Xbox's first COO Helen Chiang exits after three months in role

Xbox's first chief operating officer, Helen Chiang, has left Microsoft after just three months in the role, according to an internal memo dated October 23 obtained by The Verge.

The memo, circulated by Xbox head Asha Sharma, carried a brief acknowledgment: "I'm grateful for her years of service and wish her well." Sharma added that Chiang's responsibilities will be divided among other Xbox executives until a successor is named, writing: "We'll share more on COO leadership as plans are finalised."

Eurogamer, citing a source, alleged that Chiang was "terminated for policy violations," though the outlet stated it has not been able to independently verify the claim. Xbox vice president of communications Kari Perez declined to address the allegation directly. "We don't discuss individual personal matters," Perez said. "We're grateful for Helen's years of service and wish her well."

What does the exit change for Xbox operations?

Chiang took the COO post in July, the same month Xbox announced layoffs affecting 3,200 employees and the divestiture of five studios as part of a broader corporate restructuring. Sharma had previously described the scope of the position in unusually broad terms: the COO carried "end-to-end P&L responsibility across content, hardware, and services" — in plain words, full profit-and-loss accountability for the division's entire business.

That concentration of operational authority now sits without a permanent owner. An interim split of duties among existing executives means content, hardware and services leadership each carry additional oversight until Microsoft finalizes a succession plan. The company has not named candidates or set a timeline.

How does the exit fit the wider restructuring?

The departure lands amid an active wave of workforce reductions at Xbox. The restructuring has cut 3,200 staff to date, with a first round in July and a second in September. Additional layoffs are reportedly planned for November and January.

Earlier this week, Microsoft offered voluntary exit packages to up to 60,000 employees across the US, UK, Canada and India, a population that includes Xbox staff. Microsoft EVP and chief people officer Amy Coleman framed the program as a structural shift rather than a one-off measure. "The Voluntary Exit Offer reflects an important part of how we're evolving our approach to change: creating greater flexibility and, where possible, more ways for employees to shape their next chapter," Coleman said.

Coleman noted the offer builds on the Voluntary Retirement Program run earlier this year, which was limited to roughly 9,000 US employees whose combined age and years of service totaled at least 70.

For Xbox teams, the immediate operational reality is continuity under interim management while restructuring continues around them. The division has now lost its newly appointed operations chief, absorbed two rounds of layoffs within three months, and faces further cuts scheduled through January.

The unresolved question is succession: watch for Microsoft to name a permanent COO — or restructure the role entirely — before the reported November and January layoff rounds begin.