In a recent interview with Windows Central, Asha Sharma discussed the company's strategy and a possible "return to Xbox."
Right now, I have to learn everything. Understand why decisions were made, what we wanted to achieve, and what the data shows about the current Xbox strategy. This is an honest answer. I look at the value throughout the entire lifecycle, not just at a single moment or short-term optimizations. The plan remains the plan, until it ceases to be.
Sharma doesn't say "we're returning to exclusives," but she doesn't rule out such a scenario: if the current "everywhere possible" strategy proves ineffective, Microsoft may strengthen its own ecosystem approach.
Xbox players have invested thousands of dollars — not just money, but also time. It's incredibly important to understand and protect that. I am obligated to "return to Xbox," and that starts with the console and hardware. Expect announcements soon.
At the same time, Sharma emphasized that games will continue to be released on PC, in the cloud, and on other platforms, but she needs an analysis of studios, figures, and fan sentiments to make an accurate decision.
Matt Booty confirmed that the studio system is entirely based on developing its own games. Xbox is not just a publisher, but part of a structure that they are not going to abandon.
In practice, this means that Microsoft is not yet ruling out the possibility of releasing its games on PS5, but exclusivity is being considered as a viable option. Asha Sharma first needs to visit the studios, understand the figures and sentiments, and only then decide what to do with franchises like Halo, Fable, and Forza.
