Microsoft blog post, both Phil Spencer and Asha Sharma also gave official statements about the transition. Spencer's statement begins with a reflection on his time at Microsoft, calling it “an epic ride and truly the privilege of a lifetime.” Spencer then welcomes Sharma, saying that working with her over the past few months has given her “tremendous confidence,” as she “brings a genuine curiosity, clarity and deep commitment to understanding players, creators and the decisions that shape our future.” Interestingly, Phil Spencer's statement is the only one to mention Sarah Bond's departure, with Spencer calling the former Xbox president “instrumental in a defining period for Xbox.”
Asha Sharma's official statement discusses three main “commitments”. The first is “great games”, Sharma promised to be “empowering”. [Xbox’s] Invest in studios, iconic franchises, and bring back bold new ideas.” The second commitment is the “return of Xbox,” Sharma said, adding that he wants to celebrate the company's roots and “continue to break down barriers so that developers can build once and reach players everywhere.” Late.”
Source: Microsoft Blog
