“Xbox will be where the world plays and creates," according to Xbox leadership.
Microsoft is hitting reset on how they present their gaming arm, and this time, they’re leaning fully into what players actually recognise. During an internal town hall this week, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma told employees that the company is moving away from the “Microsoft Gaming” label and returning to Xbox as the central identity. “Xbox needs to be our identity,” Sharma said during the meeting, according to sources familiar with the discussion. The decision comes after a busy few days for the company, following an Xbox Game Pass price cut, updates on its mobile store plans, and early mentions of a possible partnership with Discord.
Why Microsoft is changing Microsoft Gaming back to Xbox
The Microsoft Gaming name was introduced alongside the company’s planned acquisition of Activision Blizzard, as part of a broader effort to group Xbox, PC, mobile, and cloud under one structure. Phil Spencer stepped into the role of Microsoft Gaming CEO at the time.
That naming is now being rolled back, with Microsoft drawing a clearer line between internal structure and outward identity. The same idea appears in a memo published on Xbox Wire on 23 April 2026, signed by Matt Booty and Asha Sharma.
“Microsoft Gaming describes our structure but it does not describe our ambition,” the memo reads. “So, we are going back to where we started and changing our team’s name. We are Xbox.”
Across Microsoft’s campus, that shift is already visible. “Return of Xbox,” “great games,” and “future of play” have appeared on office walls this week, echoing earlier internal messaging. A refreshed Xbox logo has also started to show up, featuring a less flat design with a glass-like finish. The same version has been used in internal Project Helix materials ahead of the June showcase.
What Xbox says needs fixing on console, PC, and the platform
The memo outlines several areas the company is focusing on, including player experience, platform features, and developer support. “We have work to do. Players are frustrated,” the memo states, referencing the pace of console feature updates, Xbox’s presence on PC, pricing concerns, and how systems like search, discovery, and social features currently feel fragmented.
It also notes that developers and publishers are asking for better tools and clearer insights, alongside a platform that supports growth over time. The message places these points within a wider shift in the industry, where players are spending time across different forms of media, and where access to games, through subscriptions and services, continues to expand.
What's changing for Xbox?
The most important thing the memo emphasised was the company's focus. “Our new north star will be daily active players,” it said.
“Xbox will be built to be affordable, personal, and open,” the Xbox leadership promised. “We will offer flexible pricing so it’s easy to get started and keep playing.” According to them, the flexible pricing will “adapt to you, letting you customize how you play, helping you find what you’ll love, and connecting you with the right people.”
Xbox leadership also promised to be open to all creators, from individuals to the largest studios, giving anyone the tools to reach a global audience and keep their games growing over time.
Xbox plans for hardware, cloud, and Game Pass
Within the same memo, Microsoft sets out how it is positioning Xbox going forward. “Xbox will be where the world plays and creates,” it states, describing a platform where players can access games across console, PC, mobile, and cloud, with their progress and connections carrying across devices.
The memo also outlines four priority areas: hardware, content, experience, and services. These include stabilising the current console generation, continuing work on Project Helix, improving discovery and personalisation features, and strengthening Game Pass with clearer differentiation. Cloud gaming is also referenced as part of making Xbox accessible across more devices, including TVs and lower-cost hardware.
How Xbox describes its culture and mindset moving forward
The memo also outlines how the team itself is expected to operate as these changes roll out, framing Xbox as a challenger rather than a market leader.
“We’re a challenger, and meeting this moment will require pace, energy, and a level of self-critique that should feel uncomfortable,” the message states.
It pairs that with a clearer picture of the kind of culture Microsoft wants to reinforce internally–one that leans into experimentation and ownership. The memo describes Xbox as “a high agency culture where wild and wonderful ideas thrive,” adding that the goal is to connect teams across studios and products, rather than smooth over differences.
A set of internal principles follows, focusing on ideas like earning every player, prioritising progress over perfection, and keeping teams close to the work.
With all the changes happening and decisions being made by the Xbox leadership, things may be looking up for the players and the company as well. The true test, however, is when changes roll out, beginning with the first Xbox Showcase in June.
