Xbox CEO Asha Sharma: Still “figuring out” platform exclusives

Xbox’s new leadership is internally wrestling with how to grow both as a major publisher and as a standalone platform. While the company is bringing Xbox-exclusive titles to PlayStation, such as Forza Horizon 6 at a later date, Microsoft’s gaming division is still trying to figure out how to approach video game platform exclusivity on a title-by-title basis rather than sticking to one rigid rule.

Following the retirement of Xbox’s legendary Phil Spencer, Satya Nadella appointed Asha Sharma as the vice president and CEO of Microsoft Gaming and Xbox. She’s made some changes to Xbox’s marketing and brand identity, returning to the original all-caps “XBOX” logo from 2001 and axing the “This is an Xbox” campaign, which promoted cross-platform gaming.

She even went so far as to cancel the marketing campaign that showcased the Kia EV3 using LG’s webOS for Xbox Cloud Gaming. So an Xbox that goes “vroom” is no longer on the table, which many gamers believe is a step in the right direction.

Currently, Asha Sharma is still figuring out how to approach Xbox game exclusivity. In a recent interview with Bloomberg Tech on YouTube, she explained:

“Look, we’re the number two publisher in the world, and in order to be a great publisher, you must have your games reach large audiences. At the same time, we’re increasingly becoming a platform, and to do so, you must have exclusive content and services. And so, we’re looking at that very closely. I think we have to be very thoughtful about each title, how we want to position it, and learn from similar cases in the industry, and that’s what we’re doing.”

A 'tough' topic to address

According to Sharma, exclusivity is a “tough topic,” and Microsoft’s Xbox division isn’t rushing into a specific policy; instead, it's weighing the pros and cons of extending exclusive titles and giving players a reason to choose Xbox hardware or subscribe to Game Pass.

Many believed Xbox had ended the console wars alongside Sony, but both platforms are now considering a return to console exclusives. Sony has also reportedly wound down its PlayStation PC division.

Earlier, it was rumored that Halo: Combat Evolved would launch on PS5, alongside the Fable reboot and Gears of War: E-Day. However, the conversation surrounding console exclusivity is becoming blurrier over time. For now, we’ll get answers one game release at a time.