Microsoft's Xbox division appointed Matthew Ball as Chief Strategy Officer in May 2026, marking a key step to boost its console business. Ball reports directly to Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, who took over earlier in 2026 from Phil Spencer [1, 2, 3, 4].
Ball, a veteran gamer and industry analyst, is known for his annual State of Video Gaming report and his 2022 book titled 'The Metaverse' [1, 3, 4]. He joins Xbox leadership with a focus on reviving flagship Xbox franchises and strengthening the console segment ahead of Project Helix, an upcoming initiative [3, 5, 4]. "Console gaming remains important, durable, and still growing," Ball said about the platform's future [5].
Alongside Ball's hiring, Xbox announced the appointment of Scott Van Vliet as Chief Technology Officer to enhance product development and AI capabilities. Chris Schnakenberg also received a promotion to Vice President of Partnerships and Business Development [1, 2, 3, 4].
Sharma said, "These changes are about strengthening our foundation by creating more clarity and improving execution. As we head toward Showcase and beyond, we'll continue making the changes needed to position Xbox for the future" [1]. She added that Ball had been consulting on strategy since early May and officially started reporting to her this month [2].
Microsoft's Xbox has faced declining console hardware sales in recent years, despite growth in services such as Game Pass. The division also endured layoffs in July 2025 that impacted several Xbox gaming studios, causing cancellations and closures [3, 4].
Xbox is preparing for the Xbox Games Showcase scheduled for June 7, 2026. The event is viewed as a critical milestone for the division under Sharma's leadership and the recent executive changes [1, 2].
