Xbox Game Studios Head Craig Duncan and Chief of Staff Louise O Connor Resign From Leadership Roles as Matt Booty Takes Over First Party Management
Head of Xbox Game Studios Craig Duncan has resigned after more than 18 months at the head of the organization. According to The game business, Duncan will be leaving the company this week, with Xbox Chief Content Officer Matt Booty taking over day to day management of first party development studios until a permanent replacement is found.
Duncan was placed in charge of the division in late 2024 and replaced former studio boss Alan Hartman, tasked with managing the enormous portfolio of big development studios, which includes Halo Studios, The Coalition, Rare, Obsidian, Ninja Theory, Playground Games and Double Fine. He had been part of the Xbox organization since 2011 and spent just under 14 years as manager of the UK developer Rare, during which time he led the studio through the Kinect development cycle and the release of Sea of Thieves.
Along with Duncan, the chief of staff of Xbox Game Studios, Louise O' Connor, will also leave the division. O' Connor had a long history at Rare beginning in 1999 as an animator on the Nintendo 64 title Conker's Bad Fur Day and progressing through a variety of art and production roles before leaving Rare following the cancellation of Everwild in 2025. She moved into her chief of staff role in late 2025.
Prior to his lengthy tenure at Rare and Xbox, Duncan previously served as an executive at many big publishers such as Codemasters, Midway and Sumo Digital, where he played a role in several major racing and action franchises. He also acts as the vice president of charity SpecialEffect, an organization focused on 'levelling the playing field for gamers with physical disabilities'.
The transition of Duncan from the post of first party director comes in the form of an internal message to the staff. In it Duncan spoke of his time as manager of the first party division and the successes his teams have experienced together.
When I stepped into the role of leading XGS 20 months ago, my purpose was to serve our studios, our teams, and the people making our games. Together we set out to deliver high quality games, strengthen the cultural fabric across our studios, and help shape the future of the business. I am proud to say we delivered many launches that drove business success for the company.
Duncan also thanked O' Connor for her service as a trusted and creative partner, who "steadfastly provided clarity and care for the studios throughout her transition from developer to chief of staff". All first party teams will be reporting directly to Matt Booty from now on until a new XGS leader is appointed.
