Microsoft erases "This is an Xbox" from official sites

This is an Xbox campaign plastered over — "This is an Xbox" has been scrubbed from Microsoft's websites and the Xbox brand has shifted to other marketing speak. (Image credit: Future | Edited with Gemini)

Your Meta Quest, smart fridge, and smartphone are no longer Xbox consoles. Microsoft is more than moving on from its "This is an Xbox" campaign. The company's website no longer has any content under that tag.

The original announcement post for the "This is an Xbox" campaign is also gone, showing "Oops! That page cannot be found." The change was first spotted by Game Developer.

Many argued that the campaign watered down the value of Xbox hardware. Considering the Xbox brand has taken a hit recently and formerly exclusive games have been ported to competing consoles, it's more important than ever for the Xbox brand to be able to hold up a flagship product and say 'This is an Xbox' and then be able to explain why someone should want it.

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Microsoft's &quot;This is an Xbox&quot; ad campaign with &quot;apparently&quot; attached to it in parody. — Many joked about the "This is an Xbox" campaign, arguing it diluted the Xbox brand. (Image credit: Windows Central | Jez Corden)

Asha Sharma, the new Xbox CEO has reaffirmed Xbox's commitment to hardware. Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, has made it clear that Microsoft will “always” invest in gaming.

Sharma officially revealing Xbox's next console, codenamed "Project Helix," illustrates that commitment. Microsoft rebranding the Xbox full-screen experience as Xbox mode lays the groundwork for Project Helix.

We already knew that Microsoft was pivoting away from "This is an Xbox" and similar phrasing. At GDC, the old campaign has been completely absent. Instead, we've seen phrases like "Build for what's next" and "The future of Xbox starts now."

Microsoft and the Xbox team have now taken things a step further by removing "This is an Xbox" from official websites.

🎮 Will dropping "This is an Xbox" help the brand?

Microsoft's "This is an Xbox" campaign was joked about from the start. Many crticized it for diluting the Xbox brand and minimizing the importance of having an Xbox console. But Microsoft ran with that campaign for quite a while and has suddenly shifted. Is it a case of too little too late or Xbox going back to its roots?

Will shifting away from "This is an Xbox" help restore faith in the Xbox brand? Share your thoughts below and tell us what you think is next for Xbox.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Sean Endicott is a News Writer at Windows Central, where he covers Windows 11, Surface hardware, Microsoft 365, AI, apps, and the broader PC ecosystem. Since joining the site in 2017, he has written well over a thousand articles across the Microsoft landscape, covering breaking news, analysis, and feature reporting.

He writes Windows Wrap, a weekly column covering the biggest stories in Windows and the PC industry, and what they mean for the platform going forward.

Before joining Windows Central full-time, Sean worked in journalism and media production after earning a First Class degree in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University. Outside of tech, he is an award-winning American football coach based in Nottingham, England, and was named BAFCA Youth Coach of the Year in 2024.