Xbox has introduced a brand new TV, films, and leisure division referred to as XP. It will likely be headed up by Kayleen Walters, a Lucasfilm veteran who strikes over from her most up-to-date put up as president of Minecraft maker Mojang, the place she additionally served as an govt producer on final yr’s A Minecraft Film.
XP brings collectively 4 “areas of funding”: Xbox Footage; Xbox Merchandise; Xbox Partnerships; and Xbox Locations. Microsoft mentioned XP was set as much as assist Xbox turn into the primary leisure and gaming firm on this planet, which requires broadening its huge franchises past video video games themselves. However it’s not a manufacturing firm. Fairly, Microsoft needs to seek out the correct companions to work throughout movie, TV, bodily experiences, and client merchandise.
Microsoft has already seen vital success within the film and TV house, with Warner Bros.’ A Minecraft Film breaking field workplace data, and Amazon’s Fallout TV present setting data for Prime Video. Upcoming Xbox variations embrace film sequel Minecraft Squared, Fallout Season 3, a Name of Responsibility film with Peter Berg and Taylor Sheridan, and a Diablo animated sequence with Netflix. Microsoft’s deal for Hideo Kojima’s Metallic Gear Stable religious successor Physint contains movie and TV rights, so anticipate an adaptation of that finally.
XP can also be about reside occasions, and once more, Xbox already has success there. Blizzard’s BlizzCon noticed a variety of vital bulletins, with 35,000 folks on the bodily occasion in Anaheim, California, and 12.5 million watching at dwelling. The latest Minecraft Reside, which noticed the announcement of the primary new dimension for Minecraft in 14 years, reached greater than 144 million folks.
In the meantime, Microsoft cited partnerships equivalent to Gears of Warfare’s takeover with WWE, and Xbox’s vary of Ikea furnishings. A Minecraft theme park is ready to open its gates subsequent yr.
“XP was created from a easy however highly effective perception: the world’s most beloved gaming franchises have a chance to succeed in folks far past the boundaries of the sport itself,” Walters mentioned. “Followers do not simply play our franchises. They watch them, put on them, attend them, have fun them, and join with them in numerous methods. XP brings collectively the groups chargeable for serving to Xbox franchises present up on this planet in larger, extra significant methods.”
“XP is a play on ‘Expertise Factors’ and formalizes 4 funding areas for us: Xbox Footage for movie and tv variations; Xbox Merchandise for licensing and merchandise; Xbox Partnerships for sponsors and model companions; and Xbox Locations for our marquee broadcast and in-person occasions, theme parks, and different location-based experiences,” Xbox CEO Asha Sharma wrote in a company-wide memo additionally posted to Xbox Wire.
“Our franchises can imply extra to folks than the time they spend enjoying them, and Kayleen is aware of easy methods to construct these experiences with the business with out shedding what made folks care concerning the franchise within the first place.”
Microsoft famous the uplift its video video games can get when films and exhibits do effectively. For instance, Fallout video games on Recreation Move noticed a 5x enhance in hours performed throughout Fallout Season 1. Minecraft, in the meantime, noticed over a 75% enhance in weekly energetic customers year-over-year because the film launched (as of April 30, 2026).
If this sounds a bit acquainted, it is as a result of Microsoft has tried this earlier than. In 2012 (again within the Xbox 360 period!), Microsoft introduced Xbox Leisure Studios with an purpose to provide TV exhibits that might air immediately on Xbox consoles. XES revealed plans to create exhibits primarily based on Gears of Warfare, Fable, Forza, and State of Decay — to not point out, in fact, the unique model of the Halo TV present introduced at E3 by Stephen Spielberg, who was set to govt produce. They even deliberate to make an unscripted street-soccer drama referred to as Each Avenue United. All the XES effort lasted simply two years earlier than getting shut down because the Xbox One’s “multi functional” message didn’t resonate with avid gamers following its reveal in 2013.
As a part of the modifications, Mojang has a brand new boss. Maria Angelidou-Smith, who joins Xbox as CEO of Mojang, spent almost a decade at Meta engaged on Fb Teams earlier than stints at Personio and Reddit, the place she was Chief Product Officer. “She has constructed merchandise utilized by billions of individuals and led product and engineering organizations via vital progress and alter,” Sharma mentioned.
“She is going to carry that have to Mojang whereas studying from the individuals who know Minecraft greatest. Her first order of enterprise is for her to study from the groups and communities that make Minecraft so particular.”
Minecraft is, in fact, one of many huge Xbox franchises the corporate is doubling down on amid Sharma’s ongoing “Reset,” which has seen almost 2,000 workers lower from the gaming enterprise thus far this monetary yr. Minecraft is the best-selling online game of all time, having shifted over 425 million copies. Its vital merchandising enterprise turned one of many high 20 globally.
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s govt editor of previews and host of IGN’s weekly Xbox present, Podcast Unlocked, and a co-host of Subsequent-Gen Console Watch. He is a North Jersey man, so it is “Taylor ham,” not “pork roll.” Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.
