Microsoft Gaming reverts to Xbox branding as a part of new mission assertion

Microsoft Gaming is reverting to Xbox beneath its new management, it has introduced, as a part of a sweeping new mission assertion shared with workers.

The firm adopted the Microsoft Gaming model in January 2022 following its acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

In a memo to workers printed on Xbox Wire, CEO Asha Sharma and CCO Matt Booty stated Microsoft Gaming “describes our structure but it does not describe our ambition.”

Sharma and Booty said that Xbox’s “new north star” shall be day by day energetic gamers and prioritising enhancements in {hardware}, content material, experiences, and providers.

The console stays central to Xbox’s future plans, and shall be “built to be affordable, personal, and open.”

“The model that got us here won’t be the one that takes us forward,” wrote Sharma and Booty.

The executives added: “Along the way, we will re-evaluate our approach to exclusivity windowing and AI and share more as we learn and decide.”

They additionally outlined plans to increase into China, rising markets, and mobile-first audiences, whereas sustaining and rising Xbox’s presence in dwell video games and long-term stewardship.

Xbox goals to attain sturdy development and powerful price self-discipline by strengthening Game Pass with a sustainable monetary mannequin.

The agency will improve creator-centric platforms comparable to Minecraft, The Elder Scrolls, and Sea of Thieves, and to enhance discovery, customisation, social, and personalisation options for the neighborhood.

Earlier this week, Xbox diminished the worth of its top-tier Game Pass subscription and eliminated Call of Duty from its day-one launch lineup in response to buyer suggestions.

This resolution adopted inside communication from Sharma, who stated the service had “become too expensive for players.”

Game Pass Ultimate dropped from $29.99 to $22.99 monthly, whereas PC Game Pass fell from $16.49 to $13.99 monthly.

The value discount doesn’t totally reverse the 50% enhance carried out in October 2025.

Last month, Xbox introduced its next-generation console, codenamed Project Helix.

Jason Ronald, Xbox VP of subsequent era, stated the console will ship “high performance and provide the ultimate player-first experience.” This is supported by a multi-year partnership with AMD.