Microsoft has seen further departures from its Xbox leadership, with corporate vice president Lori Wright and gaming AI general manager Haiyan Zhang both leaving after over a decade each. Zhang is joining Netflix's gaming team. These exits follow Xbox CEO Phil Spencer's recent retirement and other high-level changes announced last month.
Lori Wright, corporate vice president of partnerships, business development, and marketing, announced her departure after a decade at Microsoft and Xbox. In her LinkedIn post, she expressed gratitude to colleagues and partners but shared no specific future plans, stating: 'As for what comes next, I'm hoping for a lot of beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and discovering what lies in the space in between.'
Haiyan Zhang, general manager of gaming AI at Xbox, reflected on her time at Microsoft in a LinkedIn post, describing her move as 'stepping into the next phase of [her] career' on a 'new adventure beyond Microsoft.' She confirmed joining Netflix's gaming team. When questioned by The Verge's Tom Warren on X/Twitter, she replied casually: 'It's just a new job, dude. Apparently [people] do that :)'. Addressing a comment comparing her exit to 'rats leaving a ship,' she quipped: 'sometimes it's just all about ME and nobody else.' Zhang praised Microsoft's culture of 'curiosity, acceptance, and inclusion' and hoped to carry it forward.
These departures build on recent Xbox leadership transitions, including Phil Spencer's retirement after nearly 40 years, Sarah Bond's resignation, and Asha Sharma's appointment as gaming CEO. Microsoft recently detailed its next-generation console, Project Helix, set to lead in performance and support both PC and Xbox games, as shared by Sharma. Late last year, CEO Satya Nadella highlighted Steam as a key competitor.
