CEO Asha Sharma has said that Xbox is “increasingly becoming a platform,” and that it is in need of “exclusive content.”
During an interview on Bloomberg Tech, CEO Asha Sharma discussed the future of Xbox, including everything from hardware and Game Pass to AI and exclusive content. According to her, Xbox now finds itself in a unique position, where, on one hand, it is one of the largest game publishers in the world, but on the other, it is also trying to strengthen its position as a platform.
“I think it’s a tough topic,” Sharma said. “Look, we’re the number two publisher in the world and in order to be a great publisher, you must have your games reach large audiences to play.” However, she argued that Xbox is transitioning more and more from being a publisher to being a platform, and that platform holders face a different set of requirements. “At the same time, we’re increasingly becoming a platform. In order to be a platform, you must have exclusive content and services.”
Sharma’s statement indicate Xbox leadership recognizes the value of exclusive content even as the company continues to pursue wider distribution for its games. While she didn’t outline any specific plans regarding a future shift in strategy towards exclusivity, she suggested that decisions would be made on a case-by-case basis. “I think that we have to be very thoughtful about each title on how we want to think about it and learn from similar cases in the industry,” she explained.
Sharma, who recently took over as Xbox CEO following Phil Spencer’s tenure, acknowledged that the business is facing challenges. She noted that gaming revenue and hardware sales have declined, while rising component costs driven by AI-related demand are creating new pressures for console manufacturers. Despite those challenges, she expressed confidence in the future of Xbox.
