Xbox is not for sale: CEO Asha Sharma vows to turn things around

This year, Xbox began a major corporate reset, aiming to cut 3,200 jobs by next summer. This restructuring has already seen studios like Double Fine, Compulsion Games, and Undead Labs become independent entities, while the future of Ninja Theory and Arkane remains uncertain.

The organizational landscape has shifted dramatically following recent moves: Activision has taken control of the Halo series, while Rare and World's Edge moved under the publisher of Call of Duty. Additionally, Obsidian Entertainment has been placed under Bethesda. This leaves a smaller group of developers directly under the Xbox Game Studios umbrella, including The Coalition, Playground Games, Mojang, and InXile Entertainment.

These changes led some observers to suggest that Microsoft was streamlining the business to make it a more attractive acquisition target. However, speaking to The New York Times, Sharma was clear: "Xbox is not for sale... We will do whatever it takes to set the company up for success, and we will look at the right partnerships, the right operating model and everything needed to achieve that."

While analysts suggest the possibility of Xbox being spun off as an independent entity that maintains close ties to Microsoft, there are currently no signs of such a move. Instead, the company is focusing on its long-term outlook, with upcoming titles like Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution, alongside a recent partnership with Kojima Productions for the game Physint.