Xbox CEO Asha Sharma Outlines One-Year Plan to Restart Growth
In a memo obtained by The Verge, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma outlined an aggressive one-year plan for the division to return to player and revenue growth. Following significant layoffs and structural changes in early 2026, Sharma emphasized that every team must contribute to improving profits back to industry averages. Sharma identified four key priorities: strengthening the platform (CORE), growing game franchises globally (CONTENT), making Minecraft a central creator hub (CREATION), and expanding fan engagement through beloved worlds (CONNECTION). She also set long-term goals, including reaching half of Xbox’s daily-player target by 2030. The console remains critical to revenue, while Game Pass and streaming are positioned as tools for attracting new players. To support this strategy, Xbox is consolidating its studio structure around major franchises like Fallout and investing heavily in Minecraft. Sharma also highlighted plans to expand into China and leverage Microsoft’s casual gaming assets such as King.
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Topics: Asha Sharma corporate strategy growth targets layoffs Microsoft Xbox