Microsoft appears to be changing its Xbox brand promotion strategy after a change in leadership. The company appears to be gradually abandoning the controversial "This is an Xbox" marketing campaign, which has sparked mixed reactions among players and employees.
As noted by Game Developer, the campaign announcement page has been removed from the official Xbox Wire blog. When trying to access it, users see the message "Oops! That page cannot be found." In addition, all tags associated with "This is an Xbox" also no longer work. At the same time, the campaign videos are still available on YouTube.
The "This is an Xbox" campaign was launched in 2024. Its main idea was that Xbox is not only a console, but also any device capable of running games through the cloud: a smart TV, a VR headset, or a smartphone. The strategy placed a strong emphasis on cloud gaming and was intended to attract a new audience amid declining Xbox console sales.
However, this approach did not meet expectations. The campaign caused confusion among players and, according to critics, alienated the company from its core audience — Xbox console owners.
According to The Verge, the promotion of the campaign was actively supported by former Xbox President Sarah Bond. At the same time, the initiative allegedly caused bewilderment within the company itself and even offended some Xbox employees.