Hi team,
I know there is a lot of news today.
I am incredibly proud of what we have built together over the past eight years. PC and cloud gaming is growing faster than ever, our next console is in full swing, and together we’ve helped lay the foundation for a more open gaming platform that includes devices and players around the world.
When we announced our intention to acquire Activision Blizzard in 2022, I committed to helping lead Xbox through what would be a critical period of change. Over the past four years, we’ve come through this moment together and prepared the business for what comes next. We’ve taken on some of the biggest challenges this organization has ever faced and we’ve done it as one team.
With that, I decided the time was right for me to take the next step, both personally and professionally. We are living through a transformative technological era that will shape the next generation of our industry, and I am energized by what lies ahead. This moment also represents a unique opportunity for fresh eyes and new leadership to lead the team into its next chapter. I’ve had the privilege of spending time with Asha over the past few weeks as we’ve planned this transition, and I’ve seen firsthand her deep commitment to our players, developers, and brand. He brings deep technology and business experience, along with strong experience building and scaling platforms the world uses. Xbox deserves it. I am excited to see her lead this next chapter of our team. I will remain as a special advisor to Ash to help ensure a smooth transition and set the organization up for continued success.
I want to thank Phil for his guidance and friendship over the years. He is a constant supporter of this business and the people who make it what it is, and I have learned a lot from the way he leads through both opportunity and challenge. I am grateful for his trust and support throughout my time in the team. I also want to thank Satya for his sponsorship and support throughout my time at Microsoft.
As I prepared to sign off, I thought about three simple questions to guide my day:
Did I bring the best?
Did I help someone else succeed?
Did I do my best work?
I hope the answer was yes for many of you. It was an honor to work with this team.
Always,
Sarah