Xbox CEO Asha Sharma
The unusual approach comes as Sharma works to reset the Xbox business after a difficult year that included major layoffs, studio changes and policy shifts around Game Pass and exclusivity. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Sharma has been solving individual player support cases herself. It has also helped the Xbox chief understand how complicated even a single user’s problem can be, giving her a direct view of the issues that players face when using Xbox services. According to the report, Sharma spends “hours every month” working on player support tickets. The process reportedly gives her a better understanding of the problems Xbox customers encounter and what it takes to resolve them. The publication said the experience has shown Sharma “how complex it can be to fix a single player’s problem.” It is an unusual move for the head of a major gaming business, but it gives Sharma direct exposure to customer issues instead of relying only on reports and feedback from support teams. Sharma became Xbox CEO earlier this year after previously serving as president of Microsoft’s CoreAI product. At the same time, the company has carried out significant layoffs across its gaming business. In July, layoffs initially affected around 1,600 employees and eventually reached about 3,200 by the end of Microsoft’s financial year. As part of Sharma’s plan to “reset” the Xbox business, Microsoft has also made changes to several Xbox-owned studios. Compulsion Games and Double Fine Productions have returned to independent ownership. Ninja Theory and Undead Labs have also “entered terms to join new ownership”. These changes come as Xbox tries to improve the financial performance of its gaming business. Last month, Sharma said Xbox attracted a large number of new players during the previous financial year, but that audience growth did not translate into similar business growth. “In FY26, over 200 million new players came to Xbox and our games, but our business did not grow with our audience,” Sharma stated.
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma reportedly spends hours each month personally responding to player support tickets. This gives her a closer look at the problems Xbox users face, a report claims. The exercise is not simply about fixing customer complaints. She also has experience at Facebook, where she worked as VP of Product & Engineering for Messenger and Instagram Direct. Her time leading Xbox has already included several major changes. Microsoft has adjusted its approach to game exclusivity and Game Pass pricing. “We need to close that gap by investing in what players value. That will take time, but we expect to return to growth by the end of FY27.” Get the latest technology news and updates. Download the TOI App.