Xbox Reset Leans on Veteran Insight as Asha Sharma Invites Co-Founder to HQ

Asha Sharma’s recent activity on social platforms has been nothing short of a statement on how she wants Xbox to move forward. From engaging with criticism to openly interacting with industry voices, she appears to be taking feedback rather than avoiding it.

While the leadership group recently announced a big plan to fix Xbox from ground up, that openness stands out. Recently, Sharma was seen responding to a comment on Xbox Game Pass from former PlayStation’s ex-boss, Shawn Layden.

Now, that approach seems to have gone a step further. Xbox co-founder Seamus Blackley was recently invited to visit Microsoft’s Xbox headquarters, marking a notable moment for the brand (via PureXbox). Blackley, often referred to as the “Father of Xbox,” has not been directly involved since 2002. However, he has remained vocal about the platform’s direction over the years.

Back in a recent interview, he raised concerns that Xbox could risk fading if it lost focus. At the same time, he encouraged Sharma to connect with industry veterans and learn from both their successes and failures. It seems Sharma is taking those words seriously.

Over on BlueSky, Blackley recently posted about Xbox HQ visit, while also praising Asha Sharma. In the post (requires sign in), Blackley noted “Recently I had the amazing- and yet very bizarre- experience of going to Xbox HQ as a visitor. I had been invited by Asha, who is very cool it turns out, to have a hike and hang out a bit. I’ll probably talk more about that another time.”

That being said, inviting Blackley feels symbolic as much as strategic. It hints at willingness to revisit Xbox’s roots while navigating its future. That said, it is still early days, and how much influence these conversations will have remains unclear. However, bringing voices like Blackley into the room adds weight to the process.