Xbox CEO Talks Up Affordable Gaming Months After Microsoft Raised Xbox Console Prices
A tricky balancing act.
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has said affordability will become one of the biggest priorities for the future of gaming, even as Microsoft itself recently increased Xbox console prices. Speaking in an interview with the BBC, Sharma argued that rising hardware costs and the ongoing AI-driven GPU shortage are forcing the industry to rethink how it builds future gaming devices.
Sharma said affordability, alongside efficiency and performance, will become the key areas of innovation for consoles. According to her, the games industry has never really had to focus on affordability in the same way before, but the current hardware situation has changed that.
Discussing the GPU shortage linked to growing AI demand, Sharma was asked about Microsoft's own role in rising hardware prices. She responded, “Gaming has always been a proving ground for the GPU. I think it is wonderful that there are more uses for this technology around the world.”
She added that AI is changing many aspects of technology and said Xbox has to “take into consideration what’s happening in the world and build the best experience for our players.”
The interview also touched on the future of the Halo franchise, which the BBC noted is “not doing too hot” in its current state. Sharma said Xbox is taking a long-term approach with the series.
“The thing that I am learning about great games is that they have a long history and heritage and we can take a long-term view,” she said.
Sharma maintained that Halo remains one of Xbox's key franchises despite the recent release of Halo: Campaign Evolved on PlayStation 5. She added that Microsoft intends to rebuild the franchise over time and suggested there could be more to share in the future.
The Xbox chief was also asked about Project Helix, Microsoft's next-generation hardware. While she declined to reveal specific details, Sharma described Helix as a “family of devices” rather than a single console.
“We’ve been hard at work on a great next generation, a great family of devices for Helix, and we’ll share more soon,” she said.
Elsewhere in the interview, Sharma declined to clarify Microsoft's platform plans for The Elder Scrolls after being asked twice whether future entries would remain Xbox exclusive.
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