Xbox says it is seeing growth again after reorganization: 30% higher brand sentiment
Xbox held a town hall where the division reportedly showed renewed growth, plus a 30% rise in brand sentiment and Project Helix.
- The same report mentions a 30% higher brand sentiment score and plans around Play Anywhere, Disc-to-Digital and Game Pass.
- Project Helix was also mentioned as the codename for Gen 10 hardware, though its exact form is still unclear.
What happened
According to reports, Microsoft held an internal Xbox town hall in which the division was presented as recovering after a period of major restructuring and layoffs. Asha Sharma is said to have stated that Xbox has returned to growth after an “all-time low” and that Microsoft is investing in gaming again. The supplied report also says the recent reset and layoffs were part of a broader restructuring within Microsoft’s gaming business.
The same report claims the Xbox brand is scoring 30% better year over year on sentiment. Sharma is also said to have pointed to “strong starts” for several projects, including Minecraft Dungeons 2, Gears of War: E-Day and World of Warcraft: Forever, although the supplied information does not confirm whether these are official project names. The source also says the internal message framed the growth as more than a one-off, with Microsoft expecting the trend to continue.
The meeting reportedly also covered the next steps for the Xbox platform. Those include Play Anywhere, Disc-to-Digital, a more developer-friendly Xbox ecosystem and a more flexible Game Pass model. There was also talk of a “family of devices” for Gen 10 hardware under the codename Project Helix. The supplied information does not say exactly which devices that includes, or whether it refers to a console, a handheld or multiple form factors.
The report also ties the town hall to a broader Microsoft message that gaming is once again a priority. In the source, this is framed as a turnaround after a period in which Xbox was reportedly at a low point. The cited 30% increase in brand sentiment is presented as evidence that both internal and external perceptions of Xbox are improving, although the underlying methodology is not explained in the supplied text.
Timeline
Last week — According to the report, the Xbox town hall took place, with recovery, growth and new platform plans discussed, including Project Helix and a Gen 10 device family.
Last week — In the same internal meeting, Xbox brand sentiment was said to be 30% higher than a year earlier, while Microsoft also spoke about further investment in gaming.
2026-10-05 — GAME-scanner published a related article about redundancies at Ninja Theory following the Xbox reorganization and the wider Microsoft Gaming layoffs.
2026-10-06 — The supplied source report about the Xbox town hall and Project Helix circulated in coverage, with references to reporting from Kotaku and Windows Central.
Background
The reporting fits into Microsoft’s broader gaming restructuring, with layoffs and internal reshuffles following. In the supplied context, this is described as an Xbox reset, with the recent changes now said to be having an effect on growth and brand perception. The source emphasizes a recovery story: first a sharp decline, then a phase in which Microsoft is investing in the division again.
The hardware reference remains limited. Project Helix is mentioned as the codename for Gen 10, but the supplied information does not specify which devices or form factors are included. It is also unclear whether the mentioned “family of devices” is already being developed as a concrete product line or is simply a broader strategic label. The report does say Xbox is leaning more heavily into an ecosystem that is easier to develop for, which fits the wider platform plans discussed at the town hall.
The project names should also be treated cautiously. Minecraft Dungeons 2, Gears of War: E-Day and World of Warcraft: Forever are mentioned in the supplied text as examples of “strong starts,” but the source does not confirm whether these are official titles, internal codenames or journalistic labels. The same applies to the 30% rise in brand sentiment: the result is cited, but not the method, sample or measurement period. As a result, the figure remains a reported claim rather than independently verifiable data in its current form.
The combination of restructuring, recovery language and hardware references makes the town hall relevant to Xbox’s broader strategy. The supplied information makes clear that Microsoft is not only looking back at the layoffs, but also ahead to Play Anywhere, Disc-to-Digital, Game Pass and the next hardware generation. At the same time, the exact details of Project Helix and the named projects remain incomplete, so the reporting mainly offers an early outline of the direction Xbox is said to be heading in.
Related GAME-scanner articles
Sources
- Kotaku: Xbox CEO says the brutal reset is already working after an all-time low; we've started to return to growth
- Reference in the supplied report to Windows Central coverage of an Xbox town hall