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Xbox Live and Game Pass CVP Mike Ybarra departs Microsoft after 20 years

Mike Ybarra, corporate vice president of Xbox Live, Game Pass, and Mixer, has announced his departure from both Xbox and Microsoft as a whole.

Alissa McAloon, Publisher

October 9, 2019

1 Min Read
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Mike Ybarra, corporate vice president of Xbox Live, Game Pass, and Mixer, has announced his departure from both Xbox and Microsoft as a whole.

Ybarra took to Twitter to share the news today, sharing well-wishes for his now-former coworkers alongside a note that he’s “super excited” to announce what his next steps will be.

“After 20 years at Microsoft, it’s time for my next adventure. It’s been a great ride at Xbox and the future is bright,” tweeted Ybarra. “Thanks to everyone at TeamXbox, I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished and I wish you the best.”

Overall, Ybarra spent nearly 20 years at Microsoft in a variety of roles, though the latter decade of his career saw him working as a manager and corporate vice president on various Xbox teams.

His announcement follows a pair of notable departures at competing-console-maker Sony. SIE Studios chairman Shawn Layden announced late last month that he was leaving Sony after 30 years, followed the next day by the announcement that SIE Japan Asia president Atsushi Morita has retired.

About the Author

Alissa McAloon

Publisher, GameDeveloper.com

As the Publisher of Game Developer, Alissa McAloon brings a decade of experience in the video game industry and media. When not working in the world of B2B game journalism, Alissa enjoys spending her time in the worlds of immersive sandbox games or dabbling in the occasional TTRPG.

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