- Amid looming layoffs and studio closures, the Xbox Game Studios boss Craig Duncan has confirmed his departure.
- The gaming brand’s chief of staff, Louise O’Connor, is also quitting.
- Craig oversaw several development studios under Xbox, including those at risk of being closed.
While initial changes under the new leadership inspired positivity and goodwill from the community, Xbox is also about to undergo a reorganization expected to bring massive layoffs and closures of multiple award-winning studios in the coming weeks.
A new report now reveals that Xbox Game Studios boss Craig Duncan has quit his role at this critical point. He oversaw various development studios under Xbox, including Ninja Theory, Double Fine, and Compulsion Games, which are at risk of being closed.
Xbox’s chief of staff, Louise O’Connor, has also departed from the brand.
Why it matters: The simultaneous departure of Craig Duncan and Louise O’Connor at such a turbulent moment suggests there was friction with Xbox’s new leadership. The exits amid studio closures could also bring further instability across the gaming brand.
The Game Business reports Craig Duncan’s exit after 20 months in the role. While he doesn’t offer any official reasons, the current timing hints at clashes with Xbox’s new direction under Asha Sharma.
I’m proud to say we delivered many flawless launches that drove business success for the company.
-Xbox’s Craig Duncan.
He has been involved with the Xbox brand since 2011 and also served at Rare for about 14 years. Xbox Chief Strategy Officer Matt Booty will oversee the department studios that were under Craig until another executive fills the role of XGS boss.
Meanwhile, Louise took the chief of staff role in September of last year, after quitting Rare following Everwind’s cancellation. She also did not clarify the reason for exiting the brand.
If there’s any correlation with the looming Xbox reorganization, we could see other high-profile executives also walk out voluntarily. Their departure at this critical time could spell deep trouble for the brand as a whole.
Do you think Xbox executives quitting at this particular time suggests that the brand is in deep trouble, or are these departures just a coincidence? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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