News: 0180849490

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New Microsoft Gaming CEO Has 'No Tolerance For Bad AI' (variety.com)

(Monday February 23, 2026 @10:30PM (BeauHD) from the new-era-for-Xbox dept.)


In her first major interview as Microsoft's new gaming chief, Asha Sharma said that "great games" must deliver emotional resonance and a distinct creative voice, while making clear that she [1]has "no tolerance for bad AI ." Stepping in after [2]Phil Spencer's retirement , she's pledging consistency, community trust, and a human-first approach to storytelling as Xbox enters a new era. Variety reports:

> Sharma was quick in laying out her top priorities for Microsoft Gaming in an internal memo announcing her promotion, noting "great games," "the return of Xbox" and the "future of play" as her three main commitments to the gaming community. So first, what makes a great game for Sharma, whose roles prior to CoreAI include top positions at Instacart and Meta? The new Microsoft Gaming CEO tells Variety it's all about games with "deep emotional resonance" and "a distinct point of view." She wants to develop stories that make players "feel something," like the kind of feelings Campo Santo's 2016 first-person mystery "Firewatch" elicited in her.

>

> Sharma takes on the mantle as head of the leading competitor to Sony's PlayStation and Nintendo knowing full well she's entering the role as an outsider to the larger gaming community and has "a lot to learn" still. But Sharma says she's got a commitment to "being grounded in what the community is telling us." "I'm coming into gaming as a platform builder," Sharma said, adding that her goal is to "earn the right to be trusted by players and developers" and show the fanbase that "consistency" over time. In her interview with Variety, Sharma acknowledged the tumultuous state of the gaming industry, referencing Matthew Ball's recent State of Video Gaming in 2026 report as evidence that the larger "transformation" of the sector is "protecting what we believe in while remaining open-minded about the future."

>

> Due to her strong background in AI, initial reactions to Sharma's appointment have raised concerns about what her specific views are on the use of generative AI in game development. Sharma says her stance is simple: she has "no tolerance for bad AI." "AI has long been part of gaming and will continue to be," Sharma said, noting that gaming needs new "growth engines," but that "great stories are created by humans."



[1] https://variety.com/2026/gaming/news/new-microsoft-gaming-ceo-asha-sharma-xbox-games-ai-1236668829/

[2] https://games.slashdot.org/story/26/02/20/2125252/phil-spencer-retiring-after-38-years-at-microsoft


Re: (Score:3)

by Berkyjay ( 1225604 )

I doubt she's even looked at a video game. She's an attractive 37yo woman with an MBA

Re: (Score:2)

by Urinal Pube ( 4508429 )

Check out her linkdin. She's held only executive level roles since college.Seems like many companies are just becoming rich girl daycare now.

Means Nothing (Score:3)

by Kunedog ( 1033226 )

I'm sure she has no tolerance for "bad DRM" either.

So not using Copilot then? (Score:2)

by hsmith ( 818216 )

Joining everyone else?

Re: (Score:2)

by backslashdot ( 95548 )

Bro, seriously? Hear her definition?? It's a weasel phrase dude. There is no definition, it's arbitrary. It's like every car manufacturer can claim they sell the "best" car, except in inverse.

Answer to the number 1 question (Score:3)

by backslashdot ( 95548 )

is no, she is NOT a gamer. However, Microsoft has embraced the idea of her learning to play a few games [1]https://www.windowscentral.com... [windowscentral.com]

Doesn't seem like a DEI hire either, more like WTF is Microsoft thinking?

[1] https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/newly-named-xbox-ceo-asha-sharma-has-shared-her-gamertag-so-what-is-she-playing-and-why-does-it-matter

Re: (Score:3)

by leonbev ( 111395 )

Perhaps they want to turn the XBox into the definitive platform for AI enhanced grocery ordering?

Re: (Score:3)

by Gideon Fubar ( 833343 )

well they did once (before the Phil era) spend the first hour of an XBox console release presentation talking about how it was a really cool box to receive cable TV on...

Re: (Score:2)

by aergern ( 127031 )

DEI? Have you ever worked at a tech company? SMFH.

Re: (Score:2)

by thecombatwombat ( 571826 )

The Xbox has gotten absolutely *destroyed* this generation. Sony has outsold them solidly 2:1, but it's worse than that. Basically they did alright when both were unavailable for a solid year in covid, but once PS5s were easy to buy, Xbox sales really fell off a cliff, it's a disaster.

Combine that with Windows gaming suddenly being under serious threat from Valve, Microsoft gaming is truly a nightmare right now. It's worst case scenarios on all sides.

I would not be all that shocked if they aren't seriously

Very good, let's start upstairs! (Score:1)

by pendolino ( 6185100 )

Since Bing's AI _just_ happened to answer me for a simple search by inventing the "Ukrainian Olympics 2026", I suggest her first step should be to walk into her boss's office and let him know his "AI" is just shit, and he should simply get rid of it and shut up about it until it's at least worth wiping one's arse with.

Gamers have no tolerance (Score:3)

by HnT ( 306652 )

Gamers have no tolerance for empty headlines, empty corpos, empty heads and horrible games full of badly done intentionally divisive activism and devoid of gaming, entertainment and fun.

Translation (Score:2)

by NotEmmanuelGoldstein ( 6423622 )

Paid subscriptions and micro-transactions gives Microsoft plenty of data to sell. Using AI to spy on a player killing 3 monsters, is not an invasion of privacy, and thus, not saleable data.

... Linux und seine Programme sind damit
so etwas wie ein real existierender Sozialismus der besseren Art...
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