Kudo Tsunoda to lead new Microsoft Studios development teams

Kudo Tsunoda, best known as the creative force behind the Xbox Kinect project (as well as the upcoming Microsoft HoloLens), is taking on a new role at Microsoft Studios, the company announced.

While the Halo, Gears of War, Forza, and Minecraft franchises will continue to report to Xbox boss Phil Spencer, Tsunoda will “lead the vision and experience development” of other Microsoft Studios portfolio investments in the U.S., Europe, and across Microsoft’s global publishing team.

This includes developers like Rare, Lionhead Studios, and Lift London, third-party publishing partners like PlatinumGames (Scalebound), Remedy Entertainment (Quantum Break), and smaller teams like Press Play.

A video interview with Tsunoda published today outlines a few changes at Microsoft Studios, including:

• Black Tusk general manager Hanno Lemke moving to London to be general manager of U.K. studios and Press Play
• Lionhead Studios boss John Needham moving to Redmond to focus on Microsoft HoloLens development
• Big Park general manager Will Mozell to be the general manager of Microsoft Studios Canada
• We’ll hear more about the next Gears of War “soon”

Tsunoda is also now on Twitter @kudotsunoda.

Watch the video below.