Summary
Xbox corporate vice president (CVP) Kareem Choudhry is reportedly leaving Microsoft after spending more than two decades at the company. The departure of Choudhry comes during a period of change within theXboxdivision and uncertainty among fans regarding the future of the console manufacturer.
Ever since the closure of the long-delayed Activision-Blizzard acquisition last year, Xbox has been undergoing some major restructurings as part of a leadership reorganization initiated by Microsoft. Several key figures from Activision, like Bobby Kotick, Lulu-Cheng Meservey, and Mike Ybarra left Microsoft in recent months. Meanwhile, a number of existing Xbox executives, like Sarah Bond and Matt Booty, were promoted into higher positions at the company. This changing of the guard is occurring at a time in which a sentiment of doubt and concern has enveloped the Xbox brand. Most of this stems from the moment when Microsoft officially announced earlier this year that four first-partyXbox exclusives were going multi-platform, bringing into question Microsoft’s commitment to the console market and sparking discussions in regards to Xbox potentially becoming a third-party publisher.
According to a report from Windows Central’sJez Corden, after 26 years of working at Microsoft, April 5th, 2024 is Kareem Choudhry’s last day at the company, making him the latest Xbox executive to make an exit. It appears, though, that his departure has nothing to do with the restructuring efforts going on at Microsoft, and that he is leaving on good terms. Nonetheless, the loss of his talents is sure to be unfortunate for the Xbox team. After all, Choudhry was involved in a number of Xbox’s biggest initiatives over the last decade or so, such as xCloud andbackwards compatibility on the Xbox Series X/S. Most recently, though, Choudhry contributed to Microsoft’s as-of-yet unveiled gaming AI division, helmed by a group referred to as the Xbox Emerging Tech team, or XEmTech.
It was noted in an internal memo sent to Xbox employees that XEmTech would be folded into the wider Xbox hardware division. The decision to place the Xbox Emerging Tech Team under the console hardware organization was made in an effort to “accelerate innovation” in the field of artificial intelligence, with things like Microsoft’s own AI upscaling solution and arumored Xbox chatbot in developmentbeing key examples of these efforts.
Even More Shakeups Within Xbox
With the constant corporate restructuring and the departure of an esteemed executive like Kareem Choudhry, Xbox appears to be undergoing some turbulent times at the moment. However, there are some bright spots, especially for Game Pass, which has only recently begun receiving Activision-Blizzard games, starting withDiablo 4. Rumors of a dedicated Xbox handheld, meanwhile, also appear to become more legitimate by the day. Some analysts, meanwhile, are making bright predictions aboutthe success of Game Passin the long term. At the very least, though, hopefully these changes in leadership will result in improved satisfaction of Xbox customers in the long-term because, at the moment, morale in the Xbox community is not very high.
Microsoft Xbox Series X
The Xbox Series X boasts the fastest CPU and GPU configuration currently available for a current-generation console while offering 1TB of fast SSD storage for users out of the box.It comes with an Xbox Series S|X controller, a power cord, and documentation along with a trial for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate in the box.
Microsoft Xbox Series X|S Wireless Controller
It’s not exactly surprising that Microsoft has one of the best controllers on the market for their own system, even if it is a little basic. It has all of the functions a gamer needs from the quick share button to the hybrid d-pad to the 3.5mm jack for wired headsets. The life of the controller can last as long as 60 hours on just two AA batteries, or players can simply plug in the controller with a USB-C cord to keep playing while the batteries are charging.This controller offers a smooth grip, lightly textured joysticks, and a comfortably balanced weight that rests easily between hands. The mechanisms of the controller are similarly well-made and don’t often require maintenance or have drift issues as long as it’s kept clean.
