XBOX Game Studios boss Craig Duncan has announced that he will be stepping down this week after being in the role for 20 months.
According to a report from The Game Business, in addition to the departure of the boss, Chief of Staff Louise O’Connor will also be leaving Xbox Game Studios. Following Duncan’s exit, Xbox Chief Strategy Officer Matt Booty will oversee the department while the company searches for a replacement for the position.
Duncan was responsible for overseeing several development studios, including Halo Studios, The Coalition, Flight Sim, Turn 10, Playground Games, Rare, Obsidian, Ninja Theory, Compulsion Games, The Initiative, Double Fine, InXile, Undead Labs, World’s Edge, and XGS Publishing. He has been with the company since 2011, spending the majority of his time leading Rare.
Louise O’Connor, on the other hand, has been a part of Rare since 1999 and stayed with the company until Everwild was canceled in 2025. O’Connor became the Chief of Staff at XBOX Game Studios in September 2025. Here’s what Craig Duncan stated about his work at XBOX Game Studios and about O’Connor:
“When I stepped into the role of leading XGS 20 months ago, my purpose was to serve our studios, our teams, and the people making our games. Together, we set out to deliver high-quality games, strengthen the cultural fabric across our studios, and help shape the future of the business. I’m proud to say we delivered many flawless launches that drove business success for the company.”
“Louise has been a thoughtful, creative, and trusted partner who has consistently championed the craft and supported our studios with clarity and care. I’m grateful for everything she’s brought to XGS, and I’m sure she’ll be successful in whatever comes next for her.”
In other news, a new ‘buy now, pay later’ option has been spotted on the XBOX backend, hinting that such a feature could arrive soon. Additionally, a new report states that Microsoft loses hundreds of dollars per XBOX Series X/S console sold. Here are more details. What are your thoughts on XBOX Game Studios boss leaving his role after 20 months? Leave your thoughts down in the comments, and join the official Insider Gaming Discord server.
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