Xbox Live founder leaves Microsoft, following long list of exiting Xbox execs
On the back of a difficult week for Xbox Live its founding member, Boyd Multerer, has said his farewells to Microsoft. Along with a string of the Xbox One team working under the new games focused vision of Xbox chief, Phil Spencer, Multerer tipped his cap to the company yesterday and left the tweet, “Goodbye Microsoft. It was a good run. Xbox was Great! Time to do something new.”
Joining Microsoft in 1997 Multerer was one of the company’s heavyweights. He was initially hired as the lead developer for Xbox Online, responsible for putting together a team working on Xbox online gaming.
This comes at a time when Xbox One’s sales have achieved great success, finally overtaking Sony Playstation 4 sales this month for the first time since the two consoles went on the market. Reports suggest that Multerer ‘s 18 years at Microsoft did not come to an abrupt end during this high point for Xbox because of the Christmas hack, although it’s been suggested that his own “living room revolution” vision for Xbox and Spencer’s heavy focus on gaming might have been at odds.
In response to the matter of problems with where the chiefs intend to steer Xbox Multerer left the vague comment, “Nothing is perfect, but Xbox Leadership is fine. On the other hand, I’m complicated. I think that is good?” He has not said a whole lot about in what direction he is going next, only that “Not ready to say what that new thing is, but OMG is writing code every day and exploring ideas fun!”
In the space of one and a half years Xbox has seen its former chief, Don Mattrick, depart to become the CEO of Zynga Inc., as well as saying goodbye to former chief product officer Marc Whitten, who was also set on Xbox’s TV integration vision. Other departures include former Xbox TV program manager, Ben Smith, as well as Jordan Levin and Nancy Tellem when Xbox Entertainment Studios called it a day.
Photo credit: Microsoft
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