Xbox is establishing a new division, codenamed "XP," dedicated to extending its gaming franchises into film, television, consumer products, and live experiences.
Leading this new venture is Kayleen Walters, who previously served as the president of Mojang Studios and has spent eight years at Microsoft working on the Minecraft brand. Walters was also an executive producer on "A Minecraft Movie." Her background includes marketing roles at Lucasfilm, MGM, and Universal.
Maria Angelidou-Smith, formerly the chief product officer at Reddit, will succeed Walters as the head of Mojang Studios.
This strategic move signals Xbox's intent to broaden its reach beyond interactive entertainment and tap into the lucrative multimedia adaptation market, with Minecraft positioned to be an initial flagship property for the new division's content development.