New Leadership at Xbox
Microsoft's gaming division undergoes significant leadership changes with the exciting addition of a new President of Xbox, marking a new era for the renowned gaming brand
Highlights
Sarah Bond has been appointed as the new Xbox President, marking a significant change in leadership at Microsoft's gaming division.
Microsoft currently runs three independent game publishing divisions: Activision Blizzard, ZeniMax Media, and Xbox Game Studios.
As part of the leadership restructuring, Matt Booty has been promoted to the role of President of Game Content and Studios, alongside other shifts within the C-suite.
A leaked Microsoft memo reveals that Sarah Bond has been appointed as the new Xbox President. This announcement comes as part of a larger reorganization in Microsoft's gaming division, which also includes the promotion of Matt Booty, the Head of Microsoft Studios, to a new role.
In 2023, Microsoft made significant investments in the gaming industry, notably acquiring Activision Blizzard to expand its portfolio of studios. With the completion of the $68.7 billion transaction, Microsoft now oversees three independent game publishing divisions: Activision Blizzard, ZeniMax Media, and Xbox Game Studios.
Following the successful acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the conglomerate has now initiated changes within its gaming division's leadership team. Xbox Corporate Vice President Sarah Bond has been promoted to the position of President, while Matt Booty, former head of Microsoft Studios, has been elevated to President of Game Content and Studios. Both will be reporting directly to Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, as stated in an internal memo obtained by The Verge.
In addition, it has been announced that Microsoft Chief Marketing Officer Chris Capossela will be stepping down after a tenure of 32 years. Takeshi Numoto, a Microsoft veteran of 26 years, will take over as Capossela's successor. Additionally, Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft Corporate VP, has been promoted to Executive VP, where he will continue his duties as the Consumer CMO. As part of the restructuring, Microsoft's Consumer Sales Organization, led by Ami Silverman, will be merging with the gaming division. This united team will focus on expanding the Xbox game sales globally and reaching new audiences, as explained by Spencer.
Microsoft Gaming has appointed Dave McCarthy, the Corporate VP of Xbox Game Player Services, as their new CMO. This comes as part of a significant change as Bond, the former Head of Xbox Creator Experience and Ecosystem, becomes the President of Xbox. Bond will now be responsible for overseeing all gaming platform work at Microsoft, including hardware research and development.
These leadership changes come at a time when Microsoft's gaming division is thriving. The latest financial report reveals that Xbox Game Pass has reached a new subscription milestone, thanks to Starfield. Additionally, the overall gaming business of the company has seen a 9% increase in revenue during the first quarter of fiscal year 2024. This growth can be mainly attributed to new game releases and Xbox Game Pass subscriptions, which have helped offset a 7% annual decline in console sales.
