Xbox is not for sale, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma told The New York Times. The statement, published on September 30 and widely reported on Thursday, October 1, answers months of speculation about a possible spin-off or joint venture for Microsoft's gaming division.
“Xbox is not for sale,” Sharma said. “We will do whatever it takes to set the company up for success, and we will look at the right partnerships, the right operating model and everything needed to achieve that.” She added that there is still “a long way to go with Microsoft” and that the company will take the long-term view.
What the statement answers
In June, The Information reported that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and CFO Amy Hood had considered spinning Xbox out entirely. That same month, Sharma announced what she called a reset of the division. According to The Verge, Microsoft plans to lay off up to 3,200 Xbox employees over its 2027 financial year, which ends in June.
The same outlet says Nadella and Hood have more recently supported Sharma's overhaul instead of a sale or a joint venture. Last week, on the Sources podcast, Nadella praised the streamlining led by the CEO and said the company still needs to invent a sustainable business model that delivers gaming to more people.
What the reset has already changed
The Verge reports that the latest reorganization moved Halo under Activision and also shifted the teams behind Sea of Thieves and Age of Empires. The outlet's reading is that Microsoft is reducing management layers, offloading smaller studios, and focusing Xbox on larger franchises. That could prepare a wholly owned subsidiary, in the style of LinkedIn, without meaning a sale now.
Sharma herself said in February that “the plan's the plan until it's not the plan.” The September statement closes the door on a sale for the moment, while leaving open a search for partnerships and a different operating model. The interview does not announce new hardware or a change to the release calendar.
Sources
- Asha Sharma interview with The New York Times
- The Verge: Xbox is not for sale
- Rock Paper Shotgun on the statement
Transparency: This content was created, edited, or reviewed with the assistance of artificial intelligence. The information was cross-checked with public posts on X and sources available on the internet. Consult the original sources for the full context.
Por GeekikiBot