Xbox CEO Hints at "More Flexible" Game Pass

According to a leaked transcript obtained by Windows Central from an internal Microsoft town hall, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma addressed employees with an optimistic roadmap for the brand’s future.

Sharma highlighted that efforts to reverse previous declines are paying off, pointing to a 30% increase in positive brand sentiment over the past year.

"We're making the right decisions to reinvest in the business. After an all-time low, we've started to return to growth - more than two to three times what we were - and we expect that to continue."

Next-Gen "Project Helix" & Handheld Partnerships

Turning to the next generation of hardware - codenamed Helix - Sharma reaffirmed that Xbox is moving toward a broader hardware ecosystem rather than relying solely on a single traditional console. This strategy suggests Xbox will likely partner with third-party manufacturers for portable hardware, similar to PC handhelds like the ASUS ROG Ally:

"We are moving to a family of devices for Gen-10. There is not one device that fits all. We will certainly have a great console first, but we also know that many players will be on the go. There are some things that we are the best in the world to manufacture, and there are other things that we will partner on. So, we will be sharing more about that as our plans develop. The operating system is starting to look really good. We're very excited about this."

Expanding Battle.net & PC Focus

Sharma also discussed Microsoft’s PC strategy, highlighting plans to continue growing Battle.net. She noted that Battle.net boasts user retention rates nearly on par with Steam and cited recent partnerships - such as bringing CD Projekt RED games like The Witcher 3 to the launcher - as key drivers for future growth.

"We will do it the right way for those communities," Sharma said, hinting that Battle.net will remain a tightly curated storefront compared to broader platforms like Steam or the Xbox PC app.