--- title: "Helen Chiang Is Leaving Microsoft, Xbox's First COO Out After 21 Years" description: "An internal Xbox memo seen by The Verge says the company's first-ever chief operating officer is gone, and the exit lands in the middle of layoffs and…" url: https://gaming.skoop.news/xboxs-chief-operating-officer-out-three-months-after-roles-c-fd6307/ published: 2026-10-25T07:38:21.566616-04:00 modified: 2026-10-25T07:38:21.566630-04:00 section: "Gaming & Streamers" publisher: "skoop.news" language: en keywords: ["Xbox", "Arkane Lyon", "Xbox CEO Asha Sharma", "Helen Chiang", "Kari Perez", "Phil Spencer", "Sarah Bond", "COO", "Blade", "Marvel"] hashtags: ["#ArkaneLyon", "#XboxCEOAshaSharma", "#HelenChiang", "#gaming", "#gamingclips"] image: https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/Microsoft_Atlanta.jpg/1280px-Microsoft_Atlanta.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail --- # Helen Chiang Is Leaving Microsoft, Xbox's First COO Out After 21 Years > An internal Xbox memo seen by The Verge says the company's first-ever chief operating officer is gone, and the exit lands in the middle of layoffs and studio divestments. Published 2026-10-25 · Updated 2026-10-25 · Gaming & Streamers, [skoop.news](https://skoop.news/) ## In brief - Helen Chiang, Xbox's first-ever chief operating officer, is leaving Microsoft, according to an internal Xbox memo seen by The Verge. [[1]](https://www.theverge.com/news/1018037/xbox-chief-operating-officer-helen-chiang-departure) [[2]](https://www.ign.com/articles/xboxs-first-ever-chief-operating-officer-leaves-role-just-three-months-after-it-was-created) - Xbox CEO Asha Sharma wrote in the memo that Chiang is departing and wished her well. [[3]](https://kotaku.com/xboxs-chief-operating-officer-out-three-months-after-roles-creation-2000749324) - Chiang was reassigned to chief operating officer in July. [[3]](https://kotaku.com/xboxs-chief-operating-officer-out-three-months-after-roles-creation-2000749324) ## Xbox's first COO is out Helen Chiang, Xbox's first-ever chief operating officer, is leaving Microsoft, according to an internal Xbox memo seen by The Verge. [[1]](https://www.theverge.com/news/1018037/xbox-chief-operating-officer-helen-chiang-departure) [[2]](https://www.ign.com/articles/xboxs-first-ever-chief-operating-officer-leaves-role-just-three-months-after-it-was-created) The role was created only about three months before her departure, and she is no longer in it. [[2]](https://www.ign.com/articles/xboxs-first-ever-chief-operating-officer-leaves-role-just-three-months-after-it-was-created) [[3]](https://kotaku.com/xboxs-chief-operating-officer-out-three-months-after-roles-creation-2000749324) If you follow Xbox leadership, this is another change at the top of a division that has had several. Chiang had been with Xbox for 21 years. [[2]](https://www.ign.com/articles/xboxs-first-ever-chief-operating-officer-leaves-role-just-three-months-after-it-was-created) ## What the memo and Xbox say Xbox CEO Asha Sharma wrote in the memo that Chiang is departing and wished her well. [[3]](https://kotaku.com/xboxs-chief-operating-officer-out-three-months-after-roles-creation-2000749324) Xbox vice president of communications Kari Perez said the company is grateful for Chiang's service and wishes her well. [[1]](https://www.theverge.com/news/1018037/xbox-chief-operating-officer-helen-chiang-departure) The reason for Chiang's departure has not been disclosed. [[3]](https://kotaku.com/xboxs-chief-operating-officer-out-three-months-after-roles-creation-2000749324) Xbox declined to discuss individual personnel matters when asked about her exit. [[4]](https://www.gematsu.com/2026/10/xbox-chief-operating-officer-helen-chiang-steps-down-after-three-months) The Verge reports that the sudden memo and the reassignment of Chiang's responsibilities make it seem like her exit was not a resignation. [[1]](https://www.theverge.com/news/1018037/xbox-chief-operating-officer-helen-chiang-departure) ## What the COO job covered Chiang was reassigned to chief operating officer in July. [[3]](https://kotaku.com/xboxs-chief-operating-officer-out-three-months-after-roles-creation-2000749324) The role carried end-to-end P&L responsibility across content, hardware, platform, and services, and Chiang reported directly to Sharma. [[2]](https://www.ign.com/articles/xboxs-first-ever-chief-operating-officer-leaves-role-just-three-months-after-it-was-created) Sharma said the COO role was needed to work toward a shared goal and make tradeoffs as Xbox's