After more than ten years of leading Xbox and transforming it at Microsoft, Phil Spencer is stepping down.
It’s a bit sad to see him go, as he really stepped up back in March 2014. Microsoft put him in charge of Xbox after the Xbox One had a really rough start and fans were losing faith. He’s been leading the team ever since!
He restored confidence in Xbox by unbundling the Kinect and lowering the console price to $399. He then changed the company’s focus to providing ongoing services, most notably with Xbox Game Pass, and investing in game development studios for the long term. Later, he oversaw two major company purchases: ZeniMax in 2020 for $7.5 billion and Activision Blizzard King in 2023 for $69 billion.
That period is now over, and we’re also making a few other changes at the company.
Phil Spencer retires as Microsoft Gaming CEO, Sarah Bond exits
According to IGN, Spencer will be leaving his position on Monday, February 23rd, sources say. This change comes just before Xbox marks its 25th anniversary.
The changes in leadership aren’t limited to Spencer’s departure. Sarah Bond, who led Xbox, has also stepped down, and Microsoft has named Asha Sharma, currently in charge of Microsoft’s CoreAI products, as the new head of Microsoft Gaming.
Matt Booty, who leads Xbox Game Studios, will become Chief Content Officer and collaborate closely with Jason Sharma.
In an internal email, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella praised Phil Spencer’s 38-year career with the company, noting that Spencer’s 12 years leading the gaming division fundamentally changed Microsoft’s approach and results.
Spencer informed employees that he had discussed his departure plans last autumn. He emphasized that Xbox is more than just a company, describing it as a passionate community of gamers, developers, and teams dedicated to creating great experiences. He also stated he’ll continue to offer guidance in an advisory capacity over the summer to help with the changeover.
So, Sharma basically laid out what she’s focusing on for the future, and it sounds awesome. First, she wants us to keep making incredible games. Second, she’s really doubling down on Xbox – like, making sure consoles are a huge priority again. And finally, she’s looking to get Xbox games on everything – PC, mobile, and even through cloud gaming. It’s a big push to reach as many players as possible!
She made it clear they won’t prioritize quick gains or fill their games with low-quality AI-generated content. She emphasized that games are, and will remain, a human art form.
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2026-02-21 00:19