Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 05:04am on 22 Feb 2026,Sunday International
Microsoft appointed Asha Sharma as the new CEO of its Xbox and Microsoft Gaming division, succeeding longtime chief Phil Spencer, who retired after nearly four decades. Sharma, an Indian-origin executive with a strong background in AI and consumer products, previously led Microsoft’s CoreAI division and held senior roles at Instacart and Meta. The leadership change aims to steer Xbox through industry shifts as gaming expands across consoles, cloud, and AI. However, the announcement sparked widespread online backlash, with critics on social media questioning her lack of direct gaming experience and accusing the company of “Indian nepotism,” while supporters defended her credentials. (PC: X)