Xbox One Designer, Creator of Xbox Live, Leaves Microsoft

[Steven Bogos]

Xbox One Designer, Creator of Xbox Live, Leaves Microsoft

Boyd Multerer, who founded Xbox Live and helped design the Xbox One, has left Microsoft for something new.

Boyd Multerer, the man who founded Xbox Live back in the original Xbox days, as well as a designer for the Xbox 360 and Xbox One, has announced that he will be leaving the company "to do something new." Multerer had worked at Microsoft for nearly two decades, and going from his announcements on Twitter, it seems like the break-up wasn't too messy.

"Goodbye Microsoft. It was a good run. Xbox was Great! Time to do something new," posted the designer on his Twitter [https://twitter.com/BoydMulterer/status/549571070693765120]. He added that he is "Not yet ready to say what that new thing is... But OMG is writing code very day and exploring ideas fun!"

Due to his work on Xbox Live, Multerer was actually the first person to ever have an account for the service. As well as his design work for the 360 and the Xbox One, he most recently worked at Microsoft as director of development for Xbox.

Multerer isn't the first high-ranking Xbox figure to quit recently, as I'm sure you'll all remember Xbox boss Don Mattrick's descision to leave the company and join Farmville developer Zynga [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/125553-Xbox-President-Don-Mattrick-Leaving-For-Zynga-UPDATED]. Former chief product officer Marc Whitten, Xbox Entertainment Studios executives Nancy Tellem and Jordan Levin, and Xbox One TV designer Ben Smith have also left the company over the past 18 months.

So while Multerer seems to have left on good terms, his departure combined with all of the other departures doesn't quite add up to sunshine and happiness at Xbox.

Source: GameSpot [http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-designer-and-xbox-live-founder-leaves-mic/1100-6424417/]

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[FalloutJack]

I can't tell if they drugged him, he had a gun to his head, or if he actually believes what he's saying. It has NOT been a good time to be in Microsoft lately, especially not in Club X-Box.

 

[Hairless Mammoth]

He could have really left to try something new. He has got 2 decades of MS experience under his belt, so many tech companies would love to hire him. Either that or he could plan on forming another start up. Who knows?

The others however definitely were either sacked or knew to leave the sinking ships of their respective departments. Don Mattrick is a special case, since Zynga's call for more smug jackass was too much to ignore.

So, Multerer is responsible for helping design the 360, Xbone and Live GUIs, software, and/or hardware internals, not the external aesthetics, right? Otherwise, may his future ventures in making big ugly pseudo VCRs[footnote]Hey, at least the One doesn't have the PS3's stupid, useless convex top. I have to figure out a better spot for my Wii U since that thing demands to be on top. [/footnote] also be prosperous.

 

[Arnoxthe1]

Why is it that when any sort of executive leaves a company, a whole lot of people think it's always because he/she thinks the company is about to go tits up, or at least a large division of it?

 

[VanQ]

The one truly amazing thing about being the first to make an account on a new service... every name is available!

 

[Reed Spacer]

Anybody who openly uses terms like OMG in their posts who isn't a fourteen year old grappling with the terror of puberty needs to be severely beaten with a brick.

 

[chimeracreator]

Anybody who openly uses terms like OMG in their posts who isn't a fourteen year old grappling with the terror of puberty needs to be severely beaten with a brick.

It was Twitter, and I understand his sentiment. He's a programmer who likely spent years trapped in management finally being able to program instead of attending meetings, making power points, and writing up design documents rather than implementing any of his ideas. To say that gets frustrating is an understatement.

 

[FalloutJack]

Anybody who openly uses terms like OMG in their posts who isn't a fourteen year old grappling with the terror of puberty needs to be severely beaten with a brick.

No, it's anybody under legal adulthood. That doesn't excuse the man, but don't be so hard on teens of the internet. Not for THAT, anyway.

 

[crimsonshrouds]

The one truly amazing thing about being the first to make an account on a new service... every name is available!

off topic question: what anime is your avatar from?

on topic: It must have sucked working for Microsoft the last few years especially when some idiots decide to name your latest project the X-box one which is shortened to xbone

 

[cpukill]

Multerer isn't the first high-ranking Xbox figure to quit recently, as I'm sure you'll all remember Xbox boss Don Mattrick's descision to leave the company and join Farmville developer Zynga [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/125553-Xbox-President-Don-Mattrick-Leaving-For-Zynga-UPDATED].

Lets see how well that decision worked out...hmmm.....

Yup, everything went as expected. [http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/12/29/king-digital-entertainment-plc-vs-zynga-inc-can-ei.aspx]

 

[Strazdas]

I can't tell if they drugged him, he had a gun to his head, or if he actually believes what he's saying. It had NOT been a good time to be in Microsoft lately, especially not in Club X-Box.

It may have been good times for him. imagine having to run a division that you can do anything in and you wont get punished no matter how loss you make to the company. its free reign for decades.

Anybody who openly uses terms like OMG in their posts who isn't a fourteen year old grappling with the terror of puberty needs to be severely beaten with a brick.

Yeah, lets beat people up for typing things we dont like! . So, where do i find you?

 

[FalloutJack]

Foip

Ah, so he's an over-privileged rich guy deluding himself with notions of how wonderful he is. Got it.