Xbox CEO Phil Spencer is on the road to retirement, and will spend the next few months mentoring new CEO Asha Sharma.
Last week, our sources gave us an inside track to some of the meeting as it unfolded, and it was equal parts emotional and energized.
Outgoing CEO Phil Spencer led the initial introduction, stating, “So great to be here, to feel the energy. So many years, standing on this stage, taking questions, together as one team, and doing amazing things for gaming and for each other. I really appreciate this opportunity to spend time with you, and honor all of you. Thank you for everything you’ve meant in my professional life.”
Spencer hailed the Xbox team, while also acknowledging the challenging times its staffers have faced since the botched launch of the Xbox One over ten years ago. Spencer and the team remained upbeat as he introduced incoming CEO Asha Sharma, to loud cheers and applause for Xbox’s future: “I also just wanted to take a moment and talk about all the confidence I have for you, and in Asha, on the path ahead. I know the plan that you’re on. I know what you’re doing, I know what you’re building.”
“An amazing slate of games this year,” Phil said. “It’s our 25th anniversary of Xbox this year, our quarter century of bringing joy and community to so many. You can do this. You have the opportunity to bring gamers together, and I just cannot wait to sit, and watch the progress you make. You are just cranking just right now, and the years ahead are going to be fantastic. You should have a ton of confidence in what you’re going to go build.”
Introducing Asha Sharma, Phil Spencer said he was “blown away” by Sharma’s intelligence, her drive, and her willingness to immediately get to work. He noted that Sharma is “product driven” and “player driven,” closing with “I have a ton of confidence in what Asha’s going to do.”
Taking the stage, Asha Sharma said “I am so honored to be your next CEO. I’m even more proud to be part of team Xbox.” Sharma said before talking about the road ahead, she wanted to pay tribute to Phil Spencer, noting “you are a remarkable leader, and even more remarkable human. Your career will be remembered in stories, of the creators you empowered, the team members who took risks they didn’t know they could, and the story of community carried over generations.”
Sharma emphasized Xbox’s community of players who call Xbox home, describing Xbox as more than simply “a business” in regards to its community. She described the “decades” of work that had gone into Xbox, including its “icons, characters, worlds, and Xbox itself,” after stating, “I will do everything I can to honor that, and protect that.”
Big praise for outgoing Xbox President Sarah Bond, and taking a long-term view of Xbox
Joined by newly promoted CCO Matt Booty, Asha Sharma also paid tribute to outgoing Sarah Bond, who was also in attendance at the event.
“I also want to recognize Sarah,” Sharma said, to loud cheers and applause. “Sarah, you will be missed. You have been a key part of Xbox’s history and everybody sees that, and thank you for riding with me for the next few months. We wouldn’t be here without you. Thank you.”
CCO Matt Booty also hailed Sarah Bond, “I want to thank Sarah who’s back there. I have learned so much over the last 8 years from Sarah about the importance for how platform and first-party [games] can work together. Sarah, you have been our navigator, you have guided us all through complicated times and we’ve had hard moments, but we are smarter and better because of it. I know you’ve always had my back and I’ll always have yours.”
“We are going to start with console, and make sure that we understand that this is our reference experience.”
Asha Sharma, Xbox CEO
Sharma described a bit of her history, noting her first job working the retail floor at Best Buy and in consumer packaged goods, before pivoting to technology. She echoed comments she made to us in our exclusive interview, noting that she will spend the next few months learning the nuances of the Xbox business.
“I have three commitments that I laid out. We will deliver great games. Everything is downstream of great games, that means empowering studios to do our best work. The second thing is the ‘return to Xbox,’ we are going to start with console, and make sure that we understand that this is our reference experience. We will meet players where they are, and build experiences that are instant and seamless and accessible. And third, we are living through an unprecedented era of change. We will build for the future of play.”
“As we think about the road ahead, it’s not going to be me or any one person, we will be team Xbox. We will not be the studios or the platform or marketing or operations. We will be team Xbox, and we’ll get through this together.”
In closing, Sharma emphasized her plan to meet every team across Xbox, and learn about the key areas Xbox is struggling with, while describing her goal to build Xbox’s “next 25” years of success, and her willingness to re-examine some of Xbox’s decisions over the last few years.
“We have an amazing line-up coming up, we’re going to have a great GDC, and I think we’re going to have a lot of fun.”
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