Xbox’s leadership shake-up has claimed another big name. Helen Chiang, who became the company’s first-ever chief operating officer in July, is leaving Microsoft just three months into the role.
The news broke through an internal memo from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, first reported by The Verge. “Helen Chiang is leaving Microsoft today,” Sharma wrote, thanking Chiang for her years of service. No reason was given for her exit.
A Microsoft veteran
Chiang’s departure ends a 21-year career at Microsoft. Sharma credited her with helping build Xbox Live, and she went on to lead Mojang Studios, becoming head of the studio in 2018 and corporate vice president of the Minecraft franchise in 2020. Minecraft Dungeons and Minecraft Legends were both released while she was in charge.
She was later made chief operating officer of Game Content and Studios, overseeing the strategy and operations of Microsoft’s own studios. Then in July, she was promoted to Xbox’s newly created COO role, with full profit and loss responsibility across content, hardware, platform and services. Sharma said at the time that the role was needed because Xbox had become too large and fragmented.
No replacement yet
Microsoft hasn’t named a successor. For now, Chiang’s responsibilities will be split between other Xbox leaders, and Sharma says more details on COO leadership will follow once plans are finalised. Xbox’s head of communications, Kari Perez, told The Verge that the company doesn’t “discuss individual personnel matters.”
A turbulent year for Xbox
Chiang’s exit is the latest in a run of major changes at Xbox this year. Phil Spencer retired in February after 38 years at Microsoft, and Xbox president Sarah Bond left at the same time. Sharma, formerly head of Microsoft’s CoreAI group, took over.
Since then, Xbox has announced around 3,200 job cuts over the coming year, and four first-party studios have been sold or spun off: Compulsion Games, Double Fine, Ninja Theory and Undead Labs. Longtime executive Dave McCarthy also announced his retirement in July.
With Project Helix reportedly not arriving until 2028 and big changes coming to Game Pass, losing a key executive this quickly raises fresh questions about where Xbox is heading.