Since taking over as CEO of XBOX earlier this year, Asha Sharma has wasted little time outlining an ambitious new vision for Microsoft’s gaming business. Sharma has acknowledged that XBOX was not in a “healthy spot” when she took the reins, prompting what she describes as a broader reset of the business aimed at positioning the brand for long-term success.
Her strategy has focused largely on reevaluating XBOX’s multiplatform approach with a return to exclusives, expanding the company’s reach across console, PC, mobile, and cloud gaming. Sharma has also emphasized the importance of building XBOX as a platform rather than simply a hardware business, while also rolling out an official switch to the all-caps XBOX rebrand.
At the center of these efforts is a bold objective aimed at making XBOX the world’s number one gaming and entertainment company by 2030, and it appears the company has taken the first step to make that happen after a major announcement this weekend showed that the gloves are officially off (via PushSquare).
It was a truly exciting weekend for gamers, with this year’s Summer Game Fest seeing some incredible announcements and reveals. The Xbox Games Showcase on Sunday arguably included one of the weekend’s most controversial moments, with the announcement that the new Gears of War game as well as Clockwork Revolution would be XBOX console exclusives. Read the official statement from XBOX News here:
As part of our focus on the return of XBOX, we also announced that Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution will be XBOX console exclusives. These are not timed exclusives. Games already announced for multiplatform releases will stick to that plan – we’re committed to investing in and growing XBOX both on console and beyond.
The multiplatform cancellation of Gears of War: E-Day in particular comes as a huge surprise for gamers, as it’s reported that there’s a virtually completed PS5 port of the game sitting in limbo somewhere that will likely never see the light of day at this point. While the cancellation may be disappointing for PS5 gamers, it’s likely just the beginning.
While many gamers were somewhat excited to see the end of the long-running console wars, XBOX’s cancellation of E-Day signals the company is not ready to concede. In fact, this weekend may have been the official start of a brand-new console war, and gamers can expect to see a return to PS5 vs. XBOX in the form of major games getting console exclusivity, including major IPs and titles such as The Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5.
While it’s unclear exactly how the new console wars will pan out, there’s no question that XBOX is entering a bold new era with a deliberate strategy to be back on top sooner rather than later.
- Founded
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November 15, 2001
- Owner
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Microsoft
- Known For
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Halo, Forza, Gears of War