Former Xbox president Sarah Bond has addressed the recent leadership shifts at Microsoft Gaming. In a touching LinkedIn update, Bond conveyed the message she sent to her team, conveying her pride in their accomplishments over the past eight-plus years. This announcement followed the news that both Bond and longtime Xbox leader Phil Spencer would be stepping down.

Bond emphasized Xbox’s progression in PC and cloud gaming, the advancement of its upcoming console, and initiatives to establish a more open gaming platform across various devices. She remarked, “With that, I’ve decided this is the right time for me to take my next step, both personally and professionally,” and indicated that she will continue as a special advisor to the incoming Xbox head Asha Sharma throughout the transition.

This marked Bond’s initial public statement since the significant changes at Xbox, which included Spencer’s retirement and Asha Sharma’s elevation to Executive Vice President and CEO of Microsoft Gaming. Bond was regarded as a strong candidate to succeed Spencer and had recently talked about the forthcoming generation of Xbox hardware.

Bond came to Xbox in 2017 after her tenure at McKinsey and T-Mobile and was instrumental in Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. She also became a prominent supporter of accessibility and platform openness within the gaming industry.

In her farewell message, Bond expressed gratitude to Spencer for his “mentorship and friendship” and to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella for his backing. Xbox is now embarking on a new chapter under Sharma, a CoreAI executive with limited experience in gaming. Bond’s subsequent plans remain uncertain, although she will “remain on as a Special Advisor to Asha” during the transition.