Xbox Head Remains, Studio Veterans Leave
Rumours abound about Xbox head honcho leaving the company, but industry veterans are moving on from the company after the recent round of layoffs.
Not long after the closure of The Initiative and the cancellation of games like Perfect Dark and Everwild, rumours sprang up that Xbox CEO Phil Spencer will be hanging up the controllers after the launch of the NextBox. Contrary to those rumours, the company has responded and said that isn't the case.
Two Microsoft officials have come out in response to quell these rumours. Kari Perez, head of Xbox communications told The Verge “Phil is not retiring anytime soon” last Wednesday. Similarly, Microsoft CCO Frank Shaw also shut down the rumours, stating plainly that the rumours were “made up.”
The rumours themselves seem to have began with a Call of Duty leaker known as TheGhostOfHope claimed Spencer would be stepping down from his role as head of Xbox after the next generation consoles launch in 2027, with Xbox President Sarah Bond stepping in to fill the position. Spencer is confirmed to be staying in charge of Xbox for the foreseeable future, however.
While Phil Spencer will remain, a number of industry veterans will be moving on from their positions within Xbox. Unhappy with the layoffs and project cancellations, some developers and studio heads have decided to leave their studios. ZeniMax Online Studios lead Matt Firor has shared on social media that he will be leaving his post later this month after 18 years of leading the team.
It seems Firor isn't the only one leaving, as a report from VGC reveals that Louise O’Connor, executive producer at Rare and designer Gregg Mayles are also departing their studio. Mayles has been at Rare for over 35 years and has headed up classic games such as Banjo Kazooie and Viva Piñata.
What do you make of the rumours and departures? Let us know in the comments.
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