Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has shared a new strategic framework for the brand following a significant restructuring of the business. In a recent internal memo, Sharma identified four key pillars intended to guide the company toward revenue growth by the end of the 2027 fiscal year.

Quick Facts

  • Core: Strengthening the platform, with a primary focus on console hardware.
  • Content: Scaling existing titles into global franchises.
  • Creation: Developing Minecraft into a comprehensive creator platform.
  • Connection: Expanding established gaming worlds into film, television, and live experiences.

The announcement follows a challenging fiscal year for the company, which saw a $1.7 billion revenue decline—the first such drop since Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. While over 200 million new players joined the ecosystem in FY26, Sharma noted that the business growth did not align with this audience expansion. She emphasized that the current plan is designed to close that gap, though she acknowledged that recovery will “take some time.”

Long-Term Roadmap

The company has established a three-stage timeline for these initiatives:

  1. FY27: A return to overall business revenue growth.
  2. FY28–FY29: Transitioning current projects into sources of sustained revenue acceleration and player value.
  3. FY30: Reaching the halfway point toward a long-term goal of industry-leading margins and double-digit growth in players and engagement.

To support these goals, Xbox plans to leverage its most prominent intellectual properties, including Halo, Gears of War, Fable, Fallout, and Minecraft. Part of the strategy includes expanding these brands across diverse media, including film, television, and consumer products, alongside new global partnerships in regions like China.

Regarding Minecraft, the company is looking to move beyond the base game experience. Mojang and King—the developer behind Candy Crush—are currently collaborating on a new Minecraft spin-off to help facilitate the platform's evolution into a creator-led space similar to existing industry competitors like Roblox or Fortnite.