Helen Chiang, Xbox's first chief operating officer, has left Microsoft just three months after taking the role. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma confirmed the exit in an internal memo on 23 October.
Sharma didn't say why Chiang was going. Chiang had spent 21 years at Microsoft and previously ran Minecraft. Her duties are expected to be divided among other Xbox executives, and Sharma said more about COO leadership would come once plans are finalised.
The job was created in July as part of Xbox's sweeping reset, which brought 3,200 layoffs and four studio departures. Double Fine, Undead Labs and Compulsion Games are going independent, Ninja Theory is likely to close, and Arkane Lyon is still searching for a buyer.
Xbox told Eurogamer it doesn't discuss individual personnel matters. A source familiar with the situation separately claimed Chiang was terminated for policy violations, though Eurogamer hasn't been able to verify that.
Creating a brand-new COO role and losing its first occupant before the year is out is not a great look for a reset that was supposed to steady things.
