Xbox wants gamers to feel like “Xbox gamers” again. To do this, the company behind the big green “X” needs to win back all the players it lost in its mindless quest for game subscriptions. Knowing today’s gamers and their longing for a simpler and less anti-consumer era of gaming may be Xbox’s best and only bet.
On Thursday, Xbox’s new CEO Asha Sharma and chief content officer Matt Booty announced. internal memo What they sent to Xbox employees. The letter revealed that the “Microsoft Gaming” brand is now back to “Xbox”. Separating yourself from Microsoft is a smart play. It’s the last completely consumer-facing brand of a tech monolith. The broader Microsoft portfolio looks like Charlie Kelly’s conspiracy board government (and military), B2B and AI contracts.
Xbox’s previous leadership under Phil Spencer spent the last few years licensing the Xbox Series S and Series X. slip in the dark. In 2026, Xbox’s new goal is to put gamers’ feet on the seats, and that means a return to “Gen 9” consoles.
one interview Speaking to gaming journalist Stephen Totilo, Sharma said: “We’re investing in (Xbox Series S/X) again as a first-class experience and we want to make sure that all gamers who want to be in Gen 9 are in Gen 9 with a great console with regular updates.” according to Tom Warren of The Verge said these updates could come every two weeks.
Xbox head Asha Sharma also mentioned during yesterday’s speech that the teams are meeting daily on Project Helix and that there will be bi-weekly Xbox Series S/X console updates until the end of the year. The reinvestment in the Xbox OS is very interesting.
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) April 24, 2026
The Xbox Series X now starts at $600 for the digital edition, which is $150 more than it was in 2020. The console is price-equivalent after the PlayStation 5. recent price increases. Before and after apocalyptic price changes the year 2025, Xbox beat PS5 in console sales. Sharma told Totilo that he “wants to see Xbox (the division) return to growth next year.” This new thrust part a low-cost Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. The drop in price won praise from players, even if it sacrificed the chance to play Call of Duty headlines on launch day.
The higher costs of the S/X series will not help bring back growth. The $900 PlayStation 5 Pro with him updated upscaler it’s the most powerful console you can buy outside of PCs right now. With Project Helix on the horizon and with a promising launch in 2027, few gamers will want to buy a last-gen console that costs more than the day of release. Thus, game and peripheral sales will fall. Sharma and Booty revealed that they are still conducting an internal cost/benefit analysis on console exclusivity. To achieve growth, let alone profitability, they need to reach more players, especially more daily active users, or DAUs.
Xbox doesn’t need new players; needs old players
In fact, Sharma wants gamers who used to play on Xbox to come back. Word of mouth is very important in gaming circles when margins are few and far between. That’s why Sharma and Booty talked about new accessories and peripherals for existing Series X players. Microsoft’s gaming arm already has a team focused on player experiences. The group was recently added new visual and sound effects to achievements. Reminding players of the original pops and celebrations for rare achievements on the Xbox 360 is like a shot of nostalgia-rich dopamine straight into the great vein.
You can clearly witness this nostalgic game in the redesigned Xbox logo. Instead of a soft white X on a black background, the new version is decorated with neon green. reminds immediately of the original nuclear-toned special edition Hello Xbox console.
We are Xbox pic.twitter.com/tJs10kGLwn
— Xbox (@Xbox) April 23, 2026
Sharma has reached this point in less than two months in the job, despite concerns over his lack of playing experience when he first arrived. He said all the right things to get Xbox fans excited again. All that remains is to wait and see if the company lives up to its promises.
