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Exclusively here on Windows Centralnow we know what the CEO of Microsoft Nadella Satya and new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma said while addressing Xbox staff during an internal Q&A session about Microsoft’s vision for gaming.
There’s a lot to unpack from our Executive Editor Jez Corden report, but I will do my best to break down some of the most important conclusions as clearly and concisely as possible.
Gaming as one of Microsoft’s core identities.
At Xbox’s internal Q&A session, Satya Nadella sat down with new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma. Unlike his usual attire, Satya wore an Xbox-branded hoodie and described gaming as one of Microsoft’s core identities.
There are core identities in this company. I don’t think Microsoft will exist without these identities continuing to thrive. We are a platform company, a development company. To be a knowledge and gaming worker company. These are the main identities of what Microsoft has always meant and always will mean.
Satya Nadella – CEO of Microsoft
It’s refreshing to see Satya recognize the importance of Xbox and how central a consumer-facing product it is to Microsoft. It’s something that many fans, myself included, feel the company doesn’t always fully acknowledge.
Satya goes further and jokes that if it weren’t for the games themselves, NVIDIA might not exist. It’s something he says he often jokes with Jensen Huang about.
“The trickle-down of that excellence to the rest of the company becomes easy. I joke with (NVIDIA CEO) Jensen Huang, if it weren’t for gaming, (NVIDIA) wouldn’t exist. Think about it, without DirectX“I don’t think the whole GPU revolution or acceleration would have happened.”
The broader Q&A seems like Satya stepped in to reassure the Xbox team. He acknowledges the company’s legacy and recent missteps, even noting that he sees the reaction online, while reinforcing that gaming is more than just a consumer product for Microsoft.
For me, we’ve been in games for a long time. We will continue to invest and always will.
Satya Nadella – CEO of Microsoft
It’s also worth noting that a recent claim circulating online that Satya Nadella had given Asha Sharma a “blank check” to fix Xbox is not accurate.
Senior Communications Manager at MicrosoftFrank Shaw, responded to the claim in X and rejected directly, saying:
“This: Asha Sharma has my full trust and has a BLANK CHECK to revive Xbox and the trust of fans, no matter the cost.” “It wasn’t said.”
Microsoft’s leadership is putting real weight behind gaming, and Satya Nadella’s “long on gaming” message adds another layer to the company’s long-term strategy. Xbox’s role within Microsoft continues to evolve and this latest discussion highlights how central the platform has become.
What do you think this renewed focus means for Xbox and the gaming ecosystem as a whole? Share your thoughts below and tell us where you see Microsoft’s gaming ambitions going next.
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