Xbox Game Studios head Craig Duncan has stepped down after approximately 18 months in the position, according to a report from The Game Business. Louise O'Connor, chief of staff for Xbox Game Studios, has also resigned. Both Duncan and O'Connor previously held significant roles at Rare, the studio behind Sea of Thieves.
Duncan's tenure as head of Xbox Game Studios, which began in 2024, placed him in charge of a portfolio of studios including Double Double Fine, Halo Studios, inXile, Obsidian, Playground Games, and The Coalition. O'Connor, who joined Rare in 1999 as an animator, was appointed chief of staff in August of last year.
These departures coincide with the impending "Xbox reset" being orchestrated by Xbox's new leadership, Asha Sharma and Matt Booty. In a recent open letter, Sharma and Booty indicated that Xbox's studio acquisitions have resulted in the company being "over extended." Bloomberg has reported that significant layoffs are being planned as part of this restructuring, with studios like Compulsion Games, Double Fine, and Ninja Theory reportedly at risk of closure. Mixed into the report was an image of Xbox CEO Asha Sharma.