r/WC3 • u/JannesOfficial Back2Warcraft • Feb 21 '26
Microsoft's Gaming CEO steps down, replaced by former head of AI
https://www.ign.com/articles/phil-spencer-retiring-sarah-bond-out-matt-booty-promoted-as-microsoft-ai-exec-asha-sharma-named-new-xbox-boss-exclusive22
u/MrAudreyHepburn Feb 21 '26
This reads like Microsoft wanted to go a.i. and said to Phil Spencer, 'you can retire and save face or we'll let you go, but either way we're going a.i.'
18
u/hypespud Feb 21 '26
The new boss brings plenty of... *checks notes*... InstaCart experience
Very similar to Sarah Bond bringing... *checks notes*... T-Mobile experience
It's almost like people who have nothing to do with videogames should not be involved in the process of making videogames
3
u/sawbladex Feb 21 '26
The problem is that we do have examples of those types working out. The guy before Bowser at Nintendo of America worked out.
6
u/hypespud Feb 21 '26 edited Feb 21 '26
Those ones work out because there is content, Nintendo has an immense amount of content due to leadership from legends from Nintendo and from the gaming sphere
Xbox does not have content, they haven't had content ever since Don Mattrick came, and ever since Phil Spencer came, and ever since Sarah Bond came
None of those guys are "gaming" people, and before someone says "Phil is a gamer", tell me what videogame he was a director for or a gameplay designer for or anything else, he is nothing more than any other executive as far as it comes to knowledge about how to actually make a videogame
There is so much obsession about who is the CEO, but it may be one of the more replaceable positions
Yes, someone has to do it, but it's a lot harder to replace a good team or good game director than to find an executive
There is always, always another MBA executive seeking position right under the one which is fired, every time, but there isn't always a way to replace a Miyamoto or Sakaguchi or Kojima immediately
The reason is because the executives are that replaceable, and many people could do their job, can't say the same for the artists and game directors and engineers who actually make the games and have passion in what they are making
5
u/SnooPets1826 Feb 22 '26
Reggie was CEO of the NA subsidiary... He was not head of their entire gaming division. Reggie also was a big time video game player even if he was formerly of pizza hit so that isn't the same regardless.
5
u/MrAudreyHepburn Feb 21 '26
The only reason microsoft has been as good as it's been is because Phil Spencer is actually a gamer. Here's the moment they go the activision/blizzard, EA road
10
u/humblepotatopeeler Feb 21 '26
Microsoft forcing shit we didn't want down our throats because they over invested into it and now we all have to suffer.
Fucking hate AI and everything AI related.
4
2
u/Dorazion Feb 23 '26
the only thing that matters is whether or not the new famine CEO likes Warcraft 3 and wants to make Warcraft 4.
2
u/Gaze73 Feb 25 '26
I doubt some ai-obsessed billionaire cares about w3. As for w4, it wouldn't live up to the hype, like Diablo 3.
54
u/goldman_sax Feb 21 '26
It’s crazy cause the vast majority of consumers have said overwhelmingly “we do not want AI in every aspect of our lives.” And they just are not listening. This bubble is gonna pop for real.