March has proven to be a period of significant changes for Microsoft and its Xbox division. Following the news of Phil Spencer’s retirement and Sarah Bond’s dismissal, two more high-ranking executives have announced their departure from the company.
Lori Wright, Corporate Vice President of Gaming Partnerships and Business Development, and Haiyan Zhang, General Manager of Xbox Gaming AI, have both stepped down from their roles.
Wright, who served the company for a decade and reportedly reported directly to Sarah Bond, announced her exit with cryptic remarks about wanting to “enjoy beautiful sunsets and sunrises, discovering what lies between them.”
Zhang, another industry veteran, confirmed her move to Netflix, where she aims to “strengthen their gaming direction.” Responding to sarcastic comments online about “rats leaving a sinking ship,” Zhang emphasized, “Sometimes it’s just about ME and no one else,” adding, “It’s just a new job, dude. People do that.”
Amidst these personnel shifts, Asha Sharma, the new head of Microsoft Gaming, has already begun implementing changes. The “And that’s Xbox too” marketing campaign has been quietly shelved, while the company officially introduced its next-generation console, codenamed Project Helix.