The Head Of Xbox Game Studios Resigns Ahead Of Mass Layoffs

Craig Duncan is stepping down as head of Xbox Game Studios. He held the role for less than two years and previously led Sea of Thieves maker Rare for over a decade. The move comes as teams inside Xbox brace for the latest round of mass layoffs and potential studio closures following new CEO Asha Sharma’s announcement of a “reset” last week.

Duncan oversaw a sprawling network of game studios, from Halo Studios and The Coalition to Double Fine and Undead Labs. He was responsible not only for helping get major blockbusters like the upcoming Fable shipped, but also for navigating the company’s evolving strategy around exclusives and multiplatform releases.

Xbox Game Studios will now report up to chief content officer Matt Booty. Duncan wrote in an email to staff: “When I stepped into the role of leading XGS 20 months ago, my purpose was to serve our studios, our teams, and the people making our games.

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