Ex Activision Blizzard exec defends new Xbox CEO: It IS learnable

One former Activision Blizzard executive has defended new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, saying “even though there is a LOT to learn for someone without a gaming background, it IS learnable.” Sharma is replacing former Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer as Xbox president Sarah Bond resigns, creating an enormous leadership shakeup; many had assumed Bond would eventually take over, and Sharma has no background in games, having joined Microsoft in 2024 as president of the company's CoreAI product.

Lulu Cheng Meservey, who joined Activision Blizzard’s board before becoming executive vice president, corporate affairs and chief communications officer, shared her perspective on Twitter. She wrote that getting up to speed required “a ton of listening and learning,” from studio visits and talks with devs and streamers to “lots of reps getting absolutely murked in Modern Warfare II.” Players and community feedback, she added, made a huge difference.

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