Xbox COO Helen Chiang leaves Microsoft after 21 years

Helen Chiang, the first-ever Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Xbox, has left Microsoft after a 21-year tenure with the company. Her departure comes just three months after she was promoted to the newly created role in July 2026.

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma announced the exit in a brief internal memo, stating, “Helen Chiang is leaving Microsoft today. I’m grateful for her years of service and I wish her luck.” While the specific reasons for her departure remain unconfirmed by Microsoft, reports from Eurogamer suggest a source claimed she was terminated due to policy violations, though this has not been independently verified. Microsoft and Xbox spokespeople declined to discuss individual personnel matters.

Chiang previously held significant leadership roles within the company, including heading the Minecraft franchise and overseeing Mojang. The COO position was established as part of a major Xbox restructuring intended to unify content, hardware, platforms, and services under a single operating model. Her immediate responsibilities will be distributed among other Xbox executives until a permanent leadership plan is finalized.