Xbox has seen a couple more regular team members leave the company. The departures come in the wake of numerous leadership changes that have hit Xbox in recent months, abruptly changing the landscape and outlook for Microsoft's gaming division.
Microsoft's Xbox brand is experiencing the end of an era as the company experiences a flurry of personnel changes. Phil Spencer, who joined Microsoft in 1988 and served as CEO of Xbox for 12 years, announced his sudden departure from the company in February 2026. The move signaled a massive change in the brand's identity, which Spencer had helped define since the launch of the original Xbox console. Spencer was quickly followed by Sarah Bond, the president of Xbox, who had been expected to replace Spencer upon his departure. Instead, the role went to former Meta vice president Asha Sharma, who has vowed to restore Xbox to its former glory.
Microsoft issues statement about potential layoffs following major Xbox leadership changes
A key Microsoft executive shares an official comment on the possibility of layoffs following major Xbox executive changes.
Xbox Leadership experiences two more senior departures
More leadership changes have come to Xbox, as the company has seen two more senior employees leave the company. Lori Wright, who served as group CEO at the company, and Haiyan Zhang, who held the role of general manager of gaming AI, have each announced their respective departures from the Xbox team, with the changes expected to take place in the coming weeks. Wright, who announced his departure via his LinkedIn page, referred to his time at Microsoft as “the adventure of a lifetime.” Wright has worked at Microsoft since 2017 and began his role as VP of Xbox Business Development in October 2019. Zhang also took to his personal LinkedIn to reveal his departure, describing the departure as “the most difficult decision of [her] life.” Zhang joined Microsoft in 2013, after stepping into his most recent role as head of gaming AI in 2022.
Balance the critics' averages
Start
Balance the critics' averages
Light (6) Medium (8) Hard (10)
The two latest departures come in the wake of CEO Asha Sharma promising sweeping changes to the Xbox brand, with the newly appointed Xbox chief acknowledging fans' desire for exclusive games. Sharma has also sought to calm fears about the infusion of AI into Xbox's future, given her own professional background with the divisive technology. Sharma has used social media to stay in direct communication with fans, even broadcasting her own Xbox gamertag to let fans check out her gaming history.
The sweeping changes in leadership over the past few months will undoubtedly lead to a new overall approach for Xbox as Microsoft moves towards the next era of the brand. With new information revealed about Xbox's next console at the 2026 GDC Festival of Gaming, the company has its sights set on the future. The release of the console, currently codenamed Project Helix, may still be a good while away, but Microsoft's open acknowledgment of its existence is surely meant to reassure fans and shareholders alike that they remain confident in the longevity of the Xbox brand.
While Microsoft continues to push thoughts and conversations toward the Xbox's future, some have less optimistic thoughts about where the company's gaming division is headed. Even former Xbox founders have expressed doubts about the company's future, though any thoughts on the matter remain speculative. With Xbox's sudden departures seemingly continuing, the latest two exits are sure to spark similar conversations about Microsoft quietly pulling resources from its gaming division, but the impending launch of an all-new console could help alleviate such concerns. Only time will tell what the consequences of Xbox's latest changes will be.
Source: Eurogamer
