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Xbox's Asha Sharma appoints CSO, CTO, steadies Helix price

5/22/2026

23 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Sharma appoints leadership

Asha Sharma, Xbox CEO, appointed Matthew Ball chief strategy officer and Scott Van Vliet chief technology officer.
Sharma also promoted Chris Schnakenberg to corporate vice president of partnerships, overseeing third-party developers.
Sharma said the appointments strengthen Xbox’s foundation, improve execution, and keep Project Helix priced between $999 and $1,200 with no hardware changes.
Ball will speak at Game Business Live on Monday, June 8.

Summary

Sharma Rebrands Xbox

Sharma rebranded Microsoft Gaming as Xbox and cut the Game Pass Ultimate price.
The overhaul removed the “This is an Xbox” campaign, added an Xbox Player Voice forum and refreshed the division’s logo and name.
Xbox will mark its 25th anniversary in 2026 and unveil a roadmap for the year at an event next month.
The memo said the consumer-focused moves aim to increase the platform’s appeal before the event.

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Sharma appoints leadership

Asha Sharma, Xbox CEO, appointed Matthew Ball chief strategy officer and Scott Van Vliet chief technology officer.
Sharma also promoted Chris Schnakenberg to corporate vice president of partnerships, overseeing third-party developers.
Sharma said the appointments strengthen Xbox’s foundation, improve execution, and keep Project Helix priced between $999 and $1,200 with no hardware changes.
Ball will speak at Game Business Live on Monday, June 8.

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