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Microsoft shakes up Xbox marketing as key exec departs for Roblox

Topher

Topher

Gold Member
Microsoft is losing another key Xbox executive at the end of the month. Xbox chief marketing officer Jerret West is leaving Microsoft to join Roblox as its new CMO and head of market expansion. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer confirmed the move in an internal memo to Xbox employees today, which was obtained by The Verge.

West previously spent eight years at Microsoft on the Xbox marketing side, before previously departing in 2011 and then eventually spending seven years at Netflix as the head of marketing. West returned to Microsoft in late 2019, leading the marketing for the launch of the Xbox Series S / X consoles.

West’s team is responsible for developing marketing plans for games, hardware, and Xbox Game Pass. Microsoft is now shuffling around some of its marketing teams in the wake of West’s departure, and there will be a new expanded central gaming marketing team under Kirsten Ward, VP of Xbox integrated marketing.

Spencer says the Microsoft Gaming leadership team has “decided to place marketing closer to the businesses they support” as a result of West’s departure. Games marketing will now sit inside the game content and studios division that’s led by Matt Booty. Xbox marketing, led by Chris Lee, will move to the Xbox org and report up to Xbox president Sarah Bond.

This is the second key Xbox executive resignation this year, after former head of Xbox emerging tech, Kareem Choudhry, left Microsoft in early April. Choudhry’s departure triggered a similar shake-up, with his former team moving to the Xbox hardware side. A new Xbox experiences and platforms team was created after Choudhry departed, with a push to improve the Xbox experience across Windows and Xbox consoles.

This latest marketing shake-up also comes around eight months after a big shake-up of Xbox leadership and amid continued changes to Microsoft’s gaming strategy. Microsoft promoted Bond to Xbox president in October, leading all Xbox platform and hardware work. Booty also got promoted to the president of game content and studios, including overseeing Bethesda and ZeniMax studios.

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www.theverge.com

Microsoft shakes up Xbox marketing as key exec departs for Roblox

Jerret West is leaving Xbox at the end of the month.
www.theverge.com www.theverge.com


Jonah Hill Ok GIF
 
Punished Miku

Punished Miku

Human Rights Subscription Service
Gamer_By_Proxy said:
Not Aaron Greenberg? Wait, they keep and promote those that are terrible.
Click to expand...
They just crushed another showcase. That's all marketing.

Sounds like they're just reorganizing stuff for more efficiency so that everyone reports upwards to the correct people.

If I had any opinion about Xbox marketing recently, it's that they don't do enough to make the pitch for GP to truly casual gamers that aren't really aware of how much is there. I could see that being improved.
 
Gamer_By_Proxy

Gamer_By_Proxy

Member
Punished Miku said:
They just crushed another showcase. That's all marketing.

Sounds like they're just reorganizing stuff for more efficiency so that everyone reports upwards to the correct people.

If I had any opinion about Xbox marketing recently, it's that they don't do enough to make the pitch for GP to truly casual gamers that aren't really aware of how much is there. I could see that being improved.
Click to expand...
They aren't even doing physical copies of their games let alone marketing.
Also their Showcase was mostly GCI with snips of gameplay for games they announced 4 years ago and still don't have release dates.
 
ChuckeRearmed

ChuckeRearmed

Member
Looks like a good change with marketing going to Xbox division. Surprised there was a separate head for that who was also responsible for Xbox.
 
nemiroff

nemiroff

Gold Member
I know a guy who works in a company and he recently revealed that a person there quit! Wow. Coincidence..?
 
deriks

deriks

4-Time GIF/Meme God
So this was the man responsible for making the Xbox look like crap, huh?!

Yeah, bye bye
 
StreetsofBeige

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
In Phil's email, he states which company the guy is going to (Roblox).

I find that odd.

I have never seen one employee memo ever about anyone from execs to junior workers ever stating in the memo which company the person is leaving to.
 
tmlDan

tmlDan

Member
Punished Miku said:
They just crushed another showcase. That's all marketing.

Sounds like they're just reorganizing stuff for more efficiency so that everyone reports upwards to the correct people.

If I had any opinion about Xbox marketing recently, it's that they don't do enough to make the pitch for GP to truly casual gamers that aren't really aware of how much is there. I could see that being improved.
Click to expand...
I wouldnt say showcases are marketing, they're more int he comms department working alongside devs.

In terms of promoting upcoming games? they do a terrible job, hence why Hellblade 2 got such scrutiny. Showcases are cool for some, but to get the general public excited is harder to do and something he sucks at.
 
M

mayham2199

Member
Punished Miku said:
If I had any opinion about Xbox marketing recently, it's that they don't do enough to make the pitch for GP to truly casual gamers that aren't really aware of how much is there. I could see that being improved.
Click to expand...

Really? I think it's casual gamers who will be turned off more by GP than anyone. They barely play let a lone beat games. Now they are going to willingly start paying monthly for something they only do casually? While at the same time we have data showing people are sick of sub services across the board. That seems like a waste of money. I think the focus should be to get it on Steam. Gabe claimed publicly that he would work with MS to do it so I think that's what MS needs to work on. Getting it on Steam would really help get their sub numbers up.
 
RoboFu

RoboFu

One of the green rats
I say the more " key " execs leave the better. They haven't been doing anything anyway.
 
Barakov

Barakov

Member
feynoob said:
Would be another Minecraft purchase.

Just like Minecraft, Roblox is that one games kids at all ages play non-stop. So the amount of mtx in that game would insane.
Click to expand...
It seems already pretty obnoxious in Roblox as it is. I can't imagine how bad it's going to be once Microsoft gets its' hands on it.
 
feynoob

feynoob

Banned
Barakov said:
It seems already pretty obnoxious in Roblox as it is. I can't imagine how bad it's going to be once Microsoft gets its' hands on it.
Click to expand...
My little brother spent around 200+ of my money on those roblox gems. All because he learned the password from my sister.
If I didnt see the money early, i would have lost alot.

Kids lack the value of money and roblox is banking on that. Now imagine MS with bethesda/activision tactic.
 
Dacvak

Dacvak

No one shall be brought before our LORD David Bowie without the true and secret knowledge of the Photoshop. For in that time, so shall He appear.
Cool, maybe he can kill Roblox too.
 
Edgelord79

Edgelord79

Gold Member
“Key Xbox executive”
“Chief marketing officer”

Xbox may have the worst marketing department in games. This is a key addition by subtraction.
 
T

T-0800

Member
Punished Miku said:
They just crushed another showcase. That's all marketing.

Sounds like they're just reorganizing stuff for more efficiency so that everyone reports upwards to the correct people.

If I had any opinion about Xbox marketing recently, it's that they don't do enough to make the pitch for GP to truly casual gamers that aren't really aware of how much is there. I could see that being improved.
Click to expand...
I just don't think people care as much as you would think they would. I've explained PS Plus Premium or whatever it's called to some friends and they have zero interest in it.
 
poppabk

poppabk

Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
Who is going to get Cheetos on board for an Xbox/Cheetos branded mini fridge now?
 
Loomy

Loomy

Thinks Microaggressions are Real
Topher said:
Games marketing will now sit inside the game content and studios division that’s led by Matt Booty.
Click to expand...
Where accountability goes to die!

Greenberg reporting to Matt Booty. Containing the rot, at least.
 
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