New Xbox chief’s gamertag raises questions

Phil Spencer has stepped down as head of Microsoft Gaming with immediate effect, with reports suggesting the decision may be tied to weak Xbox sales. Xbox president Sarah Bond has also left the company, leaving Asha Sharma to assume both roles. Having previously led Microsoft’s CoreAI division, Sharma faced early doubts from some fans about whether the Xbox ecosystem would evolve in line with their expectations.

Soon after taking on her new role, Sharma revealed her Xbox gamertag, which was promptly scrutinized. According to Insider Gaming, the account features a Gamerscore of over 10,000 and achievements across major Xbox franchises including Halo, Forza Horizon, Fallout and Borderlands. It also shows 100% completion in Firewatch as well as several rare achievements in Minecraft. Building a profile of this scale would normally take years. However, users found that Sharma’s gamertag is only one month old, created on January 15, 2026.

On social media, some users suspect the profile may have been deliberately boosted to highlight gaming credentials and win over skeptical hardcore players. When asked on X whether the account was run by AI, Sharma replied jokingly, “Beep Boop Beep Boop.” While many saw the comment as playful, others took it as an attempt to dodge the question. The debate has since spread to Reddit. Some critics describe the situation as a misleading PR move, while others argue that analyzing the profile in such detail is excessive and has little bearing on Sharma’s qualifications as CEO.