In her first six months, Xbox chief Asha Sharma has overhauled pricing, ended a controversial ad campaign and navigated layoffs — and she’s also taking time each month to reply to player support tickets herself.

  • Asha Sharma spends a few hours each month answering support tickets
  • Xbox ended the "This is Xbox" campaign and cut Game Pass pricing
  • The company is refocusing on core franchises while shedding studios

Introduction

New Xbox chief Asha Sharma has made a whirlwind of changes in her first half‑year, from killing the divisive "This is Xbox" marketing push to slashing the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription fee, and, regrettably, overseeing mass layoffs and studio spin‑outs.

Direct Involvement with Support Tickets

According to a recent profile in The Wall Street Journal, Sharma dedicates a few hours each month to read and respond to customer support tickets herself. This hands‑on practice gives her first‑hand insight into how intricate a single player’s issue can be, informing product decisions from the ground up.

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Franchise‑First Strategy

Sharma has instructed studios to double down on Xbox’s underserved core franchises. A flagship move has been the green‑lighting of a new Fallout RPG by Obsidian Entertainment, led by New Vegas veteran Josh Sawyer, a development many fans have welcomed.

High‑Profile Free Agent Signing

Just last week, Sharma secured a multi‑project deal with legendary game director Hideo Kojima. The agreement expands Kojima’s existing partnership beyond the horror title OD to also include the Metal Gear Solid spiritual successor Physint, a project originally slated as a PlayStation exclusive before its cancellation earlier this summer.

Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that a CEO’s direct interaction with support tickets is rare in the gaming industry, signaling a shift toward hyper‑transparent leadership. This approach can boost player trust, reduce churn, and provide real‑time data for product improvements.

"When top executives personally review support cases, companies see measurable gains in response speed and issue resolution quality," notes an industry analyst.
Did You Know?: Xbox’s former CEO Phil Spencer occasionally sat in on support calls in the early 2000s, but such involvement was limited to occasional “listening sessions.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Can I find out if my ticket was handled by the CEO?
A: While tickets aren’t individually labeled, any ticket submitted in the last six months may have been reviewed during Sharma’s dedicated hours.

Q2: How often does Sharma review tickets?
A: Reports indicate she allocates roughly two to three hours per month to this activity.