Microsoft’s new gaming leadership appears to be quietly disavowing the campaign’s very existence.
Following recent leadership changes, Microsoft seems to be adjusting its Xbox brand promotion strategy. The company is reportedly phasing out the contentious “This is an Xbox” marketing campaign, which had previously garnered a lukewarm reception from both gamers and internal staff.
Signs of this strategic shift include the removal of the campaign’s announcement page from the official Xbox Wire blog. Attempts to access it now display an “Oops! That page cannot be found” message. Furthermore, all related “This is an Xbox” tags have been deactivated. Curiously, the campaign’s video content remains accessible on YouTube.
Launched in 2024, the “This is an Xbox” campaign championed the idea that Xbox transcended traditional consoles, encompassing any device capable of streaming games via the cloud, such as smart TVs, VR headsets, or smartphones. This strategy placed a strong emphasis on cloud gaming, aiming to broaden Xbox’s audience base particularly in the context of declining console sales.
However, this broad approach ultimately fell short of its objectives. The campaign reportedly sowed confusion among players and, critics argued, inadvertently distanced the company from its core demographic of dedicated Xbox console owners.
Reports indicate that the campaign’s promotion was a key initiative of former Xbox President Sarah Bond. Internally, the strategy reportedly caused bewilderment and even offended some Xbox employees.