Team Xbox — some are you are asking how much it matters that Asha doesn’t have gaming experience Some thoughts since I’ve been there: I had never worked in gaming when I joined Activision Blizzard’s board and later became CCO & EVP Corp Comms. And although I’d played games, I wasn’t very good The learning curve was huge. I had to quickly understand the products and players. Gaming culture is unique, and it’s not just one culture! COD vs WOW have very different communities. Launching DIV was totally different from Overwatch work Getting up to speed took a ton of listening and learning (often the hard way, because while you’re figuring things out you still have to Do Your Job). It involved visiting studios, DMing with streamers, talking to devs, and lots of reps getting absolutely murked in Modern Warfare II The players made a huge huge difference. I learned from so many of you, whether you were sharing feedback or meeting up at BlizzCon or cooking me on twitter (tough crowd, strong feelings - never change!) Also - while I def didn’t have the “right” resume or a background in gaming, I did know how to communicate, negotiate, get creative, take care of people, and, when needed, fire shots I still made plenty mistakes. But my point is that skills from other jobs do transfer. Even though there is a LOT to learn for someone without a gaming background, it IS learnable Asha is smart, effective, and a fast learner. She has no ego, just wants to get the job done. Playing lots of games in a short period is her way of preparing as best she can, and she shouldn’t be put down for that She’s determined to make Xbox the best it’s ever been, from the foundation built by Phil and Sarah and their team. If I could’ve stayed after our acquisition, I’d be super excited right now to work for Asha! I will forever be grateful for all of you who welcomed me to the community and gave me advice and encouragement (even as I was far from perfect) I hope you’ll give Asha that opportunity to load in, learn, and show what she can do Don’t judge the resume, judge the K/D 💚