Xbox CEO admits Xbox 'isn't healthy' and exclusive titles hinge on brand success

Xbox's new CEO Asha Sharma has sat down for an interview with Fortune Conversations, where she was asked a series of questions about Xbox as a brand, it's future, and where it stands versus the competition.

Sharma is stepping into the CEO role at Xbox during a time where the company's lost most of its identity through extensive marketing campaign that was pushed by former Xbox leadership that "everything is an Xbox". With that messaging, along with the end of exclusivity for titles, many Xbox fans felt there was very little reason to own an Xbox.

Sharma has recognized this, and many other problems with Xbox, saying in the interview that it's been difficult to balance Xbox as a publisher, and Xbox as a platform. In an effort to reignite the Xbox brand, the publisher recently unveiled Gears of War: E-Day and inXile's Clockwork Revolution will be "signature exclusives" to Xbox, and that if the Xbox brand becomes healthy more exclusives will be considered.

"Look, I think that we are the number two publisher in the world, and you want your games to be everywhere. You're stronger when the world plays with you. At the same time, we are increasingly becoming more of a platform, and it's hard to find examples of platforms out there that don't have exclusive services and content. And so this is a journey for us. Our business isn't particularly healthy, as you notice, or as you noted, and so we're starting by introducing one to two signature exclusives, and as the business is healthy, we will look to try and do more," added Sharma