Xbox Launches 'XP' Division to Expand Film, TV, and Live Experiences

Xbox announces XP, a new division uniting film, TV, consumer products, live events, and partnerships under one leadership to extend Xbox franchises beyond gaming.

Xbox is launching a new division named "XP" to unify and expand its non-gaming experiences, including film and TV adaptations, consumer products, live events, and partnerships with creators and brands. This move centralizes efforts that were previously handled by separate teams within Xbox.

The XP division formalizes four key investment areas: Xbox Pictures, Xbox Products, Xbox Places, and Xbox Partnerships. Xbox Pictures aims to bring game worlds and characters to broader audiences through movies, television, and linear storytelling. Xbox Products focuses on creating authentic merchandise that allows fans to celebrate their favorite franchises. Xbox Places is dedicated to community-building through live events, immersive experiences, attractions, broadcasts, and destinations. Lastly, Xbox Partnerships will collaborate with creators, brands, and communities to develop new experiences, sponsorships, and brand deals.

Kayleen Walters, previously head of Mojang—the creator of Minecraft—will lead the XP division as its president. Maria Angelidou-Smith, formerly Reddit’s chief product officer, will take over as CEO of Mojang and Minecraft starting October 19.

Xbox currently has several adaptations in development, including a sequel to the Minecraft movie, a third season of Prime Video's Fallout live-action series, a Call of Duty film, and a Diablo animated series for Netflix. Xbox chief strategy officer Matthew Ball emphasized that great games remain central to these franchises, with XP aiming to expand how audiences experience them.

This initiative aligns with Xbox CEO Asha Sharma's efforts since February to reshape Xbox’s broader business strategy, which includes long-term franchise planning across film, TV, consumer products, and live experiences. Previous changes under Sharma include significant layoffs, studio sales, and restructuring, such as placing Activision in charge of the Halo franchise.

Notably, Microsoft had a similar effort with Xbox Entertainment Studios launched in 2012 to produce film and TV content from Xbox games but closed it two years later. The new XP division represents a renewed and more integrated approach to building out Xbox’s entertainment ecosystem beyond gaming.