Following recent changes in Xbox leadership, it’s been revealed that the “This is an Xbox” ad campaign was also debated among those working at the company. While Xbox has been very successful with its games, it’s faced challenges with its gaming consoles. It appears some Xbox employees had concerns about some of the company’s more ambitious decisions.
The gaming world was surprised by recent news that Phil Spencer is leaving his role as CEO of Microsoft Gaming, and Sarah Bond, the President of Xbox, is also stepping down. Spencer had been the public face of Xbox for many years, and Bond was widely expected to take over as CEO. While the full story isn’t yet public, it appears there were internal disagreements at Xbox that contributed to these changes.
Insider Claims Many Microsoft Employees Found ‘This is an Xbox’ Campaign Offensive
According to industry expert Tom Warren, Xbox’s recent leadership changes stem, in part, from internal dissatisfaction with the “This is Xbox” marketing campaign. Sources told Warren that many Xbox employees were upset by the campaign, which aimed to emphasize a unified experience across all platforms rather than focusing on exclusive games and hardware. While the idea was to reach a wider audience, the campaign was widely seen as confusing and led to questions about Xbox’s commitment to consoles. Mike Ybarra, formerly of Blizzard, publicly criticized the campaign, stating that continuing to build hardware while releasing games on all platforms was a misguided strategy.
Even though more games are available on platforms other than Xbox, Phil Spencer maintains that consoles remain central to the Xbox brand and what fans expect. While Xbox has released new handheld devices like the ROG Ally and Ally X, these haven’t boosted overall console sales. Microsoft’s games, such as Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Forza Horizon 5, have performed well on competing consoles, but Xbox console sales have been declining. Reports indicate that Xbox’s hardware revenue has decreased for three years in a row and is expected to continue falling through 2026.
Image via Asus, Microsoft While broader challenges in the gaming hardware market likely contributed to recent difficulties, the “This is an Xbox” marketing approach doesn’t seem to have improved things. According to reports, internal conflicts weren’t just about the campaign itself; multiple sources describe Bond as a demanding leader who didn’t tolerate disagreement – a style that made the controversial marketing feel even more pointed. Despite this, sources also acknowledge Bond’s strong deal-making abilities, particularly her crucial role in navigating the legal complexities of the Xbox acquisition of Activision, which she took charge of from the very beginning.
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Even though there was internal disagreement at Xbox, the focus now shifts to what’s next. With key leaders like Bond and Spencer gone, many are wondering about the company’s future direction. There are reports the next Xbox console might be delayed due to a shortage of memory chips, potentially changing the plans made by the previous team. It’s also unclear if the company will continue with its “This is an Xbox” branding. Only time will tell what changes will be made.
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2026-02-24 01:11