Helen Chiang, who assumed the position of COO at Xbox just three months ago, has departed from the company

Helen Chiang, who was recently named the first Chief Operating Officer of Xbox, has left the company, having only been in the position for three months. Asha Sharma, who heads Xbox, updated staff via an internal message on October 23, acquired by The Verge, expressing gratitude for Chiang's service.

Sharma mentioned that responsibilities from Chiang’s role will be distributed among current executives until a replacement is determined. "We will provide more updates on the COO leadership once plans are finalized," Sharma noted.

A report from Eurogamer suggested that an insider claimed Chiang’s departure was due to policy infractions, although Eurogamer could not confirm this claim independently.

Xbox’s VP of communications, Kari Perez, declined to comment on individual issues but acknowledged Chiang's contributions: "Her years of service are appreciated, and we wish her well."

Chiang's tenure as COO commenced in July, aligning with Xbox’s announcement of a significant restructuring plan involving the layoff of 3,200 employees and divestment of five studios.

Recently, Microsoft provided voluntary exit options to up to 60,000 workers across the US, UK, Canada, and India, impacting Xbox staff. The workforce adjustments began with a first wave in July, followed by a second in September.

Further staff reductions have been suggested for November and January.

Amy Coleman, Microsoft's EVP chief people officer, remarked, "The Voluntary Exit Offer is vital in evolving our approach to change, fostering more employee agency over their future." Coleman pointed out this strategy is shaped by insights from this year’s Voluntary Retirement Program, which was open to roughly 9,000 U.S.-based employees meeting specific age and service criteria.