Xbox's new CEO faces questions over brief gaming history

Xbox announced that Phil Spencer is leaving after 25 years and that Asha Sharma, president of Microsoft CoreAI, will replace him. The change drew immediate scrutiny as fans questioned what it would mean for the platform and raised concerns about the growing use of AI.

Sharma shared her gamertag in a conversation on X, and players noticed her first achievement is dated Jan. 15, 2026 — roughly five weeks earlier. In the past month she has played Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Forza Horizon 5, Minecraft and Fallout 76, and completed several indies: Firewatch (100%), one achievement away in What Remains of Edith Finch, and three missing from A Short Hike.

Ball X Pit appears to be a favorite, with one achievement left and 42 hours logged across eight days. The rapid immersion prompted skepticism about whether she played the games herself, and some fans have suggested her posts on X are AI-generated. Others pointed out that women in games often face gatekeeping, which complicates judgments about her experience.

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