Xbox Game Studios Head Craig Duncan Has Stepped Down – Rumor

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According to The Game Business, Craig Duncan, head of Xbox Game Studios, and Louise O’Connor, chief of staff, have both left the company. This follows a recent 100-day plan to restructure Xbox and reports that layoffs were planned.

Twenty months ago, I became head of XGS with a clear goal: to support our game studios, teams, and the people who create our games. We aimed to release excellent games, build a stronger, more positive work environment, and position the company for future success. I’m pleased with what we’ve achieved, including several successful game launches that have benefited the business, according to an email I sent to staff.

Duncan shared that Louise O’Connor has been a valuable and supportive colleague, consistently dedicated to quality work and providing clear guidance to the studios. He expressed his gratitude for her contributions to Xbox Game Studios and wished her well in her future endeavors.

While a new head of Xbox hasn’t been announced yet, all teams within Xbox Game Studios are currently reporting to Matt Booty, who leads content for Xbox.

If the recent reports are accurate, Xbox might begin large-scale layoffs soon. According to Tom Warren from The Verge, at least one game development studio will likely close, and we can expect changes to which studios Xbox owns – though it’s unclear exactly what those changes will look like.

Xbox had a significant round of layoffs about a year ago, shortly after the end of a financial quarter. This led to the cancellation of several projects, including Everwild, ZeniMax’s Blackbird and Perfect Dark, which also negatively impacted the division’s finances. In addition to closing The Initiative studio, various other teams experienced cuts. For example, Turn 10 Studios is now focused on supporting Playground Games’ Forza Horizon series and the development of Fable.

Honestly, I’m curious to see if these updates actually speed things up for game development or if they’re more focused on improving the console side of things. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see! I’m bracing for some chaos though – things probably need to get a little worse before they start getting better.

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2026-06-15 18:12