In the gaming industry, there are many “familiar faces” that gamers have relied on over the years to deliver big news and announcements. While they aren’t “celebrities” in the traditional sense, gamers have come to respect many of these names for various reasons. Whether they’re company Presidents, the lead developers of well-known studios or franchises, or creators who helped shape the industry, their words carry weight for better or worse. On the Microsoft side of things, they’ve just been dealt a loss in the form of Major Nelson, who has revealed that he’s stepping away after over 20 years with the company.
The surprising reveal came via Twitter, where he noted that he wanted to focus on the “next chapter” of his life:
“After 20 incredible years,” he said, “I have decided to take a step back and work on the next chapter of my career. As I take a moment and think about all we have done together. I want to thank the millions of gamers around the world who have included me as part of their lives. Also, thanks to Xbox team members for trusting me to have a direct dialogue with our customers. The future is bright for Xbox and as a gamer, I am excited to see the evolution.”
It’s ironic that he’s choosing to leave now for many reasons. After all, Microsoft just won a major victory against the FTC by having the courts agree that it’s fair and legal for them to merge with Activision Blizzard. Phil Spencer has been boasting over the last several months that the Xbox brand is growing like never before and that big things are on the horizon.
But perhaps that is why he felt the need to step away. Perhaps he knew things were looking up, and the brand and company could go on without him.
If you’re not familiar with the career of Major Nelson, he didn’t start in gaming. He was the head of MSN Music before joining the Xbox division in 2001. He was the Senior Product Manager responsible for many parts of Xbox Live, including how gamers used it. His insight also led to the Achievements system and being able to do party chats.
The name “Major Nelson” was a reference to his gamer tag, and he used that to keep the Xbox fanbase informed on many things over the years.
Many have already paid tribute to him, and Xbox supporters will definitely miss him.
