The success formula for Xbox
When Asha Sharma was appointed as the CEO of Xbox, many people were unsure of the appointment, as they felt that she didn’t have the experience to lead the gaming company that was declining in the gaming console market. Sharma was not meant to be appointed for this role because the lack of the experience may have led Xbox to further decline.
Asha has not played a video game in her life, yet she was appointed to lead an entity Microsoft has largely forgotten about.
Xbox has not made any leaps in the market since the Xbox 360 series, and its decline is certainly noticeable.
Sony has always had the biggest market share, and gamers have always preferred playing games on PlayStation rather than Xbox. In recent years, Xbox has felt sluggish and has lacked improvements, although the gameplay from different games might feel the same to people who don’t play video games regularly.
Xbox does not have the same features and graphics as the PlayStation. Popular games such as EAFC and NBA 2K are not tested on Xbox, as developers have always opted in to test their games on the PlayStation.
Sharma is going to adopt the Nooyi’s strategy that she built at Pepsi, as Sharma is going to emulate the ‘Performance with Purpose’ model that Nooyi implemented. Already, Sharma is doing this by showing up at Gamescom and being the gaming fans’ favorite CEO. Sharma’s ideas aren’t just about being a gamer; they come from a strategic point of view.
The idea of making discs into license keys preserves ownership from the users’ standpoint whilst keeping environmentalists in mind. Sharma has shown that you don’t have to be a gamer to lead a gaming company, but you do need an idea to revitalise a gaming company that is isolated in a one-sided market.
Sharma has removed the Copilot elements from the Xbox, as the Xbox came across as a gaming and PC machine. Sharma has also reduced the Xbox Live subscription, but these elements still do not bring users back to Xbox. A new console is needed, and exclusive games need to be revitalised and modernised to compete with PlayStation.
Many critics have suggested that Sharma lacks the innovative know-how to create a console as powerful as, and to outshine, the PlayStation 6. Xbox needs a new strategy if it wants to regain its market share, and Sharma will need a team around her to complete this mission.
