MarcWhitten 18 Mar

Chief Product Officer of Xbox, Marc Whitten, is leaving Microsoft to join Sonos as its Chief Product Officer.

The news was announced today on Microsoft’s Xbox Wire. “I have had the extreme pleasure over the last 14 years to work on the greatest product with the greatest team and for the greatest community,” Whitten said. “Xbox is so special because of the amazing team I’ve had the opportunity to work with and because our fans are the most incredible fans on the planet. It has been the highlight of my career to work on a product so loved. It’s incredibly tough to leave but I am confident the best days are ahead for Xbox fans, in the capable hands of a very talented team.”

Whitten has helped launch the original Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox One since joining the Xbox team in 2000, and also helped build up Xbox Live. The remainder of the Xbox leadership will remain intact following his departure, however they will now report to executive vice president Terry Myerson. “I look forward to working with Yusuf, Phil [Spencer] and the rest of the team to find a great replacement,” Myerson said, in part.

“Marc played a pivotal role in building the Xbox business over the last 14 years and has been a great partner for me personally,” said Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President of Strategy and Marketing, “Marc has built a very strong and passionate team that has delivered innovative technology for game and entertainment fans. Our fans will continue to inspire us to do great work on their behalf.”

(via Gamespot)