Xbox Game Studios Shaken by Leadership Departures Amid Microsoft Corporate Reset
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Xbox Game Studios head Craig Duncan and chief of staff Louise O'Connor have departed Microsoft, following CEO Asha Sharma's calls for a company reset and reports of impending layoffs.
Xbox Game Studios is undergoing a major leadership shakeup following the departures of head Craig Duncan and chief of staff Louise O'Connor, as originally reported by Edwin Evans-Thirlwell at Rock Paper Shotgun. Duncan spent just 20 months in the top role, while O'Connor served less than a year, with both veterans having deep roots at Rare Ltd. Duncan previously ran Rare for 14 years, overseeing projects like the Sea of Thieves launch and the Killer Instinct reboot, while O'Connor started at the studio back in 1999 on Conker's Bad Fur Day and later worked on the now-cancelled Everwild. Matt Booty, the Xbox chief content officer, has stepped in to oversee the studios under Duncan's watch until a permanent replacement is found.
These high-level exits arrive directly on the heels of statements from new Microsoft gaming CEO Asha Sharma regarding a necessary business reset, alongside circulating reports of upcoming mass layoffs. While Duncan's internal farewell memo strikes a positive and collaborative tone, the swift timing of these departures points toward deeper strategic friction within Microsoft's gaming division. For players invested in the Xbox ecosystem, executive turnover on this scale inevitably sparks questions about project stability and the long-term roadmap for first-party studios.
As the industry continues to navigate a turbulent landscape of corporate restructurings and studio pressures, these leadership changes leave several key Xbox initiatives in a transitional state. We will be watching closely to see how this leadership vacuum impacts upcoming game development and whether the promised business reset brings meaningful shifts to how Microsoft manages its massive stable of creators. Read the full details over at Rock Paper Shotgun.
Tags: Xbox, Microsoft, Industry News, Game Development, Leadership
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun