Xbox returns: Microsoft scraps “Microsoft Gaming” to fix Xbox identity crisis
Talk about Microsoft Gaming, and I picture Solitaire Collection, Sudoku, and those default PC games—not Xbox. Even though Xbox sat under that label since 2022, reports point to a shift back to the Xbox name under new leadership in 2026. That shift brings a clear signal: Xbox returns to the center of Microsoft’s gaming identity. When the first Xbox hit in 2001, the goal was to keep distance between brands. Back then, people didn’t link Microsoft with gaming at all.
A fresh start puts xbox front and center
Several reports say Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, who took the role in February, plans to bring back the Xbox name for the gaming division and drop Microsoft Gaming. She said Xbox should serve as the identity, which signals a move away from the prior label.
Xbox once led the console space, but a run of poor calls hurt its market share. The brand lost ground as it failed to match rivals like Nintendo and Sony in exclusive titles. Think The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild or God of War. Xbox even stopped sharing console shipment numbers in 2015 as the gap grew.
Sharma made her first big move with Xbox Game Pass. Last week, Microsoft cut the price to $23 per month from $30. I don’t see that as a cut. It feels more like a rollback after two years of hikes.
That shift comes with a trade-off. New Call of Duty titles will not land on the service at launch. From now on, they will join about a year after release. It’s one game out of a huge catalog. Players still get older COD titles, just not the newest one. For some, that loss hits hard since it may rank as a favorite (mine too). Still, most people get better value with a lower price in exchange for one missing release.
The first step in a much larger comeback
Take a step back. Sharma’s push to bring back the Xbox name ties into her promise of a “return of Xbox.” That move aims to put fans first and fix past mistakes. I see this as the right mindset. Xbox sits under Microsoft, but the brand needs space from its parent. That makes this a key move for a CEO. The loss of identity around Xbox stands out, and this change offers one of the fastest ways to rebuild it.
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Picture Sony telling PlayStation to drop its name and go with Sony Games and Sony Network. That idea sounds wild. So Microsoft thinking it could drop Xbox feels just as strange. A leadership change opens space for big moves. Sharma doesn’t face years of past decisions or internal pushback. That gives me optimism for Xbox’s future.
