By Dexerto | Created at 2026-07-31 13:46:39 | Updated at 2026-08-04 08:33:36
3 days ago
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has outlined four key priorities for Microsoft’s gaming business following its recent restructuring, detailing how the company plans to return to growth after sweeping layoffs and studio closures.
In a memo obtained by The Verge, Sharma said Xbox’s goal is to return to player and revenue growth by the end of fiscal year 2027, while improving profitability after what Microsoft described as a major reset of the business.
“We will not live on past successes or be trapped by past failures,” Sharma wrote. “We will learn from both and put our energy into creating what players will love for decades.”
Xbox CEO outlines four priorities
Sharma’s strategy is built around four core priorities:
- CORE: Strengthen our platform, led by console
- CONTENT: Grow great games into global franchises
- CREATION: Make Minecraft the world’s creator platform
- CONNECTION: Extend the worlds that fans love
According to the memo, every Xbox team and studio will be responsible for helping the company return to player and revenue growth by the end of FY2027.
In FY26, over 200 million new players came to XBOX and our games, but our business did not grow with our audience. We need to close that gap by investing in what players value. That will take time, but we expect to return to growth by the end of FY27.
— ASHA (@asha_shar) July 29, 2026
The plan also calls for Xbox’s biggest franchises to expand beyond gaming into film, television, consumer products, sponsorships, live experiences and new global partnerships.
Sharma also pledged to invest in Minecraft “more than ever before,” with the sandbox game playing a central role in Xbox’s long-term strategy. The company wants Minecraft to become “the world’s creator platform,” building on player-created content while expanding the tools available to creators.
The roadmap follows months of major changes at Xbox after Sharma replaced Phil Spencer as CEO in February. Since then, Microsoft has cut thousands of jobs across its gaming division, restructured several studios and said the changes were necessary to return the business to long-term growth.
Xbox also made the news recently for testing free game streaming.
