Former Xbox executive calls company’s operations under Asha Sharma a “circus”

Former Microsoft executive and Xbox veteran Shannon Loftis has sharply criticized the current leadership of the company’s gaming division. She called what is happening inside Xbox under CEO Asha Sharma a “circus” and stated that she feels sorry for the employees who have to work under such conditions.

The criticism was sparked by the situation surrounding Helen Chiang, who served as Chief Operating Officer of Xbox. Microsoft reportedly fired her last month for violating internal company policies. Chiang herself indirectly accused Xbox leadership of spreading false information regarding the reasons for her departure.

Loftis supported her former colleague in the comments on LinkedIn, replying to her post. According to the former executive, the current Xbox leadership has lost its moral compass. She also criticized how Asha Sharma and her team handled the situation surrounding Chiang’s dismissal.

Loftis worked at Microsoft for 29 years and, among other things, oversaw the development of the Age of Empires franchise. According to her, a true CEO would have focused on finding the person who leaked false information about the reasons for Chiang’s firing, instead of allowing such a situation to happen.

The criticism comes amid a challenging period for Microsoft’s gaming division. It was previously reported that Gears of War: E-Day sold fewer than 500,000 copies, despite an estimated development budget of $500 million. Furthermore, Xbox once again failed to meet its annual financial targets.