Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has officially responded to rumors that Microsoft might sell the console division, and the answer is simple: Xbox is not for sale. The statement comes in a new profile of Sharma in The New York Times, and it closes a rumor that had been weighing on the market.
Sharma replaced former Xbox chief Phil Spencer in February and has been making big changes since. The company has divested from four studios and canceled projects this year, and thousands of employees have been laid off. Despite that turmoil, Sharma is resolute about one thing: Microsoft is still committed to gaming.
Sharma Pushes Back on the Sell-Off Narrative
The Times profile quotes Sharma directly on the topic. “We’ve got a long way to go with Microsoft,” she said, “and we’re going to take the long-term view.”
She also addressed the idea that the company’s “reset” means it is getting out of the games business. “I think the industry will require disruption,” Sharma said, a message that feels starkly different from the Spencer era of Xbox.
Under Sharma, the Xbox team has lowered Game Pass prices amid falling subscriber numbers. New Call of Duty games will no longer be offered on day one under the plan. More radical changes to Xbox Game Pass are rumored, and Microsoft has recently put time limits on cloud gaming for subscribers to the service.
The Kojima Deal and What It Costs
Xbox revealed one of its new partnerships recently, confirming a deal with Kojima Productions to publish Physint, the spiritual successor to Metal Gear Solid. The deal came after Sony dropped its game.
The Times notes that the agreement “was substantially below what Xbox would typically spend to develop a premium game.” The deal also includes TV and film rights to the Physint IP.
That pricing suggests Xbox is willing to move fast on deals that might otherwise cost far more. The arrangement with Kojima gives Xbox access to the franchise’s intellectual property, including potential film and television adaptations.
Layoffs and Helix Still Loom
While Sharma and company appear to have some runway to figure out the right operating model for Xbox, there are still hundreds of additional layoffs planned at the company. The impending launch of Project Helix, the next-generation Xbox console, adds further pressure.
Whatever plan the Xbox group has now could change at any time. The company has already shown it is willing to cut, pivot and reshape quickly, and Sharma’s statement does not guarantee stability beyond her current plans.
What This Means for Players
The statement is a direct answer to a question that has been hanging over the industry for months. Microsoft has been cutting jobs and studios, and the market had been reading those moves as a sign that the company was losing interest in gaming.
Sharma’s words close that reading. She is saying explicitly that the company remains committed to Xbox, even as it trims costs and reshapes its portfolio.
The Kojima deal supports that position. A premium game deal at a substantially reduced price shows Xbox is willing to invest in high-profile titles without the usual upfront cost.
The Road Ahead
Xbox has a lot to prove in the coming years. The layoffs continue, the console lineup is changing, and the market will watch closely to see whether Sharma’s long-term view holds.
Here is what stands between Sharma and whatever comes next:
- Hundreds of additional layoffs planned at the company.
- The impending launch of Project Helix.
- More radical changes to Xbox Game Pass rumored.
- Time limits on cloud gaming already in effect.
The company has moved fast on deals, lowered prices and cut projects. Whether that combination works depends on how Helix performs and how the next round of layoffs lands.
For now, though, the CEO has made one thing clear: Xbox is staying put.
The statement ends the rumor, but it does not end the questions.
See the video the story is built around at Polygon.
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