In an exclusive interview with Jez Corden here at Windows Central, Asha Sharma sat down to answer some important questions.
From what she meant by the “return” of Xbox in her tweets to how she views the future of console, there is plenty to unpack, so let’s dive in.
What “return to Xbox” really means
When first appointed as CEO of Xbox, Sharma made an interesting comment that immediately sparked debate among fans.
She spoke about a “return” to Xbox, a phrase that left many wondering what exactly she meant.
For me, the spirit of 'Return to Xbox' is about returning to the spirit that the team was founded on, it's that spirit of surprise, it's the spirit of building something nobody else was willing to try — I've heard 'renegade,' 'rebellion,' and 'fun' used. That's what I was thinking about when I wrote that.
Xbox CEO - Asha Sharma
In other words, she framed the “return” as more about the culture at Xbox, which isn’t a bad thing.
I think that our core Xbox fans and players have invested up to 25 years of themselves in these universes and our console. I want to make sure everybody knows I'm committed to Xbox, starting with the console. We're going to keep meeting players where they are — the world continues to evolve and change. We're going to make sure Xbox is a great place for developers and players.
Xbox CEO - Asha Sharma
Sharma goes on into more detail on what this means.
We want to invest in reducing the artificial divide between different types of devices that they want to use with us. I think that's going to mean a lot more investment in breaking down the barriers, in helping developers build once and show up across different hardware experiences. For me, I believe Xbox starts with its fans, and we'll grow from there. That's what I wanted to signal with the "return" to Xbox.
Xbox CEO - Asha Sharma
For me, it’s great to see Sharma committed to Xbox hardware, and I will cross my fingers until we see an eventual true Xbox handheld that can play my accumulated library spanning back 18 years.
It doesn't quite end there, Sharma goes on to add:
Xbox players have thousands of dollars invested, in money and time too — it's incredibly important for me to understand that and protect that. I am committed to 'returning to Xbox,' and that starts with console, that starts with hardware. You will hear more about that soon.
Xbox CEO - Asha Sharma
Hearing her say there's "more about that soon" is an exciting premise, and would certainly be a way to kickstart her time as CEO of Xbox.
There's a lot to digest here, and it's rather exciting too, Sharma is saying a lot of right things, at least to me anyway and hopefully to you all too.
Over to you!
What do you think “return to Xbox” should mean in practice? Let us know in the comments and make sure to take part in our poll below:
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