Microsoft’s Chief Communications Officer, Frank Shaw, has denied the rumor that Xbox CEO Phil Spencer plans to retire.
Following the report by TheGhostofHope, Microsoft’s Chief Communications Officer, Frank Shaw, took to X (formerly Twitter) to clear the air on the rumor.
In a response to a tweet I made about the initial rumor itself being summed up nicely, Shaw replied: so long as by “summed it up” you mean “made it up.”
I’m not entirely sure if Shaw is disputing the initial rumor itself (which I assume is the case) or that everything in the article is inaccurate. Still, I’ve reached out to Shaw for clarification on the confusing communication (ironically). Should I get a response, I will update the article.
UPDATE – In a statement to The Verge, “Phil is not retiring anytime soon,” says Kari Perez, head of Xbox communications
UPDATE 2 – In an update, Frank Shaw tells me, “It’s not true that Phil is planning to retire. I know you didn’t start the rumor!”
Regardless, the scuttlebutt at Summer Game Fest was that Phil Spencer is going to retire after the next-generation console launch, but as stated in the original article, I cannot corroborate the initial rumor.
As pointed out by several people already, logically it makes sense for Phil to hang up the controller around then anyway, as he’ll be just shy of 60 by the time the next generation comes around.
Today’s rumor marked the end of what has been a bloodbath for Microsoft and its gaming division, Xbox, which saw several Xbox teams and projects shut down, including Rare’s Everwild and the complete closure of The Initiative.
What do you think about the rumor of Phil Spencer retiring? Let us know down below, and join the discussion in the official Insider Gaming forums.
For more Insider Gaming, read about how many people Microsoft is expected to let go in this latest wave of layoffs and what Xbox’s Phil Spencer had to say to his staff about the job cuts. And don’t forget to subscribe to the Insider Gaming newsletter.
Tom Henderson is Insider Gaming's Co-Founder and Editor-In-Chief. When he's not running one of the industry's leading independent video game websites, he's probably playing an FPS like Call of Duty,…
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