Larry ‘Major Nelson’ Hryb has announced online that he’s leaving Microsoft (and by association, Xbox) after more than 22 years in the company. He has been a readily recognisable presence within Xbox for the longest time, with his career in the division starting way back in 2003, following a stint working on Microsoft’s MSN Music product.
In 2012, Hryb was made Senior Director of Communications following years of innovation and valuable contributions to some of the biggest leaps in Xbox features, such as Achievements. He has been a tireless force within the Xbox community for more than two decades, but now, it’s time to move on.
What Comes Next For Nelson?
‘Major Nelson’ revealed that he’s going to spend some time with his family before figuring out what comes next for his career. As the news dropped, tributes poured in from across the industry, with figureheads from within Xbox and across the business at large showing their appreciation for Hryb’s hard work and dedication to the industry itself for such a long period of time.
Major Nelson’s podcast – which has run almost as long as his career within Microsoft – will be going on a short hiatus over the summer, but will burst back onto the scene thereafter with ‘a new format’.
For now, I wish Hyrb the best of luck with whatever comes next. Given my age and when I got started with Xbox as a platform, I can honestly say that I can’t remember a time when I didn’t know the game ‘Major Nelson’ in gaming.
For more Insider Gaming news, check out our coverage of the haptic suit being made available for Assassin’s Creed Mirage
