“Great games are culture, and culture is entertainment”: Xbox CEO says Call of Duty is larger than the MCU, states there’s “more appetite” for Xbox multimedia
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma highlighted the cultural significance of Call of Duty and Microsoft’s expanded focus on multimedia adaptations, positioning the franchise as culturally larger than the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Speaking about the company’s strategy for translating gaming properties into film and television, Sharma emphasized growing market appetite for Xbox-originated content across entertainment platforms.
Microsoft’s track record with gaming adaptations has been mixed. Recent successes include Bethesda and Amazon’s Fallout television series and the 2025 Minecraft movie, both achieving significant critical and commercial success. However, earlier ventures proved less successful—the live-action Halo television series and animated Halo: Nightfall both received negative audience reception.
Despite earlier setbacks, Sharma’s comments suggest a more optimistic outlook for Xbox’s multimedia future. The gaming industry has seen increasing interest in adapting popular game franchises for television and film, with recent projects demonstrating improved audience reception. The assertion that Call of Duty represents a cultural force comparable to the MCU underscores Microsoft’s confidence in the franchise’s entertainment potential beyond its core gaming audience.
Xbox continues exploring opportunities to leverage its extensive portfolio of gaming IPs for multimedia projects, betting that strong game narratives and worlds can successfully translate to other entertainment mediums.