GoKawiil
Tech News
Helen Chiang, who left Microsoft as Xbox's chief operating officer less than two weeks after her July promotion, published a LinkedIn post denying she was fired for policy violations, leaking confidential information, or joining a rival. She also denied allegations of discrimination, bullying, harassment, insider trading, embezzlement or fraud, while confirming she was terminated.
Microsoft is giving as many as 60,000 employees across the US, UK, Canada, and India the option to take a voluntary exit package that includes financial support and career planning help, chief people officer Amy Coleman said in a staff memo. Eligible groups include AI experiences, Copilot, CoreAI, Windows and Devices, Xbox, finance, and HR, while marketing, commercial sales, security, and some other teams are excluded or only partially included.
Microsoft's Xbox division confirmed that Helen Chiang, its first-ever chief operating officer, left the company effective immediately, just months after being promoted into the newly created role in July. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma announced the exit in a brief internal memo, saying Chiang's responsibilities would be temporarily divided among other Xbox leaders while plans for the COO position are finalized. Microsoft declined to comment on the circumstances of her departure, citing a policy against discussing personnel matters.
Fortune's profile of Xbox CEO Asha Sharma reports Microsoft is pursuing a two-part hardware plan: a handheld device by late next year and a full console for holiday 2028. Internal company projections reportedly put that console's price between $1,200 and $1,800, though Microsoft could subsidize costs to lower the retail price.
A Fortune profile of Xbox CEO Asha Sharma reveals new details on Project Helix, Microsoft's next-gen gaming hardware line. A handheld device is expected for holiday 2027, with a full console following in 2028, currently projected to cost between $1,200 and $1,800 unless Microsoft subsidizes it. The report also mentions a possible shift to a la carte Game Pass pricing and more layoffs expected this month and in November.
Fortune reports that Microsoft's internal projections put the price of its 2028 holiday-season Project Helix console between $1,200 and $1,800, with a separate next-gen handheld planned by the end of next year. Fortune also reports internal disputes at Microsoft over whether the handheld should run a trimmed version of Windows or a custom operating system built by the Xbox team, with one executive reportedly threatening to cancel the device if forced to use Windows.
According to a Fortune profile of Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, Microsoft's next-generation console, codenamed Helix, is now targeted for the 2028 holiday season rather than 2027, with internal pricing estimates ranging from $1,200 to $1,800 unless subsidized. A separate Xbox-branded handheld capable of running digital console games could still arrive in 2027. Sharma is also reportedly planning to restructure Game Pass into an à la carte model with optional add-ons.
According to Fortune, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma is planning additional rounds of job cuts in November, this month, and January. The cuts would follow a July announcement of a broader
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma told staff at an internal all-hands meeting that Microsoft has struck a deal giving Xbox Cloud Gaming exclusive rights to stream Grand Theft Auto VI when it launches in November. Rockstar has not yet announced a PC release for the game, and the timing coincides with Microsoft's rollout of a pay-as-you-go option for Xbox Cloud Gaming alongside new limits on streaming hours for Game Pass subscribers.
In an interview with The New York Times, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma stated plainly that 'Xbox is not for sale,' adding that Microsoft will pursue whatever partnerships or operating model changes are needed for long-term success. The comments follow a summer of heavy layoffs across Xbox, including the closure of Ninja Theory, the divestment of Double Fine, and the shutdown of Halo Studios with the franchise handed to Call of Duty's team.
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma told the New York Times that Microsoft is not selling Xbox, pushing back on earlier reports that CEO Satya Nadella and CFO Amy Hood had weighed spinning off the gaming unit. Instead, Sharma says leadership backs her restructuring plan, which includes cutting up to 3,200 jobs by mid-2027, moving Halo and other studios under Activision, and streamlining Xbox Game Studios.
Microsoft has launched Mythic Achievements, a new tier awarded when a player completes every original achievement in a game, mirroring Sony's platinum trophy system. The awards are retroactive back to Xbox 360 titles and remain unaffected by later DLC additions, and progress can be tracked through a new Gaming tab on user profiles. The feature is currently limited to Xbox Insiders, the free program that lets users test unreleased updates before public release.