Microsoft names Asha Sharma as gaming CEO

Microsoft’s appointment of AI executive Asha Sharma to lead its gaming division has triggered online backlash, with critics questioning her gaming credentials while others call out racism and misplaced outrage.

Microsoft has announced a major leadership reshuffle in its gaming business, with longtime chief Phil Spencer set to retire after 38 years at the company. The software giant named Asha Sharma as executive vice president and chief executive officer of Microsoft Gaming, placing her in charge of the Xbox business and the company’s broader gaming strategy.

Sharma, who most recently served as president of Core AI Product at Microsoft, has been a central figure in shaping the company’s artificial intelligence models and services. Microsoft cited her experience in building large-scale consumer products and leading complex platforms as key reasons for her elevation.

However, within hours of the announcement, criticism erupted on social media. A small but vocal group of users accused Microsoft of what they termed “Indian nepotism,” a claim that spread across gaming forums and X. Several posts questioned Sharma’s lack of direct gaming industry experience, arguing that an AI-focused executive was ill-suited to lead a global gaming business.

One widely shared post claimed Sharma had “no background in gaming,” while others tied her appointment to broader anti-immigrant narratives targeting Indian executives in U.S. tech companies. Some users also scrutinized her career trajectory, pointing to relatively short tenures across roles as evidence of limited long-term leadership depth.

At the same time, many users pushed back against the criticism. Defenders argued that running a global gaming business requires strategic, operational and product leadership skills rather than hands-on game design experience. Others said the backlash reflected entrenched racial bias against Indian leaders in Silicon Valley rather than a good-faith debate about qualifications.

The leadership changes extend beyond Sharma’s appointment. Sarah Bond, president of Xbox, is preparing to step down, while Matt Booty, currently head of game studios, will assume the role of chief content officer and report directly to Sharma.

Satya Nadella outlined the changes in a company blog post, describing them as part of the next phase of Microsoft’s gaming evolution. Sharma’s earlier career includes senior roles at Instacart and Meta, as well as board positions at The Home Depot and Coupang. She also spent time at Microsoft earlier in her career before rejoining the company two years ago to lead its Core AI products.

The transition comes at a sensitive time for Microsoft’s gaming unit. The company has acknowledged past missteps in the console wars, spent $69 billion to acquire Activision Blizzard, and cut more than 2,500 gaming jobs since 2024 as it reorients toward PC, mobile and cloud gaming.

In an internal email to staff, Sharma sought to reassure employees and players alike. She said Microsoft would “recommit to our core Xbox fans and players” while continuing to support developers building games for audiences worldwide.