Xbox at 25: New Xbox Leadership Asha Sharma And Matt Booty on Staying True to Core, Supporting Small Studios

New Xbox CEO Asha Sharma and new Chief Content Operator Matt Booty sat down with Jez Cordon of Windows Central to talk about the future of Xbox. With Xbox entering its 25th year, Sharma addressed the idea of potentially changing the focus of the company in a new media landscape.

"What I don't want to do is have any creator at Xbox dilute their focus to chase an emerging community. If we want to invest in a new community, we'll look at how to do that. But it's really important that people stay true to their core when they're building."

Over recent years, Microsoft and Xbox have spent a lot of money chasing down blockbuster titles, such as when they acquired Overwatch, Diablo and others when purchasing Blizzard. Booty talked about what the future holds and if there will still be a chance for small and ‘niche’ creative studios at Xbox to thrive in this era.

“Asha immediately emphasized supporting our studios and our games. Our ecosystem is built to be a portfolio of everything from small games, to ongoing franchises, to the big blockbusters. We're built at our core to build everything from Kiln to Call of Duty, everything from Minecraft to South of Midnight. That's core to how we're set up."

Matt went on to say that Xbox views itself as a ‘federation’ of studios, each supporting the other both creatively and technologically.

"I think we've got one of the best portfolios out there, even in the entertainment industry more broadly in terms of that range. We're dedicated to it, and here's why: I believe that almost everything 'big' started as something small. We cannot lose the ability to have those places where little sparks can grow into something big. The creative environment that lets us take bets and creative risks has to be part of Xbox's culture. We're committed, our studio system is built for that.”

What are your expectations for the next 25 years of Xbox? From industry titan to almost second fiddle to PlayStation in recent years, let us know in the comments where you see Xbox heading. Plus make sure to join our GamerzTheory Discord and come hang out with us.