Summary
Sarah Bond is the newXboxPresident, according to a newly leaked Microsoft memo. The appointment was announced as part of a wider leadership shakeup at the conglomerate’s gaming division that also elevatedMicrosoft Studios Head Matt Bootyto a new position.
2023 saw Microsoft continue its aggressive gaming investments, most famously with theaddition of Activision Blizzard to its ever-growing family of studios. Following the recent completion of the $68.7 billion transaction, Microsoft now operates three autonomous game publishing arms: Activision Blizzard, ZeniMax Media, and Xbox Game Studios.
With the blockbuster buyout of Activision Blizzard out of the way, the conglomerate has now moved to shaking up its gaming division’s C-suite, starting by elevatingXbox Corporate Vice President Sarah Bondto the position of President. Matt Booty, who previously headed Microsoft Studios, was promoted to President of Game Content and Studios as part of the same management overhaul. Both will report directly to Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, as revealed by Spencer’s internal memo obtained by The Verge.
Spencer also disclosed that Microsoft Chief Marketing Officer Chris Capossela is stepping down after 32 years at the company, and will be replaced by Takeshi Numoto, another Microsoft veteran of 26 years. Furthermore, Microsoft Corporate VP Yusuf Mehdi has been elevated to Executive VP, which is a role he’ll fill alongside his regular duties as the Consumer CMO. Microsoft’s Consumer Sales Organization led by Ami Silverman will be merging with the company’s gaming division as part of the same restructuring. Spencer explained that this team will be tasked with finding new audiences and transformingXboxgame sales across the globe.
Finally, Microsoft Corporate VP of Xbox Game Player Services Dave McCarthy has been selected as the new Microsoft Gaming CMO. Bond’s appointment as the President of Xbox sounds like the potentially most significant change of the lot, not least because the former Head of Xbox Creator Experience and Ecosystem will now be tasked with overseeing all gaming platform work at the company, including hardware research and development.
These leadership changes arrive at a time when Microsoft’s gaming division is stronger than ever. The company’s latest financial report revealed thatXbox Game Pass recently hit a new subscription milestone thanks toStarfield, while its overall gaming business recorded a 9% revenue increase over the first quarter of its fiscal year 2024. The increase was largely driven by new game releases and Xbox Game Pass subscriptions, which managed to offset a 7% annual decline in console sales.
