Following Nintendo and Sony's lead, Xbox is setting up a division exclusively dedicated to movies and non-games partnerships
Today, Microsoft announced it is setting up a new branch of the Xbox business named XP. In a blog over at the Xbox Wire, Microsoft details what this new area of the business looks like - it consists of four branches: Xbox Places, Xbox Pictures, Xbox Partnerships, Xbox Products. Read more
Xbox has unveiled a new XP division within the company, dedicated to expanding the reach of its franchises through transmedia spinoffs such as films, television series, and theme parks. The division, led by Kayleen Walters, former president of Mojang Studios, will oversee four main areas: film and television adaptations, licensing and merchandise, partnerships, and physical experiences.
Walters, who previously oversaw franchise development at Microsoft and worked at Lucasfilm, was appointed to the new role in February 2025. Maria Angelidou-Smith, previously the chief product officer at Reddit and Facebook, will take over as president of Mojang Studios. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma emphasized the importance of Xbox's franchises to fans, stating that Kayleen Walters knows how to create meaningful experiences for the community.
The XP division will also handle the Fallout TV series and the Halo TV series, while the Minecraft World theme park is set to open in Chessington, UK, in 2027. This strategic move follows Microsoft's recent "reset" which saw around 3,200 job losses and the divestment of five studios.
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- Xbox announces new XP division to deliver transmedia spinoffs including film, TV, and theme parks gamesindustry.biz
- Microsoft expands Xbox’s movie, TV ambitions with new division businesstimes.com.sg
- Xbox is launching a new film and TV division theverge.com
