Xbox, formerly known as Microsoft Gaming, is the video game and digital entertainment division of Microsoft, established in 2022 to unify all its gaming operations under one leadership, currently headed by CEO Asha Sharma. The division oversees major publishing labels including Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda, Activision, Blizzard, and King, and owns some of the most iconic franchises in gaming history, such as Halo, Minecraft, Call of Duty, and Warcraft. Its creation was tied to Microsoft's massive acquisition of Activision Blizzard, completed in 2023, which propelled Microsoft to become the third-largest gaming company by revenue and the largest by employment, boasting 500 million monthly active players. The roots of this division trace back to 2001 with the launch of the original Xbox and Microsoft Game Studios, but under CEO Satya Nadella and gaming head Phil Spencer, the company pivoted in 2017 to a service-based model centered on Xbox Game Pass. This strategic shift involved acquiring major studios like Mojang (for $2.5 billion), Obsidian, and Ninja Theory to build a strong first-party portfolio, moving away from relying solely on exclusive console titles.