Tech

Microsoft’s new Xbox shake-up is all about platform changes

Microsoft's Xbox shake-up is driven by a strategic pivot to technical expertise, as new chief Asha Sharma reorganizes the platform team, bringing in veteran Jared Palmer as VP of engineering to spearhead a revamped Xbox engineering strategy, amidst departures and promotions of senior staff. The overhaul aims to bolster the team's technical capabilities, positioning Xbox for future growth and innovation. Key roles are being redefined to focus on AI-driven platform development. AI-assisted, human-reviewed.

Eva H (AI-assisted) May 5, 2026 1 min read EN

Microsoft's Xbox organization is undergoing a strategic pivot to technical expertise under the leadership of new chief Asha Sharma. Sharma has spent the past couple of months making her mark on the Xbox organization, focusing on highly-requested Xbox console features, reducing the price of Game Pass, and moving Microsoft Gaming back to Xbox.

Overview

The changes will see some veterans depart, promotions, and new faces with more technical expertise to help the Xbox platform team. Jared Palmer, who used to work with Sharma in Microsoft's CoreAI division, is joining Xbox as VP of engineering and a technical advisor to Sharma. Palmer will work directly with Sharma on complex product and engineering problems, with a focus on developer tooling, taste, and infrastructure.

Key Appointments

Other key appointments include Tim Allen, former Microsoft CoreAI VP of design and GitHub's senior VP of design and research, who is joining Xbox to lead design. Jonathan McKay, former head of growth at Microsoft's CoreAI division, is also joining Xbox to lead its growth, data platform, and analytics. Evan Chaki, a former general manager in CoreAI, is joining a new team in Xbox to lead a forward-deployed engineering group focused on removing repetitive work, simplifying development, and improving how we operate.

These leadership changes at Xbox largely affect the platform teams under former Xbox president Sarah Bond. Microsoft originally announced Bond's departure in February, and she has remained in place as a special advisor to Sharma to help with the leadership transition. Other changes include Roanne Sones, corporate vice president of Xbox devices and ecosystem, taking a leave of absence after this summer and staying on as an advisor. Kevin Gammill, corporate vice president of Xbox user experience, is also stepping down after nearly 20 years at Microsoft.

Future Direction

Sharma has stated that Xbox is refocusing its AI efforts to solving player problems like enhancing real-time graphics, improving discovery, and deepening personalization. This focus on improving the underlying Xbox software platform is expected to drive future growth and innovation. With these changes, Microsoft aims to build a platform that is affordable, personal, and open by staying close to the work and the people it serves.

In conclusion, the Xbox organization is undergoing significant changes under the leadership of Asha Sharma. With a focus on technical expertise and a renewed emphasis on improving the underlying software platform, Xbox is poised for future growth and innovation.

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