Key Takeaways
Created with AI - we're still experimenting, so apologies if it misses the mark
- Microsoft is ending its This Is An Xbox marketing campaign, which was aimed at redefining the Xbox brand to encompass more than just consoles.
- The change coincides with the appointment of Asha Sharma as the new CEO of Microsoft Gaming, who intends to refocus on consoles and hardware.
- Project Helix, Microsofts future console, is being described as a PC-console hybrid, signaling a departure from the cloud gaming strategy promoted by the previous campaign.
- The implications of this shift in Xboxs strategy will become clearer in the coming months, particularly with the official unveiling of Project Helix and its positioning in the video game industry.
Recommended products
This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn a commission from purchases made through these links.
As Microsoft prepares to unveil its future console, Project Helix, to a limited audience and industry partners, the company has begun dismantling its “This Is An Xbox” marketing campaign. Launched in November 2024 under former CEO Sarah Bond, who departed in February 2026, the campaign aimed to redefine the Xbox brand by showcasing an ecosystem that extended beyond consoles to VR headsets, smartphones, smart TVs, and cloud-based Game Pass. This ambitious approach sought to highlight the multiplatform power and flexibility of Xbox. However, the campaign sparked internal debate and raised questions about diluting the brand’s identity at a time when console sales were struggling. According to Tom Warren, reporting for The Verge, the campaign was not well-received internally. Microsoft now appears ready to move away from the campaign. Game Developer reported that all references to “This is an Xbox” have been removed from official content, including articles on the Xbox news site. Chris Kerr noted that the site’s search engine now returns unrelated articles, and even those related to the ROG Ally console have been removed. Although the campaign’s videos remain on the Xbox YouTube channel, the removal of official archives signals a clear shift in the brand’s communication strategy.
Redefining Xbox with PC-Console Hybrid Project Helix under New Gaming CEO Asha Sharma
This change coincides with Asha Sharma’s appointment as the new CEO of Microsoft Gaming, and Sharma intends to refocus on consoles and hardware. The “This Is An Xbox” campaign was closely tied to Sarah Bond’s vision, and its removal indicates a move away from the extended multiplatform strategy that Bond championed. At a recent Game Developers Conference (GDC) presentation, the Xbox team stated that the brand’s future involves being “everywhere”—PC, handheld devices, consoles, VR, and more—all linked to the Xbox brand. Influenced by Sharma’s vision, Project Helix, the next-generation Xbox device, is being described as a “PC-console hybrid,” representing a departure from the cloud gaming strategy that the “This Is An Xbox” campaign promoted. The implications of this shift will become clearer in the coming months, particularly with the official unveiling of Project Helix and the broader positioning of Xbox in the video game industry.
In Case You Missed It
In other gaming news, our resident Pokémon enthusiast Ahmed Hassan has just published an insightful piece on the smashing success of “Pokémon Pokopia” for Nintendo Switch 2. Published on March 13th, Ahmed’s article delves into how this latest installment sold a whopping 2.2 million copies in just four days worldwide, with Japan contributing nearly half of those sales. Meanwhile, as we’ve been exploring the resurgence of classic gaming franchises, it’s impossible not to mention Carlos Mendoza’s recent piece on the Silent Hill 2 remake. Published just last month, his article dives into how this chilling psychological horror game has sold over five million units in its first year alone, reigniting interest in the franchise across all platforms. But if you’re intrigued by the latest tech demos, Ahmed Hassan’s recent piece on Players for Life, “Crimson Desert: First PS5 Images Revealed, Let’s Analyze Them!” also published March 13th, digs deep into the performance of this much-anticipated game on PlayStation 5 Pro. Dive into his insightful breakdown to understand how Crimson Desert balances graphics and FPS across its different modes, and learn about the impact of ray tracing and Vsync on gameplay fluidity. Check out these articles here Pokémon Pokopia: Sold 2.2 Million Copies in Just Four Days, Success is Fulminating, here Silent Hill 2 Remake Achieves 5 Million Sales in One Year, Franchise Gains Popularity Again and here Crimson Desert: First PS5 Images Revealed, Let’s Analyze Them!.