Microsoft announced several changes to the leadership group in its Xbox and gaming division just a few weeks after the record deal with Activision Blizzard closed.
Matt Booty the previous head of Microsoft Studios has been named President of Game Content and Studios.
Sarah Bond has been promoted to head Xbox President overseeing the platform and hardware for the game system.
Both will report to Phil Spencer who remains CEO of the entire Microsoft Games division.
It is unclear how the changes will immediately affect the gaming division subsidiaries, many of whom have maintained some autonomy after Microsoft acquired them.
Prior to the acquisition of Activision Blizzard for a record $69 billion, Microsoft purchased 21 other video game companies since 1997 to seed its Xbox platform.
Some of the previous large mergers include ZeniMax Media in 2020 for $8 billion, and Mojang Studios acquired in 2014 for $2.5 billion.
Zenimax is a holding company that rolls up several smaller studios including Bethesda (makers of Fallout and Elder Scrolls) and iD Software (makers of Doom and Quake)
Zenimax has functioned semi-autonomously from Microsoft since 2020 led by President/CEO Jamie Leder.
As part of the new announcement, Leder will report to Matt Booty instead of directly to Phil Spencer.
Booty is seen as a rising star in the Microsoft Gaming world and this promotion is seen as a reward for his involvement in the Activision Blizzard merger.
These changes set the stage for the transition of Activision Blizzard once CEO Bobby Kotick steps down at the end of the year.
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