Xbox CEO Says Company Needs To Be Making 'Hard Choices'

Xbox leadership is emphasizing a stronger Xbox through deliberate decisions about what to build, where to invest, and what kind of company to become. A shift from “Xbox” to “XBOX” is framed as a commitment to focus on players who care most about the brand. Game Pass status is tied to pricing and SKU changes, including a decrease in Game Pass price. Call of Duty is being pulled from the program, and upcoming releases like Modern Warfare 4 will not be available day-and-date on the service. The memo links slower growth and accelerated subscriber loss to last year’s pricing and SKU changes, while also citing improved acquisitions and retention after the price reduction.

"“We are building a stronger XBOX,” she wrote in a new memo shared with The Verge. “That means making hard choices about what we build, where we invest, and what kind of company we need to be going forward. That is part of what you are starting to see in the shift from Xbox to XBOX. It reflects a decision to be deliberate in how we show up for the players who care most about this brand.”"

"One of the hard choices Sharma might be referring to is her decision to decrease the price of Game Pass and pull Call of Duty out of the program. The recently revealed Modern Warfare 4 will not be available day-and-date on the service like last year's Black Ops 7 was. “Growth slowed down and subscriber loss accelerated after the pricing and SKU changes last year,” Sharma said in her memo. “Since our price reduction we have seen acquisitions grow and retention improve, which is a good first step.”"

"We're almost a year out from from the last round of devastating Xbox cuts. In addition to those laid off, promising projects were also canceled. That included a long-in-the-making re"

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