Xbox chief product officer Marc Whitten is leaving Microsoft to become chief product officer at wireless speaker company Sonos, Microsoft announced.
Whitten joined the Xbox team in 2000, and helped build Xbox LIVE into the community of 48 million users across 41 countries it is today.
“I have had the extreme pleasure over the last 14 years to work on the greatest product with the greatest team and for the greatest community,” said Whitten. “Xbox is so special because of the amazing team I’ve had the opportunity to work with and because our fans are the most incredible fans on the planet.
“It has been the highlight of my career to work on a product so loved. It’s incredibly tough to leave but I am confident the best days are ahead for Xbox fans, in the capable hands of a very talented team.”
Whitten’s team will now report to Terry Myerson, the executive vice president that oversees teams building the software platform and experiences for Windows, Windows Phone, and Xbox.
“Since the beginning, it’s always been about gamers,” Whitten said in a personal letter. “In my heart, I am a gamer and Xbox has been my family. While today I am announcing my departure from Microsoft, I have the utmost confidence in this amazing team and our products.”
You can find Whitten on Xbox LIVE via the gamertag “notwen.”