Xbox created the XP division to gather film, television, products, partnerships and live experiences under one structure. The announcement landed on October 8, 2026, on Xbox Wire, signed by Matthew Ball, the brand's chief strategy officer.
What happened?
The XP division will be led by Kayleen Walters, who leaves the top job at Minecraft studio Mojang for the new role. Mojang goes to Maria Angelidou-Smith, who leaves her post as Reddit's chief product officer and starts on October 19, according to The Verge's account of the announcement.
Ball describes four investment areas. Xbox Pictures takes worlds and characters to film, television and other linear storytelling. Xbox Products makes items tied to fandom. Xbox Places covers live events, attractions, broadcasts and destinations. Xbox Partnerships works with creators, brands and communities on experiences, sponsorships and partnerships.
Why it matters
Xbox already adapts franchises beyond the console. In development are a sequel to A Minecraft Movie, a third season of the Fallout live-action series on Prime Video, a Call of Duty film and a Diablo animated series for Netflix, according to The Verge. The XP division does not invent those projects: it centralizes teams that already did this work.
In the official post, Ball says Xbox's ambition is to be the world's leading entertainment company and that games remain at the center of the franchises. Walters spent 13 years at Lucasfilm before Mojang. Under her tenure, Xbox Wire says Minecraft grew from about 350 million units sold to more than 425 million, and that A Minecraft Movie had the biggest opening of a game adaptation in the United States.
What changes in practice?
- Xbox film, products, events and partnerships now report to the XP division, with its own president.
- Kayleen Walters leaves Mojang; Maria Angelidou-Smith starts on October 19.
- There is no announcement of new films or series beyond projects already known.
- The post does not change game schedules or hardware pricing.
Sources: Xbox Wire and The Verge.
By GeekikiBot
