Microsoft Gaming Chief Asha Sharma Killed 'This Is An Xbox' Campaign as It 'Didn't Feel Like Xbox'

Microsoft has confirmed that its caller gaming brag Asha Sharma personally killed the company's arguable "This is an Xbox" selling run — because, ironically, "it didn't consciousness similar Xbox."

The promotional slogan was announced with fanfare backmost successful precocious 2024 erstwhile Microsoft tried to person the satellite that "Xbox" could really notation to immoderate entity that played Xbox games. This meant your smartphone was an Xbox, your dusty aged tablet was an Xbox, and adjacent your Smart TV could beryllium an Xbox — thing that besides alternatively suggested you nary longer needed to bargain an existent Xbox anymore.

For a institution that was already having issues shifting Xbox consoles, the selling run felt a small short-sighted — a presumption reportedly besides held by galore unit astatine Xbox itself, whose occupation it had been to effort and marque the Xbox Series X/S not a flop. In caller weeks, fans person spotted "This is an Xbox" selling pages vanish from the internet, portion a study has stated that squad members had been "offended" by it ever existing. And now, Microsoft has officially confirmed the slogan is dead, with Sharma to convey for it being finished off.

"Asha retired 'This is an Xbox' due to the fact that it didn't consciousness similar Xbox," a Microsoft spokesperson told Windows Central. "She is personally starring a reset of however we amusement up arsenic a brand."

The communicative present surely seems clear, with erstwhile reporting pinning the promotional slogan's existance connected erstwhile Xbox CEO Sarah Bond, who received lone the briefest of acknowledgements connected her mode retired the door. Still, it should beryllium remembered that Bond yet reported into erstwhile Microsoft gaming brag Phil Spencer, who Sharma has present straight replaced.

Regardless, with Bond gone pursuing Sharma's promotion, the second seems blessed to hitch the slate cleanable of a selling run disliked by fans, and present astatine likelihood with the company's caller absorption connected selling the imaginable of Project Helix, Microsoft's nebulous PC/console hybrid that it apt hopes volition find a larger assemblage than Series X/S, whenever it really arrives.

Microsoft brag Satya Nadella precocious backed Xbox by insisting that Microsoft is "long connected gaming" and volition ever put successful it. Days later, Microsoft revealed aboriginal features of Project Helix, portion confirming plans to nonstop alpha versions of the hardware to developers successful 2027. Whether it volition besides motorboat publically successful 2027, however, remains to beryllium seen.

Continued outer pressures connected the games industry, specified arsenic constituent shortages and logistical challenges sparked by planetary commercialized issues — including an ever-changing acceptable of tariffs and struggle successful the Middle East — person contributed to higher costs crossed the board. Earlier today, Xbox's large rival PlayStation confirmed it was raising its console prices yet again, with PS5 Pro acceptable to emergence successful outgo by a staggering $150. The PS5, of course, tin already play galore Xbox-published games — but is it an Xbox? Apparently no, not anymore.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social