FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Xbox Names Jade Raymond as New Studio Head as Phil Spencer Announces Retirement (Just After One Last Handheld Console)
Redmond, WA – July 2, 2025 — In a stunningly mid move, Microsoft today announced that Jade Raymond will take over as Head of Xbox Studios this fall, replacing longtime Xbox figurehead Phil Spencer, who will officially retire shortly after the launch of the ROG Xbox Ally handheld.
The decision caps off a remarkable run of, well, things happening at Xbox under Spencer, who led the brand through a decade of acquisitions, half-finished promises, and an ever-growing Game Pass library of games nobody actually finishes.
Enter Jade Raymond, a respected industry name who hasn't released a game since the Bush administration but has somehow led more studios than she has shipped titles. Known for Assassin's Creed, a bunch of cancelled projects, and founding Haven Studios (which was acquired by Sony and then quickly forgotten), Raymond is set to bring her... ideas... to Xbox Studios.
The ROG Xbox Ally, developed with ASUS, is Xbox's bold step into handheld gaming—because if Nintendo and Steam can do it, why not the guys who brought you Crackdown 3? Launching this fall, the Ally boasts Series S performance, full Game Pass access, and a battery life slightly longer than a bathroom break.
Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO, weighed in:
Fans can tune in later this year for "Power Off: The Phil Spencer Farewell Stream," featuring Xbox alumni, awkwardly upbeat interviews, and possibly a teaser for Perfect Dark 2 even though the first one was just cancelled.
Props to ChatGPT.
Xbox Names Jade Raymond as New Studio Head as Phil Spencer Announces Retirement (Just After One Last Handheld Console)
Redmond, WA – July 2, 2025 — In a stunningly mid move, Microsoft today announced that Jade Raymond will take over as Head of Xbox Studios this fall, replacing longtime Xbox figurehead Phil Spencer, who will officially retire shortly after the launch of the ROG Xbox Ally handheld.
The decision caps off a remarkable run of, well, things happening at Xbox under Spencer, who led the brand through a decade of acquisitions, half-finished promises, and an ever-growing Game Pass library of games nobody actually finishes.
Enter Jade Raymond, a respected industry name who hasn't released a game since the Bush administration but has somehow led more studios than she has shipped titles. Known for Assassin's Creed, a bunch of cancelled projects, and founding Haven Studios (which was acquired by Sony and then quickly forgotten), Raymond is set to bring her... ideas... to Xbox Studios.
The ROG Xbox Ally, developed with ASUS, is Xbox's bold step into handheld gaming—because if Nintendo and Steam can do it, why not the guys who brought you Crackdown 3? Launching this fall, the Ally boasts Series S performance, full Game Pass access, and a battery life slightly longer than a bathroom break.
Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO, weighed in:
Fans can tune in later this year for "Power Off: The Phil Spencer Farewell Stream," featuring Xbox alumni, awkwardly upbeat interviews, and possibly a teaser for Perfect Dark 2 even though the first one was just cancelled.
Props to ChatGPT.
