Xbox's First-Ever COO Is Already Leaving After A Few Months
Less than four months after becoming the first-ever Xbox COO, Helen Chiang has left the company
Helen Chiang, who became Xbox's first-ever Chief Operating Officer after only a few months, has already departed the company. This marks another rapid turnover within Xbox's leadership as the tech giant strives to reshape itself ahead of the upcoming console generation. In July 2026, while announcing 3,200 job cuts, new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma announced Chiang's appointment as COO.
Chiang oversaw end-to-end profit and loss responsibility across content, hardware, platform, and services. Despite Sharma praising her years of service, Xbox has confirmed Chiang's departure through an internal memo to developers. Xbox's spokesperson declined to comment on the specifics of her exit. Since Sharma assumed the CEO role in February, Xbox has undergone numerous transformations, including large-scale layoffs, leadership changes, a return to console exclusivity, and the closure of several studios.
The company's future strategy remains uncertain, with Sharma stating that plans are fluid until they are no longer needed. As of now, Xbox has two upcoming first-party games for 2027: Fable and Clockwork Revolution. Additionally, there are indications that more layoffs are on the horizon, and Xbox may unveil a handheld gaming device connected to Project Helix next year.
Written by urgent.news from Polygon's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
