Xbox's first chief operating officer Helen Chiang leaves Microsoft just three months into the job

eurogamer.net Oct 24, 2026

Xbox’s first chief operating officer Helen Chiang leaves Microsoft just three months into the job

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Oct 24, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Helen Chiang, Microsoft’s first chief operating officer for Xbox, is exiting the company after only three months in the role. The departure was announced by Xbox CEO Asha Sharma in a memo on 23 October, which thanked Chiang for her 21‑year tenure and offered wishes but gave no explanation. Chiang, who previously led the Minecraft division, had been appointed in July as part of a sweeping “reset” that introduced the COO position, 3,200 layoffs and several studio exits. Sources told Eurogamer the termination may have stemmed from policy violations, a claim the outlet could not verify. Xbox said it does not discuss individual personnel matters and indicated that Chiang’s responsibilities will be redistributed among executives while a leadership plan is finalised.

💡 Why It Matters

· Chiang’s abrupt exit underscores turbulence within Xbox’s sweeping restructuring, raising questions about the viability of the newly created COO role.

Read full article on eurogamer.net

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