Xbox CEO Asha Sharma is making moves that feel like she’s trying to get that same feeling back. That old Xbox thing back - and I’m here for it!
And she just gave Gears of War fans a huge reason to get excited. The June 7 Xbox Games Showcase will be followed immediately by a full Gears E-Day Direct — a deep dive into the prequel set 14 years before the original game.
Gears of War didn’t just make cover shooters popular — it basically invented the modern version of the genre. Before 2006, shooters were mostly about running and gunning. Gears introduced that sticky, tactical cover system, the roadie run, and the satisfying “stop-and-pop” rhythm that made every fight feel like a brutal chess match. But what really made it stick wasn’t just the gameplay — it was the lore.
The dark, post-apocalyptic world of Sera, the Locust invasion, the gritty military brotherhood, and Marcus Fenix’s tragic story gave players something to care about beyond the shooting. Gears turned a simple shooter into an emotional epic, and that formula influenced everything from Uncharted to The Last of Us.
Asha Sharma has only been in the role a short time, but she’s already making changes that feel intentional and refreshing:
She quietly killed the widely-criticized “This is an Xbox” campaign (the one that tried to convince us our phones and laptops were Xbox too).
She’s openly hyping the return of Classic Xbox vibes.
She’s prioritizing the console again.
She’s talking about bringing back the beloved Xbox 360 Blades UI.
She’s actually listening to fan feedback on exclusives.
She announced Project Helix, the hybrid next-gen console that plays both Xbox and PC games natively.
She’s bringing back Xbox FanFest in Los Angeles for the platform’s 25th anniversary.
And now we’re getting a full Gears E-Day Direct.
For the past few years, Xbox has felt adrift. Hardware revenue has been dropping hard — down 32% year-over-year in the most recent quarter, with consistent declines stretching back multiple years. The “This is an Xbox” era tried to downplay the importance of the actual console, and to many of us it came across as gaslighting. We love Game Pass and the ecosystem, but when you say “your phone is an Xbox,” it starts to feel like the box we grew up with doesn’t matter anymore.
Consumer psychology angle: These new moves are rebuilding trust and nostalgia. Fans have been craving that old-school Xbox energy — the excitement of a dedicated console, big first-party events, and the feeling that hardware still matters. Asha is giving us permission to care about the Xbox again, and that feels validating. It taps into belonging and emotional attachment, not just “play anywhere” convenience.
Business angle: This is smart brand elevation. By leaning back into console identity while still pushing Project Helix, Xbox is strengthening its core while expanding. Stronger hardware focus + better first-party momentum + FanFest community events = higher retention, better market positioning against PlayStation, and a clearer story for developers and consumers. It’s the kind of reset that can stop the bleeding and rebuild long-term confidence.
At the end of the day, this feels like the right direction. Asha Sharma isn’t reinventing Xbox — she’s reminding us why we fell in love with it back in 2001. The console still matters. The games still matter. And if she keeps this up, Xbox might finally feel like home again.
What do you think? Are you excited about the Gears E-Day Direct and the broader reset, or do you want to see more before getting hyped?
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