headcount grew and the company became more fragmented. [[2]](https://www.ign.com/articles/xboxs-first-ever-chief-operating-officer-leaves-role-just-three-months-after-it-was-created) For now, Chiang's immediate responsibilities will be divided among other Xbox leaders until a permanent leadership plan for the role is finalized. [[4]](https://www.gematsu.com/2026/10/xbox-chief-operating-officer-helen-chiang-steps-down-after-three-months) Sharma said Xbox will share more on COO leadership as plans are finalized. [[2]](https://www.ign.com/articles/xboxs-first-ever-chief-operating-officer-leaves-role-just-three-months-after-it-was-created) ## Who Chiang is at Xbox Before becoming COO, Chiang was head of Mojang and a corporate vice president of Microsoft. [[3]](https://kotaku.com/xboxs-chief-operating-officer-out-three-months-after-roles-creation-2000749324) She was also part of the team that ushered in Xbox Live and XBLA. [[3]](https://kotaku.com/xboxs-chief-operating-officer-out-three-months-after-roles-creation-2000749324) ## The restructuring around her exit Xbox is reported to be preparing more layoffs in November and January. [[1]](https://www.theverge.com/news/1018037/xbox-chief-operating-officer-helen-chiang-departure) The division is expected to see 3,200 total employees lose their jobs this year. [[2]](https://www.ign.com/articles/xboxs-first-ever-chief-operating-officer-leaves-role-just-three-months-after-it-was-created) Several Xbox studios have been divested as a result of the restructuring. [[2]](https://www.ign.com/articles/xboxs-first-ever-chief-operating-officer-leaves-role-just-three-months-after-it-was-created) Arkane Lyon, which is working on Marvel's Blade, faces closure as soon as mid-November if a buyer is not found. [[2]](https://www.ign.com/articles/xboxs-first-ever-chief-operating-officer-leaves-role-just-three-months-after-it-was-created) Leadership was already in flux. Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond vacated their Xbox posts before Sharma took hers in February. [[3]](https://kotaku.com/xboxs-chief-operating-officer-out-three-months-after-roles-creation-2000749324) During her short tenure, Sharma announced a new Xbox console. [[3]](https://kotaku.com/xboxs-chief-operating-officer-out-three-months-after-roles-creation-2000749324) ## What it means for you If you play or follow Xbox games, the near-term items to watch are the reported layoffs in November and January. [[1]](https://www.theverge.com/news/1018037/xbox-chief-operating-officer-helen-chiang-departure) Arkane Lyon, the studio working on Marvel's Blade, faces closure as soon as mid-November if a buyer is not found. [[2]](https://www.ign.com/articles/xboxs-first-ever-chief-operating-officer-leaves-role-just-three-months-after-it-was-created) On leadership, Xbox has said it will share more on COO leadership as plans are finalized. [[2]](https://www.ign.com/articles/xboxs-first-ever-chief-operating-officer-leaves-role-just-three-months-after-it-was-created) Until then, Chiang's immediate responsibilities are split among other Xbox leaders. [[4]](https://www.gematsu.com/2026/10/xbox-chief-operating-officer-helen-chiang-steps-down-after-three-months) The Xbox news arrives in a rough week for the industry. EA announced the closure of BioWare the same week as Chiang's departure. [[2]](https://www.ign.com/articles/xboxs-first-ever-chief-operating-officer-leaves-role-just-three-months-after-it-was-created) ## Sources 1. [Xbox’s first chief operating officer is out after just a few months](https://www.theverge.com/news/1018037/xbox-chief-operating-officer-helen-chiang-departure) — The Verge 2. [Xbox's First-Ever Chief Operating Officer Leaves Role Just Three Months After It Was Created](https://www.ign.com/articles/xboxs-first-ever-chief-operating-officer-leaves-role-just-three-months-after-it-was-created) — IGN 3. [Xbox’s Chief Operating Officer Out Three Months After Role’s Creation](https://kotaku.com/xboxs-chief-operating-officer-out-three-months-after-roles-creation-2000749324) — Kotaku 4. [Xbox chief operating officer Helen Chiang steps down after three months](https://www.gematsu.com/2026/10/xbox-chief-operating-officer-helen-chiang-steps-down-after-three-months) — Gematsu Image: Photo: Tyler Lahti / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Microsoft_Atlanta.jpg) --- Written from the sources above and checked twice (rules and an independent model) before publishing. How we work: https://skoop.news/how-we-work/ · Corrections: https://skoop.news/corrections/