Xbox Launches XP Division to Expand Games Beyond Gameplay

Xbox has launched XP, a new division focused on expanding its gaming franchises into film, merchandise, brand partnerships, television, and live experiences. The announcement was made on Oct 8, 2026, by Xbox chief executive officer (CEO), Asha Sharma, and chief strategy officer (CSO), Matthew Ball.

Kayleen Walters will lead the new XP division as its president. Likewise, Maria Angelidou-Smith will take over as CEO of Mojang and Minecraft on Oct 19, 2026.

XP consolidates capabilities previously spread across Xbox teams. The move supports Xbox’s ambition to become the world’s leading entertainment company by creating more ways for audiences to engage with its intellectual properties (IP) beyond gameplay.

Xbox XP’s Four Core Business Areas

XP, a reference to the gaming term “experience points,” will focus on four business areas:

• Xbox Pictures: Television (TV), film, and other forms of linear storytelling based on Xbox franchises.
• Xbox Partnerships: Collaborations with brands, creators, and communities, including sponsorships.
• Xbox Products: Licensed merchandise and consumer products that allow fans to express their connection to games.
• Xbox Places: Live events, attractions, broadcasts, theme parks, and other location-based experiences.

The division will work with Xbox studios and external creative partners. Ball stated that "Great games remain at the center of these franchises and at the heart of XBOX.”

Mojang’s New CEO and Xbox’s Franchise Strategy

Angelidou-Smith joins from Reddit, where she was chief product officer (CPO), after leading product and technology at Personio. During nearly a decade at Meta, she led Facebook Groups, which had more than 1.8B monthly users, alongside work involving creators, events, profiles, search, and monetization.

Sharma said Mojang sought a leader with experience in product development, creator ecosystems, technology, and monetization. Minecraft’s community spans players, educators, content creators, builders, modders, server operators, and businesses. Angelidou-Smith’s priority will be learning from its teams and communities.

Both executives will report to Sharma. XP centralizes Xbox’s efforts to extend its franchises across entertainment while keeping games and their communities at the core of its strategy.

Walters’ Track Record at Lucasfilm and Mojang

Walters spent 13 years at Lucasfilm working across Star Wars films, products, and partnerships.

At Mojang, Minecraft sales grew from 350M to more than 425M copies during her tenure. Its merchandising business entered the global top 20, with more than 250 licensees and multibillion-dollar consumer product operations.

Walters also served as executive producer of A Minecraft Movie, which recorded the biggest opening weekend for a video game adaptation, ranked No. 1 at the U.S. domestic box office, and became a top-five worldwide release in 2025. She is producing the sequel, while Mojang has secured its first theme park placements.