Microsoft's Xbox marketing chief to depart for Roblox

FILE PHOTO: Microsoft signage is seen at the company's headquarters in Redmond, Washington, U.S., January 18, 2023. REUTERS/Matt Mills McKnight/File Photo

(Reuters) - Microsoft's marketing chief of Xbox is leaving the company to join gaming platform Roblox as their chief marketing officer as part of a broader marketing shakeup in the console maker, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters on Monday.

Jerret West oversaw the creation and delivery of multiple marketing campaigns, including those of games and consoles, and helped in product expansion such as Xbox's subscription service Game Pass, the memo from Microsoft gaming CEO Phil Spencer said.

West spent eight years at Xbox as a part of its marketing and product division before he left for Netflix to head various marketing teams. He returned to Microsoft in 2019 as Xbox's chief marketing officer.

Earlier this month, Microsoft held its annual Xbox Games Showcase, where it unveiled new all-digital consoles and trailers for games including the new "Call of Duty" title as it looks to spark consumer enthusiasm amid broader spending weakness in the industry.

West's departure comes amid a broader restructuring in Xbox's marketing department, where a central gaming marketing team will be formed and a number of other marketing teams will be moved around.

"Going forward, the Gaming Leadership Team and I have decided to place marketing closer to the businesses they support," Spencer said in the memo.

Microsoft also shut down multiple gaming studios in May, including Arkane Austin and consolidated teams, in a cost cutting move.

(Reporting by Zaheer Kachwala in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona)