Report: Phil Spencer and Samantha Bond to Depart from Xbox

There are significant shifts in leadership at Xbox as both Phil Spencer and Samantha Bond exit their roles, with IGN reporting the changes. Asha Sharma, who became part of Microsoft as the President of its CoreAI product in 2024, will step in as Spencer's replacement. Meanwhile, Bond, who was seen as a potential successor to Spencer as Microsoft's Gaming CEO, is said to have resigned.

Matt Booty, who leads Xbox Game Studios, is set to take on the role of chief content officer, collaborating closely with Sharma.

Spencer noted in a staff email, “Last fall, I shared with Satya that I was thinking about stepping back and starting the next chapter of my life. From that moment, we aligned on approaching this transition with intention...” He added that Xbox should be guided thoughtfully into future stages and expressed confidence in Sharma's capability to lead the team.

Bond, who joined Xbox in 2017 as Vice President managing partnerships after her tenure at McKinsey, was promoted to Xbox president in 2023. She became a prominent figure for Xbox during Activision's acquisition and various events.

Spencer has been with Microsoft throughout his career, shifting from software management to the gaming sector with Xbox's introduction in 2001. Following various senior roles, he was appointed Head of Xbox in 2014 after the challenging launch of Xbox One.

Under Spencer’s leadership, Xbox revitalized several of its flagship games and expanded through major acquisitions such as Bethesda, Activision, and Minecraft's Mojang. However, the focus on building subscription revenue sometimes overshadowed hardware, opting for a broader software platform across Xbox and PC.

The incoming leaders will take over a brand that has significantly grown since the Xbox One era but now faces substantial financial and operational demands from its parent company. With these changes, the brand is well-positioned but also challenged by the current pressures in the gaming industry.