Jerret West, Microsoft’s marketing chief for Xbox, is leaving the company to join Roblox as their chief marketing officer, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters on Monday. This move is part of a broader shakeup in Microsoft’s marketing strategy for its console division.
During his tenure at Xbox, West played a pivotal role in creating and executing numerous marketing campaigns for games and consoles, and was instrumental in expanding products such as Xbox’s subscription service Game Pass, as detailed in the memo from Microsoft gaming CEO Phil Spencer.
West originally spent eight years at Xbox in various marketing and product roles before briefly departing for Netflix to lead several marketing teams. He returned to Microsoft in 2019 to assume the role of Xbox’s chief marketing officer.
Microsoft’s recent Xbox Games Showcase, where it revealed new all-digital consoles and game trailers including the upcoming “Call of Duty” title, underscored its efforts to reignite consumer interest amid industry-wide spending challenges.
The departure of West coincides with a broader restructuring within Xbox’s marketing department, which includes consolidating various marketing teams into a central gaming marketing team aligned closely with business units, according to Spencer’s memo.
In a cost-cutting move earlier this year, Microsoft closed several gaming studios in May, including Arkane Austin, as part of its strategic realignment.
The transition of West to Roblox represents a significant shift in leadership dynamics within the gaming industry, reflecting ongoing efforts by both companies to innovate and capture market share in the competitive gaming and digital entertainment sectors.
