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Microsoft will soon be splitting off Xbox’s biggest game franchises into a new division dubbed Xbox XP. This division will be tasked with developing content outside of video games, encompassing everything from film and TV to live events and merchandise.
Xbox’s new division will unify teams across content such as film and television, consumer products, partnerships and live experiences. Said teams will now report to new division president Kayleen Walters.
XP will operate alongside Xbox game studios and external partners to bolster Xbox’s biggest franchises. But game development will always be core to those franchises; as Microsoft’s corporate strategy officer Matthew Bootle stated in a press briefing, “games will always be at the heart” of Xbox’s efforts.
4 New Focus Areas
The press briefing detailed Xbox’s four main areas of focus for Xbox XP:
- Xbox Pictures will adapt Xbox’s characters and worlds into film, TV and other linear storytelling mediums.
- Xbox Products will develop merchandise and products aimed towards fans.
- Xbox Places will create physical events, attractions, experiences and broadcasts.
- Xbox Partnerships will join creators, brands, and communities on experiences, sponsorships, and collaborations.
Xbox has dipped its toes in many of these areas before. Minecraft has received movie and TV adaptations, Gears of War received its own merchandise line last year, and Games With Gold subscribers were able to play WoW: Classic for free last November.
As president, Walters will lead Xbox in expanding on previous efforts. Joining Xbox directly from her position as Chief Expansion Officer at Epic Games, Walters previously spent 13 years with Lucasfilm working on franchise expansion.
During her time at Lucasfilm, Walters helmed teams that worked on some of the company’s biggest franchises including Star Wars and Indiana Jones. She later went on to work at Mojang, helping Minecraft reach over 425 million sales and growing its merchandise business into a top-20 global franchise.
Minecraft: The Movie also became the highest-grossing video game adaptation of all time in its opening weekend and went on to top the domestic box office.
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