Xbox wants gamers to feel like “Xbox gamers” again. To achieve this, the company behind the big green “X” needs to win back all the players it lost in its thoughtless pursuit of game subscriptions. Knowing today’s gamers and their longing for a simpler (and less anti-consumer) era of gaming, it may be Xbox’s best and only bet.
On Thursday, new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma and Chief Content Officer Matt Booty posted an internal note that they had sent to the Xbox staff. The letter revealed that the “Microsoft Gaming” brand was now, simply, “Xbox” again. Parting ways with Microsoft is a smart move. It is the latest brand from the technological monolith that is totally consumer-oriented. Microsoft’s Broader Portfolio Looks Like a Charlie Kelly Conspiracy Board government (and military), B2B and AI contracts.
Previous Xbox leadership under Phil Spencer spent the last few years enabling the Xbox Series S and Series escape into the darkness. In 2026, Xbox’s new goal is to put gamers’ butts in seats, and that means returning to “Gen 9” consoles.
in a interview Sharma said with gaming journalist Stephen Totilo: “We are investing in (Xbox Series S/X) as a first-class experience again, and we want to make sure that all the players who want to be on Gen 9 are on Gen 9 with a great console with regular updates.” According Tom Warren of The Verge, these updates may arrive every two weeks.
Xbox boss Asha Sharma also mentioned during her meeting yesterday that teams are meeting daily on Project Helix and that there will also be bi-weekly updates to the Xbox Series S/X console until the end of the year. The reinvestment in Xbox OS is very interesting.
-Tom Warren (@tomwarren) April 24, 2026
The Xbox Series recent price increases. Before and after apocalyptic price changes from 2025, Xbox followed PS5 in console sales. Sharma told Totilo that he “wanted to see the Xbox (division) grow again next year.” Part of this new impulse is a Lower cost Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. The price drop drew praise from gamers, even if it sacrificed the ability to play. Obligations titles on launch day.
The very high costs of the Series S/X will not help recover growth. He $900 PlayStation 5 Pro with his updated climber It is currently the most powerful console you can buy outside of PCs. With the Helix Project With a possible launch in 2027 on the horizon, few gamers would want to buy a next-gen console that costs more than it did on launch day. So it will all come down to game and peripheral sales. Sharma and Booty were explicit that they are still doing the internal cost/benefit analysis of console exclusivity. To achieve growth, let alone profitability, they need more players to buy in, specifically more daily active users, or DAUs.
Xbox doesn’t need new players; need old players
In fact, Sharma wants to bring gamers who used to play on Xbox back into the fold. Word of mouth is very important in gaming circles when the margins are so tight. That’s why Sharma and Booty mentioned new accessories and peripherals for existing Series X players. Microsoft’s gaming division already has a team that focuses on player experiences. The recently added group new visual and sound effects to achievements. Reminding gamers of the original pops and celebrations for achieving rare achievements on their Xbox 360 is like a nostalgic dopamine hit straight to the big vein.
You can clearly witness this game towards nostalgia in the redesigned Xbox logo. Instead of a soft white X on a black background, the new version is bathed in a green neon that immediately remember from the original special edition in nuclear tone Halo Xbox console.
We are Xbox pic.twitter.com/tJs10kGLwn
-Xbox (@Xbox) April 23, 2026
Sharma, despite being harangued for her lack of gaming experience when she first arrived, reached this point after less than two months on the job. She’s said all the right things to get Xbox fans excited again. All that’s left is to wait and see if the company delivers on its promises.
