微软 Xbox 正式宣布成立 Xbox XP 部门 统筹电影电视与消费品等业务

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Published Oct 8, 2026, 10:01 AM EDT

Willa Rowe is a contributing writer at Polygon, covering games and entertainment. She is a New York-based journalist and critic whose work has been featured in Kotaku, Digital Trends, the A.V. Club, GamesRadar+, and more. She also co-hosts the Girl Mode podcast.

New Xbox team led by former Lucasfilm and Minecraft boss

Image: Warner Brothers

As part of Microsoft's ongoing "reset" of its gaming division, Xbox has announced the creation of Xbox XP, a new division that will span "film and television, consumer products, strategic partnerships, and live experiences."

The announcement comes on the heels of 2025's A Minecraft Movie, which was a box office smash, and the success of Prime Video's Fallout.

According to the announcement on Xbox Wire from Matthew Ball, chief strategy officer at Xbox, XP will focus on four investment areas. These are as follows:

• Xbox Pictures: Bringing our worlds and characters to new audiences through film, television, and other forms of linear storytelling.
• Xbox Products: Creating products that are authentic to the fandom that allow fans to celebrate and express the franchises they love.
• Xbox Places: Bringing communities together through live events, immersive experiences, attractions, broadcasts, and destinations.
• Xbox Partnerships: Working with creators, brands, and communities to develop new experiences, sponsorships, and brand partnerships.

XP will be led by Kayleen Walters, who previously worked at Lucasfilm and (most recently) served as the president of Minecraft developer Mojang. Her time at Mojang also included serving as executive producer on A Minecraft Movie. Mari Angelidou-Smith, previously of Meta and Reddit, will succeed Walters as the head of Mojang. Both Walters and Angelidou-Smith will report directly to Asha Sharma, CEO of Xbox.

XP, Ball said in an email to Xbox staff, "brings together capabilities that have existed across various teams at XBOX for years and aligns them behind a shared mission: helping our franchises reach more people, create deeper connections with players and new fans, and unlock new opportunities for these fandoms to grow around the world."

"Great games remain at the center of these franchises and at the heart of XBOX," Ball added. "XP will partner with the best creative minds across our studios, along with trusted partners, to build on that foundation and create more ways for people to experience the worlds they love."

This is the latest big announcement from Sharma, who was made CEO earlier this year. Her tenure in the position so far has been defined by an apparent effort to course-correct the company. That has mostly involved numerous rounds of layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations. Xbox also continues to be a priority target of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

What Xbox film and TV projects are in development?

Image: Paramount Plus

While Xbox Pictures is only one of four investment areas in the new XP division, it is certainly the flashiest. Xbox properties have already found success on screen, namely with A Minecraft Movie. Other adaptations have included the short-lived Halo series at Paramount Plus, which does have its fans.

Looking forward, Xbox already has several upcoming adaptations announced. A second Minecraft movie, titled A Minecraft Movie Squared, is currently in development, as is the third season of Amazon Prime's Fallout. There is also a Call of Duty movie in the works from Peter Berg and Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone, Sicario). During this year's BlizzCon, it was announced that a Diablo animated series is happening at Netflix. With the formation of XP, there are sure to be even more adaptations in the future. That could include work from Hideo Kojima, as Xbox's deal that saved espionage game Physint from Sony cancellation teased further collaborations across film and television.

Microsoft previously attempted more aggressive inroads into Hollywood. Back in 2013, ahead of the launch of Xbox One, Microsoft founded Xbox Entertainment Studios in early 2013, with former CBS Television executive Nancy Tellem at the helm. The studios group was established to develop scripted, reality, and interactive programming for Microsoft's Xbox division. Microsoft shuttered Xbox Entertainment Studios the following year.

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