Amid significant shifts at Microsoft, the tech giant is adjusting its gaming leadership to match the changes, with Sarah Bond and Matt Booty ascending to key positions in the Xbox division.
In a memo circulated among Microsoft employees and reported by The Verge, Matt Booty, formerly the head of Xbox Game Studios, is now ascending to the position of President of Game Content and Studios. This new role sees him the go-to guy for Xbox Game Studios, while concurrently overseeing ZeniMax Media, Bethesda Softworks’ parent company, directly, presumably to prevent another disaster like Redfall and guarantee more hits like Starfield.
As ZeniMax Media maintains its operations in a limited integration format, Jamie Leder, its president and CEO, remains at the helm, but now reports directly to Booty. This structure signifies Microsoft’s commitment to collaboration and a sustained excellence in gaming. As Microsoft Gaming’s CEO, Phil Spencer, emphasized, “Great games are fundamental to everything we do.” By fostering an environment where Xbox Game Studios and ZeniMax’s development studios can seamlessly collaborate, Microsoft aims to cultivate and expand its portfolio of games that resonate with players globally.
Sarah Bond’s promotion is also notable, as she transitions to the role of President of Xbox. Her new responsibilities will span across hardware, business planning, and other significant domains. The ripple effect of her promotion, combined with the anticipated departure of Activision Blizzard’s CEO Bobby Kotick next year, is that the gaming leadership team will see more women than men, marking a progressive stride in the industry.
Notably, this leadership evolution coincides with other major changes within Microsoft, including the departure of the long-standing Microsoft CMO, Chris Capossela.
One of the pivotal objectives behind these changes is fostering more collaboration opportunities. Having Booty at the helm of both Bethesda and Xbox Game Studios opens up avenues for the sharing of technological advancements and to bolster each other’s projects. This could avert situations like the Redfall launch, where, according to Spencer, Xbox could have provided better support to its developer, Arkane.
It’s also intriguing that Booty’s purview doesn’t encompass Activision Blizzard King. Speculations abound regarding the reasons behind this exclusion, with many believing the dynamics will become clearer once Kotick exits the scene next year.
Sarah Bond’s elevation within the company echelons is a testament to her capabilities and contributions. She played a pivotal role in the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, showcasing her strategic acumen.
This restructuring closely followed some significant developments in the gaming world. The unexpected retirement of Pete Hines, Bethesda’s executive, after a commendable 24-year tenure was one such event, occurring shortly after the release of Starfield. Moreover, Bethesda’s recent game projects received mixed responses. Although games like Hi-Fi Rush garnered favorable reviews, others like Redfall faced a lukewarm reception. Despite Starfield’s boost to Xbox Game Pass, it failed to achieve universal praise.
Another major milestone was the successful acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft following the approval from multiple regulatory bodies for the deal that’s worth $68.7 billion. This acquisition saw Bobby Kotick remain in his position in the executive lineup, albeit temporarily, until the year’s end.
Reflecting on these organizational shifts, Phil Spencer expressed his enthusiasm for the incoming journey. He voiced his confidence in the new leadership, anticipating their guidance will steer the organization towards future successes.
Sarah Bond’s new role as the President of Xbox places her at the forefront of the evolution of the platform’s hardware as well as software. As Spencer explained, this collaboration between teams responsible for devices, player and creator experiences, platform engineering, strategy, business planning, data analytics, and business development under Bond’s leadership aims to craft the Xbox of tomorrow.
An underlying theme of these changes is fostering better collaboration and support among Microsoft’s diverse studios. Reflecting on the release and reception of Redfall, Spencer acknowledged the need for a more proactive engagement to ensure game quality and alignment with Xbox’s standards.
As the landscape of gaming at Microsoft shifts, the question on many minds is about the future leadership at Activision Blizzard. Only time will unveil this next chapter in the ongoing saga.
