New Xbox Boss Asha Sharma hasn't been at the helm for long and is already steering the conversation back towards hardware. In her first major public interview since taking over as Microsoft Gaming CEO, Sharma told Windows Central that the company plans to speak publicly about its next steps in Xbox console development, teasing upcoming announcements that many gamers have been waiting for.
Sharma's comments on hardware development came amid a major leadership shift that began with the retirement of longtime Xbox chief Phil Spencer, whose tenure shaped the brand around Game Pass subscriptions and cross-platform play. Sharma, previously known for her work in Microsoft's AI and platform products, has outlined a vision she calls a “return to Xbox,” emphasizing a new commitment to the console experience that has defined the brand for decades.
Sharma's “Return to Xbox” philosophy starts with hardware
It's safe to say that the question hanging over much of the Xbox community (and any platform's community, for that matter) is what's next, after the current generation of consoles have had their heyday. Well, Asha Sharma didn't shy away from that question during her chat with Windows Central, confirming her goal to make this focus an immediate priority as part of her “return to Xbox” philosophy. “I'm committed to 'returning to Xbox,'” Sharma said, “and it starts with console, which starts with hardware. You'll hear more about that soon. We'll have some announcements coming up.”
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While that statement doesn't lay out a firm release schedule or reveal any specific products, it's one of the clearest confirmations in recent memory from Microsoft's gaming leadership that the next generation of Xbox hardware will be publicly discussed soon. For fans who have been speculating about what's coming after the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, both of which have been on the market for years now, it's something worth noting.
It's no secret that Xbox hardware has been the subject of debate for months. Reports and rumors have been swirling about whether Microsoft might be moving away from traditional console development towards something much broader, especially given its heavy investment in services like Xbox Game Pass and cloud gaming. It has even been suggested that Xbox could resemble a software and services brand rather than a hardware manufacturer.
However, Sharma's comments address that uncertainty head-on by confirming Xbox's future as one that will put consoles and hardware first, suggesting that Microsoft now sees these elements as fundamental to the brand rather than optional. “I think our core Xbox fans and gamers have invested up to 25 years of themselves into these universes and our console,” she said, further stressing the importance of making hardware, if not just to protect the investments gamers have already made — both in hours spent and money spent on Xbox consoles.
“I'm committed to 'returning to Xbox,'” Sharma said, “and it starts with console, which starts with hardware. You'll hear more about that soon. We'll have some announcements coming up.”
That said, Xbox's strategy isn't necessarily limited to traditional consoles. Even before Sharma's comments were made, Microsoft and partners had expanded into other hardware categories. The ROG Xbox Ally, for example, was launched in late 2025, showing Xbox's interest in hybrid or non-traditional platforms. Sharma even seemed to reinforce that philosophy during her conversation with Windows Central when she said, “We want to invest in reducing the artificial gap between different types of devices that they want to use with us. I think that's going to mean a lot more investment in breaking down the barriers, in helping developers build once and emerge on different hardware experiences.”
Still, for Xbox fans who have been waiting for the next big hardware reveal, Sharma's words are reassuring, as they finally bring clarity to plans that were once shrouded in ambiguity. She made it abundantly clear that Xbox intends to keep consoles and other hardware at the center of its product roadmap, though the lack of concrete details shows how early in the process public communications still are. But the recognition, at least, still goes a long way, and it's likely to fuel even more speculation about what form the next Xbox generation might take. Whether that means a traditional successor to the Xbox Series X|S or something more ambitious remains to be seen.
Source: PureXbox
