The departure of Sarah Bond from the presidency of Xbox was among the biggest surprises from the historic restructuring announced yesterday by Microsoft. Bond took to LinkedIn to share the farewell message she sent to her team, dispelling some rumors of internal discord and offering assurances about the brand’s hardware future.
In the post, Bond says goodbye with “gratitude” and states she will “always be a fan of Xbox.” In the internal email, she acknowledged that yesterday brought “a lot of information to process,” but emphasized her pride in the work done over her more than eight years with the company.
PC, Cloud Growth and Confirmation of Latest Console
Perhaps the most surprising detail in her farewell message is the assurance that Microsoft’s hardware legacy will continue. Bond highlighted that gaming on PC and in the cloud is growing faster than ever, but made a point of confirming: “our next console is on track.” Without going into technical details, it’s clear the platform’s physical future remains part of the brand’s plans. This commitment to hardware comes as the gaming industry increasingly explores cloud-based solutions and cross-platform play.
The executive also recalled the challenging year of 2022, when the company announced its intention to acquire Activision Blizzard. According to Bond, this was a “critical period of change” that forced the team to face some of its biggest challenges in history. Even so, she assures that the transition was made “as one team” and that Xbox is perfectly positioned for the future.
Passing the Baton and a New Chapter
Sarah Bond explained that she feels This represents the right time to take the next personal and professional step. She spoke of a “transformative technological era” that will shape the next generation of the industry, a clear reference to the impact of artificial intelligence and new distribution models.
Leadership now passes to Asha Sharma, whom Bond describes as someone with extensive experience in technology and commerce, accustomed to building global platforms. “Xbox deserves this,” Bond wrote, also revealing an important detail: she will not be leaving immediately. Bond will remain with Microsoft Gaming as a special advisor to Asha Sharma to ensure a smooth transition, ruling out the possibility of an immediate departure.
A Personal Reflection
In addition to thanking Satya Nadella and Phil Spencer for their guidance, Bond shared the three simple questions she used to guide her daily work at Xbox:
- Did I give my best?
- Did I aid someone succeed?
- Did I do the best work possible?
The big question now is what direction this new leadership will take Xbox in its next phase, but Sarah Bond leaves with the certainty that the next generation of Microsoft consoles is already being designed behind the scenes.
