Microsoft expands Xbox’s movie, TV ambitions with new division

Skip to Content News Archives Economy Defence Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Defence Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Defence Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.HomeInnovationRetail & MarketingMicrosoft expands Xbox’s movie, TV ambitions with new divisionXP will grow Xbox’s footprint in film, TV, products, events and theme parksAuthor of the article:A visitor walks past a logo of Microsoft during the opening of the Hannover Messe industrial trade fair for mechanical and electrical engineering and digital industries, on March 31, 2025 in Hanover, northern Germany. Photo by RONNY HARTMANN/AFP via Getty ImagesMicrosoft Corp.’s Xbox unit is formalizing its film and TV foray with a new division focused on expanding the video-game giant’s franchises into other media.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountThe entertainment division called XP will grow Xbox’s footprint in film, TV, products, events and theme parks, Microsoft said Thursday in a statement. “Fans don’t just play our franchises. They watch them, wear them, attend them, celebrate them, and connect with them in countless ways,” Kayleen Waters, the group’s new president, wrote in an email to her new team, Microsoft said.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Waters, who was president of Microsoft’s Minecraft unit Mojang, previously worked at Star Wars steward Lucasfilm for 13 years, including as a vice president of franchise marketing. She was an executive producer on the Minecraft movie, which set box office records and earned US$157 million its first weekend. Its sequel is in production.Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againMicrosoft also on Thursday named a new head for Mojang. Maria Angelidou-Smith, who previously worked for Reddit Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc., will become the unit’s chief executive this month.Microsoft’s ambitions in entertainment remain strong, after mass layoffs and studio spin-outs to sharpen the focus of its gaming arm. Xbox’s Fallout TV show has seen major success. Amazon.com Inc.’s Prime Video, where the show airs, reported that 100 million people watched at least a little of the series, which was just renewed for a third season.In the pipeline are an animated Netflix series inspired by the gothic Diablo game, a Call of Duty movie and PHYSINT, a project with celebrity game-maker Hideo Kojima that includes film and TV rights.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.A Minecraft theme park is set to open in London in 2027. The new XP division will centralize efforts around such ventures but is not itself a production company.Gaming companies have seen mixed success enticing fans of TV shows into the completely distinct video-game medium. On its Game Pass subscription service, Xbox’s Fallout titles saw a five-fold increase in hours played as the first season of the show aired. In the year after the Minecraft movie released, the game saw a 75 per cent increase in weekly active users. Meanwhile, Riot Games’ US$250 million Netflix show Arcane failed to convert many new players to the game.This advertisement has not loaded yet.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.