Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond visit ChinaJoy 2025 and review games from Tencent and NetEase

The Xbox leadership is seen in Shanghai as it tightens ties with major regional partners.

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Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, and Sarah Bond, President of Xbox, have been present this week at ChinaJoy 2025, Asia’s most important digital entertainment event, held in Shanghai. The presence of these high-ranking executives has not gone unnoticed, especially given their direct approach to key studios like Tencent and NetEase.

Both executives have toured the fair, testing several titles in development from their Asian partners, showcasing Xbox’s commitment to the Chinese market and the expansion of its global presence. Images shared on social media show Spencer and Bond in private and public sessions, where they were even seen with controllers in hand, enjoying new playable proposals.

Xbox Seeks to Strengthen Relationships in Asia with Strategic Partners

The visit of Xbox’s top executives to China is not just symbolic. Microsoft has been trying to strengthen its position in Asia, a historically complex market for the brand, and events like ChinaJoy serve to strengthen ties with major developers like Tencent and NetEase, two key players in the region.

ChinaJoy, officially known as China Digital Entertainment Expo & Conference, is Asia’s largest video game and digital entertainment fair and one of the most important in the world. It is held annually in Shanghai and brings together companies from across the sector: from major publishers like Tencent, NetEase, or Sony, to hardware companies, independent studios, mobile developers, cloud platforms, and tech firms.

Although no specific titles have been revealed, it is expected that Xbox is seeking new collaborations or even cross-platform launches that could benefit from Game Pass or other Microsoft ecosystem platforms. ChinaJoy has become a unique opportunity to forge agreements and get a firsthand feel for the region’s creative pulse.

We will be keeping an eye on potential announcements stemming from this visit, especially if any new Eastern project ends up landing on Xbox or the Game Pass service in the near future.