Phil Spencer named new boss of Xbox
"You will hear much more as we head into E3..."
Phil Spencer is the new boss of Xbox, Microsoft has announced.
The former Microsoft Studios chief will lead the Xbox, Xbox Live and creative teams, which include Xbox Music, Xbox Video and Microsoft Studios.
"Combining these teams will strengthen the connection between some of the world's most innovative creators and those building the Xbox itself," Spencer said.
"I am incredibly proud of the talented Xbox employees around the world and believe, like they do, in the power of technology to bring games and entertainment to life across console, PC, tablet and mobile devices. It's been a remarkable year for Xbox and I am honoured to lead the team at this incredible time for Microsoft and the games industry."
Spencer takes over Xbox nearly six months after the launch of the Xbox One, which has sold faster than its predecessor the Xbox 360, but is being outpaced by Sony's PlayStation 4.
"This past year has been a growth experience both for me and for the entire Xbox team," Spencer continued.
"We've taken feedback, made our products better and renewed our focus on what is most important, our customer. Our mission is to build a world-class team, work hard to meet the high expectations of a passionate fan base, create the best games and entertainment and drive technical innovation. As we continue forward, this renewed focus and mission will be a foundational part of how I lead the Xbox program.
"You will hear much more as we head into E3, but we are at the beginning of an incredible new chapter for Xbox and I can't wait for the days and years ahead. This is going to be fun."
In an email to Microsoft employees, CEO Satya Nadella praised Spencer's work on Xbox, and said he would report to Terry Myerson, who leads the Windows and Xbox operating system group at Microsoft.
This will allow Microsoft to "keep gaming close to the group developing operating systems across devices", Nadella said.
"Combining all our software, gaming and content assets across the Xbox team under a single leader and aligning with the OSG team will help ensure we continue to do great work across the Xbox business, and bring more of the magic of Xbox to all form factors, including tablets, PCs and phones."
He added: "I love the way the Xbox team is focused on great games and gaming experiences (go, Titanfall!), connects with its fans, pushes the boundary of entertainment and has embraced the power of the cloud in such interesting and impactful ways. Phil is the right person to lead Xbox forward."