The new Xbox boss would "love to chat" with the former PlayStation chief Shawn Layden

Following a critical post by Layden about Game Pass, Asha Sharma now wants to have a chat with him to find out more about his thoughts.
Text: Jonas Mäki
Published 2026-04-20

There has certainly been no shortage of initiatives from the new Xbox boss Asha Sharma, who seems to pop up every week with new ideas, most of which appear to be appreciated by the Xbox community. This includes, among other things, her stated intention to review Game Pass, which she believes has become too expensive relative to its content.

One person who has been critical of Microsoft's subscription service is former PlayStation head Shawn Layden, who wrote on his LinkedIn:

"They are trying so hard to will this into health, despite unfavorable diagnostics and a grim prognosis. A clarifying post mortem would do the entire industry some good."

One might suspect this would enrage Sharma, but she seems instead to view it as constructive criticism from someone with vast industry experience, and has now responded to him on the matter, writing that she would "love to chat sometime."

Hopefully, they can arrange some kind of meeting so she can hear his perspective, to weigh his views as the future of Game Pass is shaped.

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