Amid reports of closures to Ninja Theory and Compulsion Games, Xbox Game Studios CEO Craig Duncan is stepping down from the role after less than two years

Date:
Tue, 16 Jun 2026 16:43:46 +0000

Description:
Xbox Game Studios CEO Craig Duncan is reportedly stepping down from his position after less than two years in the role.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Xbox Game Studios CEO Craig Duncan and chief of staff Louise O'Connor are stepping down from their roles Their departures come amid reports of mass job cuts at Xbox The news also follows reports of several studio closures, including Ninja Theory,
Compulsion Games, and Double Fine Xbox Game Studios CEO Craig Duncan is reportedly stepping down from his position this week after less than two
years in the role.

That's according to The Game Business , which claims that Duncan's chief of staff, Louise O'Connor, is also leaving the company, less than a year after joining. Duncan accepted the role in 2024 after the previous boss, Alan Hartman, retired, but has been part of Xbox since 2011 and was the head of Microsoft 's Sea of Thieves studio, Rare, for 14 years. Latest Videos From Watch full video here:

His role as CEO meant he oversaw many Xbox-owned studios, such as Rare, as well as Halo Studios, The Coalition, Flight Sim, Turn 10, Playground Games, Obsidian, Ninja Theory, Compulsion Games, The Initiative, Double Fine,
InXile, Undead Labs, and more.

Meanwhile, O'Connor joined Rare in 1999 as an animator of the Nintendo 64
game Conkers Bad Fur Day , but left the studio in 2025 after the cancellation of Everwild , before becoming the chief of staff in September last year. You may like Xbox leaders lay out new priorities for the company's future, and promise 'flexible pricing' and a focus on 'daily active players' by prioritizing 'hardware, content, experience, and services' Sony has shut down Dark Outlaw Games one year after its founding and while it was reportedly 'still in the early stages' of developing its project Former Xbox exec says recent rebrand 'is smarter than it looks'

The pair's departure from Xbox comes after Bloomberg reported that CEO Asha Sharma is considering mass job cuts after she and chief content officer Matt Booty outline a new " Xbox reset ."

The news also follows new reports that Microsoft is shuttering several award-winning studios, including Hellblade developer Ninja Theory, Compulsion Games, the maker of South of Midnight , and Psychonauts studio, Double Fine. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our
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Employees at Ninja Theory, which just announced its new game Senua at the
Xbox Games Showcase 2026, were reportedly told about the closure on June 15 and told The Verge that they're hoping to find a new buyer.

Bloomberg and Kotaku first reported the closures of Compulsion Games and Double Fine, which are in "active negotiations" about spinning off.

Sharma has been CEO for just over 100 days, and in that time has reformed "Microsoft Gaming" back into "Xbox" and reiterated her plan to "return to Xbox" by taking the brand back to its roots.

At the Xbox Games Showcase, Sharma announced that Gears of War: E-Day will be an Xbox console exclusive , along with Clockwork Revolution . Follow
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/gaming/gaming-industry/amid-reports-of-closures-to-n inja-theory-and-compulsion-games-xbox-game-studios-ceo-craig-duncan-is-steppin g-down-from-the-role-after-less-than-two-years


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