Microsoft Reportedly Considering Selling Xbox, Call of Duty Partly To Blame

Xbox is rapidly evolving under its new leadership, and its new saviour has come just in time for Microsoft, who were reportedly 'floating' the idea of selling the gaming division.

To say that Xbox has had a tumultuous few years would be an understatement.

The gaming giants have fallen way behind PlayStation and PC, despite new efforts from CEO Asha Sharma to reignite the console wars.

Having already reworked the signature subscription service with a huge Xbox Game Pass price slash, Sharma has now spearheaded a return for exclusive games, starting with Gears of War: E-Day.

Yet, Sharma recently reiterated that Xbox is not where it needs to be, and layoffs will likely happen as a result of an internal reshuffle.

Now, a report from The Information (via Reuters) has claimed that Microsoft recently toyed with the idea of spinning Xbox into its own entity with a view to opening a bidding war for the platform.

Xbox Could Be Getting Spun Out Of Microsoft

The future of Xbox appears to be safe now, with Project Helix confirmed to be rolling towards its finishing line ahead of the next-gen console battle - it could even be undercutting the PS6, as Sharma hinted at a cheaper price tag.

Xbox

But Microsoft is breathing down its neck, as The Information reported that the owners considered spinning off the struggling brand, attracting either a new business partner or a wholesale buyer.

The report claims that the idea was only discussed internally, and no potential buyers were scouted, although with the likes of Disney and Paramount tossing around billions of dollars at Warner Bros., and a Saudi investor taking over EA, it's likely that Xbox would have gained a lot of attention.

For now, at least, Microsoft appears to have moved away from this thought process in the wake of Sharma's revolution, although that comes at a price.

In a grim update on the next '100 days' of Xbox, Sharma revealed that "We won’t succeed by hiding hard truths, nor will we succeed by doing the same thing and expecting different results," suggesting layoffs will be required to get Xbox back on track.

Why Call of Duty Is Getting The Blame

The acquisition of Activision Blizzard was a huge moment for Microsoft and Xbox, with the colossal FPS series being an instant addition to Game Pass.

But this wasn't possible due to the performance of its releases.

From the same report, Xbox was reportedly set to use Activision's profits to subsidise Xbox's losses, but when Black Ops 6 landed on the subscription, both parties were 'cannibalised'.

The two most recent CoD titles flopped in terms of sales, and Game Pass' price hike saw 'millions' of players flee the service.

Activision

Now, the restructuring has steadied the ship and started recouping the lost business, and Call of Duty is going back to its usual annual release system for all players.

It's just one of the ways that Sharma hopes to get Xbox back on track, and every move that she's played so far has worked a treat.

The new age of hardware is a new beacon of hope for Xbox, adding another revenue stream alongside Game Pass, which

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