Helen Chiang, Xbox’s first chief operating officer, left Microsoft on October 23, 2026, just three months after taking the newly created position. Her departure ends a 21-year career at Microsoft and comes during a major restructuring of the Xbox business under CEO Asha Sharma.
The departure was announced in an internal memo from Sharma obtained by The Verge. The brief message confirmed that Chiang was leaving Microsoft but did not explain the circumstances surrounding her exit.
“Helen Chiang is leaving Microsoft today. I’m grateful for her years of service and wish her well,” Sharma wrote in the October 23 memo.
Chiang’s responsibilities are being temporarily distributed among other Xbox executives. Sharma said further details about the company’s chief operating officer leadership would be shared once plans are finalized. Microsoft has not announced a permanent replacement.
Chiang was appointed Xbox COO on July 6 as part of Sharma’s company-wide restructuring initiative, described internally as “Resetting XBOX.” The newly established position gave Chiang responsibility for profit and loss across Xbox’s content, hardware, platform and services businesses.
The appointment was intended to bring those divisions under a unified operating structure. Chiang reported directly to Sharma and was responsible for coordinating investment decisions, improving operational accountability and overseeing business performance.
Her departure leaves those responsibilities divided among existing executives at a time when Microsoft is making significant changes to its gaming operations.
Chiang joined Microsoft in 2005 and moved into Xbox-related roles in 2007. During her career, she contributed to Xbox Live before moving into leadership positions at Mojang, the studio behind Minecraft. She later became corporate vice president of the Minecraft franchise in 2020.
Her experience across Xbox’s online services and one of Microsoft’s largest gaming franchises made her a significant appointment when the COO position was introduced.
The leadership change follows a broader restructuring announced by Sharma in July. Microsoft outlined plans to eliminate approximately 3,200 positions throughout fiscal year 2027, including around 1,600 initial job cuts, while moving several development studios to new management.
The restructuring has also involved further reported layoffs and studio consolidation, with Microsoft seeking to reduce operating costs and simplify decision-making across its gaming divisions.
At the same time, Xbox is pursuing a revised hardware strategy. Sharma has outlined plans for Project Helix as a family of next-generation Xbox devices, including a flagship console and hardware designed for gaming on the go.
These initiatives fall within business areas previously covered by Chiang’s COO responsibilities, although Microsoft has not indicated that her departure will affect their development or release plans.
Questions also remain about the circumstances of Chiang’s exit. Xbox vice president of communications Kari Perez declined to provide an explanation when contacted by The Verge.
“We don’t discuss individual personnel matters. We’re grateful for Helen’s years of service and wish her well,” Perez said.
Separately, Eurogamer reported that a source familiar with the situation alleged Chiang had been terminated for policy violations. The outlet could not independently corroborate the allegation, and Microsoft has not confirmed it. The reason for her departure therefore remains unverified.
Chiang’s exit comes only months after Xbox introduced the COO position as a central part of its revised management structure. Microsoft has not identified which executives have assumed her individual responsibilities or provided a timeline for announcing permanent COO leadership.
There have been no announced changes to Xbox Game Pass, console availability, upcoming game releases or existing Xbox services directly attributed to her departure.
