Asha Sharma takes over as Microsoft's gaming CEO
Asha Sharma just stepped in as the new CEO of Microsoft Gaming, replacing longtime leader Phil Spencer on February 21, 2026.
She now leads Xbox, Bethesda, Activision Blizzard, and King at a time when PlayStation rivalry is heating up and Microsoft's gaming growth has slowed.
New leadership, new direction for Xbox
This leadership shake-up signals a fresh direction for Xbox.
Sharma says she's committed to core fans and making cross-platform play smoother across console, PC, mobile, and cloud.
Plus, Matt Booty is now Chief Content Officer for almost 40 studios—so expect more first-party games.
Sharma's impressive background
Sharma joined Microsoft (join year not stated in source) after big roles at Instacart and Meta, where she helped scale products to billions of users.
Satya Nadella praises her platform and scaling experience—a promising combo for gamers looking forward to what's next.
Spencer's legacy and transition plan
Phil Spencer led Microsoft Gaming for 12 years—nearly tripling the size of the business and overseeing major acquisitions like Activision Blizzard.
No advisory timeframe stated in source