The “This Is an Xbox” Ad Campaign Reportedly Upset Many Xbox Employees, According to a Report
The controversial campaign “This Is an Xbox,” launched by Microsoft to support its multi-device gaming strategy, was not well received by part of the internal Xbox team, according to a new report published by The Verge.
The campaign promoted the idea that mobile phones, tablets, and smart TVs could be considered “an Xbox” if they allowed users to play games from the Xbox ecosystem. The message aimed to show that owning an Xbox console was no longer required to access its games. While this claim was technically true in some cases, it caused debate because Microsoft is still competing in the traditional console market and plans to release a new generation of hardware in the coming years.
Internal Reaction to the “This Is an Xbox” Message
According to the report, the initiative “offended many Xbox employees internally” and was part of the broader strategy known as “Xbox everywhere,” supported by former executive Sarah Bond. The article closely links Bond to the brand’s marketing efforts following the departure of other senior leaders. She reportedly pushed to expand the idea of Xbox beyond dedicated hardware.
The report also notes that in July 2024, Bond personally announced the Xbox mobile store, a key project meant to strengthen the brand’s presence across different devices. However, the development of the store has faced several delays and has not yet launched. Citing both current and former team members, the article describes a complicated relationship between Bond and some staff members.
Last week, it was revealed that Sarah Bond had stepped down from her position as CEO of Xbox, even though she had previously been seen as a possible successor to Phil Spencer as head of Microsoft’s gaming division. In the end, the role was given to Asha Sharma.
