Microsoft appears to be distancing itself from a recent marketing campaign that emphasized Xbox game accessibility across multiple platforms. The “This is an Xbox” campaign, which positioned the brand as existing independently of its consoles, is now largely absent from the company’s online presence.
The shift comes just weeks after leadership changes within Microsoft Gaming, with Phil Spencer retiring and Sarah Bond departing the company. The move has fueled speculation about the future direction of Xbox under recent CEO Asha Sharma. The campaign, launched under Spencer and Bond’s leadership, aimed to convey that players didn’t need an Xbox console to enjoy Xbox games.
Xbox
According to reports, the webpage explaining the “This is an Xbox” initiative has been removed, along with other references to the campaign from the Xbox Wire news site. This change in strategy comes as the gaming industry navigates an evolving landscape, where platform exclusivity is increasingly challenged by cloud gaming and subscription services.
The move follows February leadership changes, with Asha Sharma taking the helm as CEO of Microsoft Gaming. Sharma has stated her goal is to usher in a new era of success for Xbox, and recently shared initial details about the company’s next-generation console, Project Helix, which is designed to run both PC and console games.
The original YouTube video for “This is an Xbox” remains online.
SEE ALSO: Project Helix won’t be distributed to game developers until next year »