Microsoft resurrected its dead Xbox Gear Store on Thursday under a new name and a new strategy. The XBOX Game Studios Shop replaces the old Gear Store that disappeared months ago with only a "coming soon" placeholder in its place. But the initial inventory has a conspicuous hole: no Xbox logo gear. The store launched with merchandise from Halo, Forza, Gears of War, Fable, Age of Empires, Avowed, Grounded, Hellblade, Sea of Thieves, Outer Worlds, and Forza Motorsport. Apparel, hats, drinkware, phone cases, and collectibles make up the initial lineup. A Forza Horizon 6 "Discover Japan" hoodie runs $74.99. But the classic green-and-black Xbox sphere is nowhere to be found.
Windows Central noted the absence and believes Microsoft is holding official Xbox-branded items for a dedicated drop tied to the brand's upcoming 25th anniversary. Third-party retailers Culture Kings and 73Studio have already started selling Xbox 25th anniversary apparel, including retro 2001 console tees and heavyweight zip hoodies.
Xbox senior director John Friend said the shop will expand over time, with new items rolling out alongside major game moments throughout the year. The store replaces the old Xbox Gear Store but does not consolidate Microsoft's other gaming merchandise fronts. The Blizzard Gear Store, Call of Duty Shop, Bethesda Gear Store, and Minecraft Shop all remain separate.
Gears of War and Fable merchandise are listed as "coming soon," suggesting these categories may fill up after the Xbox Games Showcase in June. The shop launch is one piece of a wider Xbox reset under new president Asha Sharma, who took over earlier this year. On Wednesday, Xbox appointed industry analyst Matthew Ball as chief strategy officer.
Ball, CEO of research house Epyllion and author of the widely read annual state of video gaming report, said his goal is to "return Xbox to its former glory." Sharma also brought on former Azure AI executive Scott Van Vliet as CTO.
Ball's focus includes reviving storied franchises and strengthening the console business amid surging component costs driven by AI data center demand for memory. The same five evergreen games, each released more than nine years ago, still account for more than a third of player hours on Xbox and PlayStation, according to Ball's research.
Sharma has pledged a "renewed commitment" to the Xbox console and a device code-named Project Helix, while also aiming to expand Xbox sales in emerging markets. "These changes are about strengthening our foundation by creating more clarity and improving execution," she wrote in a memo to employees, per The Verge.
