Microsoft CEO Says 'There's More Monetization of Xbox Games Happening on YouTube Than at Microsoft'

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said helium believes "there's much monetization of Xbox games happening connected YouTube" than astatine its ain company, pursuing Xbox brag Asha Sharma's caller committedness to "reset" the gaming branch.

Nadella commented connected the authorities of Xbox successful 2026 during a caller speech with Hard Fork. When asked astir Sharma's memo, which saw her outline a program for the adjacent 100 days amid a tumultuous clip for the company, helium said the existent situation volition spot the Xbox squad trying to fig retired however to "innovate some successful hardware, arsenic good arsenic successful the games, going guardant successful an economically viable way."

"No 1 tin impeach Microsoft of not having invested for the past 25 years," Nadella added. "Now, we person to crook this into a sustainable concern that delivers what is fundamentally 1 of the champion sources of entertainment, still."

It's nary concealed that Xbox is going done a unsmooth patch. While Microsoft's gaming part gained a just spot of momentum from the Xbox Games Showcase 2026 presumption past weekend, it was astir instantly enactment close backmost successful the blistery spot arsenic fans grew progressively confused by its exclusivity strategy. News that the institution had mislaid millions of Game Pass subscribers pursuing an October terms hike, arsenic good arsenic questions of whether oregon not the marque was fixable, didn't assistance its situation.

It each came to a caput erstwhile Sharma posted her June 10 memo, saying that, though her archetypal 100 days since taking implicit arsenic Xbox CEO person been positive, unsmooth waters driven by a "hardware constituent crisis" prevarication ahead. Now, arsenic Xbox looks into caller concern models, Nadella has chimed in.

"Still, the situation we person is we've not been monetizing that entertainment," helium said. "In fact, if anything, we've been subsidizing that entertainment."

"There's much monetization of Xbox games happening connected YouTube than astatine Microsoft," Nadella added with a chuckle. "So, that doesn't mean we spell bash things that are unnatural. We privation america to bash what is truly our job, which is to physique large games, physique large hardware, but we've got to bash it successful an economically sustainable way."

For now, Xbox volition proceed charging up successful hopes of carving retired a much sustainable future. For more, you tin work astir the important layoffs reportedly planned for July 2026. You tin besides larn astir different study regarding a imaginable shakeup for Xbox and its relation astatine Microsoft, arsenic good arsenic what immoderate analysts judge lies successful store.

Michael Cripe is simply a freelance writer with IGN. He's champion known for his enactment astatine sites similar The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be definite to springiness him a travel connected Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).