Xbox creates XP division for film, products and live experiences

Xbox chief strategy officer Matthew Ball said games will remain at the center of the company's franchises. The stated goal is to give those franchises more ways to reach existing players and new audiences.

XP arrives with several Xbox properties already moving across screens. The Verge reports that projects in development include a sequel to A Minecraft Movie, a third season of Prime Video's Fallout, a Call of Duty film, and a Diablo animated series for Netflix. Those projects predate the new division; XP centralizes the broader work around them and future efforts.

Walters's move also triggers a leadership change at Mojang. Maria Angelidou-Smith, previously Reddit's chief product officer, will become CEO of Mojang and Minecraft on October 19, according to The Verge.

Xbox is pitching XP as part of its ambition to become the world's top entertainment company. For now, the concrete change is organizational: Pictures, Products, Places, and Partnerships will report through one division while Xbox's studios continue building the games those efforts are meant to extend.