Xbox Exec Is Officially Out After Only Three Months

Published Oct 24, 2026, 3:18 PM EDT Ben Brosofsky has been writing for Screen Rant since 2022 and editing since 2024. He graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor's in Cinema & Media Arts. Writing serves as a much-needed distraction from tackling a backlog of Steam games that will never be surmounted. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Xbox has undergone plenty of radical changes this year, most of them oriented at changing course from decisions made under the company's previous leadership. While some changes have been optimistic, like investing in Hideo Kojima's Physint after PlayStation dropped support for the project, many have resulted in job losses and studio closures. Others are simply divisive, like the decision to pivot away from multi-platform releases and cancel plans for a PlayStation release of Gears of War: E-Day. In a more surprising shake-up, however, one of the most recent additions to Xbox leadership is now departing. In July, Xbox created a new Chief Operating Officer position, but its first occupant didn't last long in the role. According to The Verge, Xbox announced Helen Chiang's departure from the role of COO in an internal memo yesterday. In the memo, CEO Asha Sharma is quoted as saying "Helen Chiang is leaving Microsoft today" and thanking her for her years of service.The memo doesn't clarify the reason for Chiang's departure, which comes after working at Microsoft for over two decades. Sharma also notes that Xbox will "share more on COO leadership as plans are finalized," leaving the future of the role and who might fill it unclear. Responding to a request for comment by The Verge, Xbox vice president of communications Kari Perez declined to comment on specifics and likewise thanked Helen for her years of service. It's not entirely surprising to see another big change at Xbox, as the company hasn't had much internal calm ever since Sharma stepped into the role of CEO. Periods between lay-offs have seemingly been little more than temporary lulls so far, with more employees reportedly set to lose their jobs for this month, November, and January. The coming weeks may also reveal the fate of Arkane Studios, a Microsoft subsidiary that has been undergoing French legal proceedings after Xbox announced its intent to divest from the company. A new report from the French newspaper Le Monde didn't paint a particularly optimistic picture of Arkane's chances at survival, but reliable game journalist Jason Schreier noted on Bluesky that he would "be surprised if the studio is shut down." For the average Xbox fan, Chiang's departure from the role of COO doesn't necessarily convey any clear effect in the way that a studio shutting down does, but it could be more quietly indicative of another pivot in direction or crisis of confidence. Whatever the reason for the transition, it's clear that Xbox isn't simply willing to call it a day and wrap up its restructuring. Hopefully, we'll have some news about who — if anyone — is stepping into the role of COO following Chiang soon. In the meantime, the COO's immediate responsibilities will be distributed between other Xbox leaders, which might temporarily emulate something closer to the leadership structure before the role's creation. If anything's certain in this period of uncertainty, it's that Xbox still has a long road ahead. Xbox Founded November 15, 2001 Owner Microsoft Known For Halo, Forza, Gears of War