Xbox wants to ‘restore the core’ and grow daily active players – so is mobile part of the plan or not?
Xbox announced a significant strategic shift under new leadership from Asha Sharma, combining a Game Pass price cut with plans to resurrect its mobile game store. Sharma released a manifesto emphasizing the need to “restore the core,” though specifics regarding mobile remain unclear despite thousands of employees working in the mobile division.
The company introduced a new primary success metric: daily active players (DAU), a shift typically associated with live-service and mobile-focused strategies. This signals Xbox is prioritizing player engagement and retention metrics across platforms, departing from traditional console-centric measurements.
However, a notable disconnect exists between Xbox’s DAU focus and vague messaging about mobile’s role. While the announcement includes plans to resurrect a mobile store and introduces a metric strongly correlated with mobile gaming, leadership guidance to mobile staff remains limited. This ambiguity raises questions about whether mobile is central to Xbox’s future strategy or a secondary initiative.
The moves reflect Xbox’s effort to expand its daily active player base and diversify revenue streams through both Game Pass adjustments and renewed mobile opportunities.