This morning, Xbox announced that it will form a brand new division within its organization called “XP,” which will focus on reaching fans “beyond gameplay through film and television adaptations, consumer products, partnerships, and live experiences.”
Per the announcement, XP “formalizes” four of Xbox’s investment areas:
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XBOX PICTURES: Bringing our worlds and characters to new audiences through film, television, and other forms of linear storytelling.
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XBOX PRODUCTS: Creating products that are authentic to the fandom that allow fans to celebrate and express the franchises they love.
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XBOX PLACES: Bringing communities together through live events, immersive experiences, attractions, broadcasts, and destinations.
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XBOX PARTNERSHIPS: Working with creators, brands, and communities to develop new experiences, sponsorships, and brand partnerships.
At the top of this new division will be Kayleen Walters, who is currently the president of Mojang. Walters has been with Microsoft for eight years, working on Minecraft the entire time, including as executive producer on A Minecraft Movie. Prior to that, she worked in marketing at Lucasfilm, eventually becoming the VP of franchise marketing and integrated planning. She has also worked at MGM and Universal.
Replacing Walters as head of Mojang is Maria Angelidou-Smith, former chief product officer at Reddit. Both Angelidou-Smith and Walters will report to Xbox head Asha Sharma.
This new division will oversee projects including the upcoming sequel to A Minecraft Movie, Minecraft Squared, as well as the Fallout TV series, the upcoming Call of Duty film, and the Diablo animated series. It will also collaborate with Kojima on Physint, an action-adventure stealth game intended to blend video game elements with film, TV, and music, which Sony dropped earlier this year and which was picked up by Xbox. And it will also be in charge of live events including BlizzCon, Minecraft Live, and other partnerships such as theme parks or outside brands.