Asha Sharma, the newly appointed head of Microsoft Gaming, addressed concerns regarding the activity on her Xbox profile and recent social media posts, confirming the account was initially a shared family resource. The clarification came in response to questions from IGN’s Ryan McCaffrey, who noted the unexpectedly broad range of games and achievements associated with the gamertag.
Sharma stated she hadn’t anticipated the level of scrutiny her Xbox profile would receive. According to Sharma, the account was created recently to gain a better understanding of the Xbox ecosystem and was used by multiple family members across various devices, explaining the diverse gaming history. She confirmed that the account has since been adjusted so that each family member now uses a separate gamertag.
“Faking would be a terrible idea and wouldn’t work,” Sharma wrote in a social media post, responding to suggestions that her gaming history had been artificially enhanced. “I also didn’t expect my gamertag to blow up and the reality is more boring. I created it recently to learn and understand this world.”
The discussion surrounding Sharma’s gaming experience arose following her appointment as CEO on Friday, succeeding Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond, both of whom unexpectedly resigned. Prior to taking the helm of Microsoft Gaming, Sharma served as Head of coreAI within Microsoft, prompting some to question her familiarity with the gaming landscape. She publicly shared her gamertag – AMRAHSAHSA – over the weekend, a move she described as an effort to be transparent.
Sharma also addressed speculation that her social media posts might be generated by artificial intelligence, a field in which she previously worked. She agreed that attempting to feign gaming expertise would be counterproductive, emphasizing her genuine interest in the industry. “I don’t pretend to be the best gamer and even though I’m playing, that’s still not my goal,” Sharma stated. “My focus is to build Xbox the best place to play, return to our roots, ship great things, and grow stronger for the future.”
According to a report from Forbes, the questions surrounding Sharma’s gaming background and social media activity have prompted debate within the gaming community. Xbox Dynasty reported that Sharma refuted accusations that her posts were AI-generated, stating she writes them herself.
