Xbox launches XP Entertainment to make movies and TV
Xbox Launches XP: A New Frontier Where Gaming Meets Global Entertainment
Microsoft is shaking up the entertainment landscape with the introduction of XP, a new division designed to expand the Xbox franchise far beyond the boundaries of video games. This strategic move signals a shift toward treating beloved gaming worlds not just as interactive experiences, but as multifaceted entertainment properties ready to captivate audiences across film, television, and physical experiences.
Leading this exciting endeavor is Kayleen Walters, a veteran of the Lucasfilm universe and a key figure in the Minecraft community. Walters moves over from her role as president of the Minecraft maker Mojang, bringing a unique blend of franchise knowledge and creative vision to the table. Her goal is clear: to help Xbox achieve the status of the world’s number one entertainment and gaming company by finding the right global partners to bring Xbox franchises to life in bigger, more meaningful ways.
XP is built on four core areas of investment, designed to maximize the reach and impact of the Xbox ecosystem: Xbox Pictures for film and television adaptations; Xbox Products for licensing and merchandise; Xbox Partnerships for brand sponsors; and Xbox Places for marquee events, theme parks, and location-based experiences.
This approach recognizes that fans don’t just play games—they watch them, wear them, attend them, and celebrate them. By aggregating the teams responsible for these real-world experiences, Microsoft aims to transform gaming fandom into a powerful global cultural force.
The promise of XP is already yielding tangible results. The company has leveraged its intellectual property successfully, seeing massive success in adaptations like Warner Bros.’ Call of Duty movie and Amazon’s Diablo animated series with Netflix. Furthermore, the potential for adaptation is already evident with upcoming sequels and spin-offs, including Minecraft Live announcements, and the planned adaptation of Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid spiritual successor Physint.
Beyond screen adaptations, XP focuses heavily on live events and consumer interaction. Xbox already excels in this area, evidenced by massive attendance at events like Blizzard’s BlizzCon, which drew 35,000 attendees at the physical event and 12.5 million viewers online for the most recent Minecraft Live event.
The integration of external partnerships further cements this vision. Xbox has successfully collaborated with entities ranging from WWE, through the Xbox design chief Carl Ledbetter and Ikea furniture line, to plans for a Minecraft theme park opening next year. These collaborations demonstrate the franchise’s ability to translate digital worlds into tangible, real-world experiences.
The impact of this multimedia strategy extends directly back to the games themselves. When adaptations succeed, the core gaming experience flourishes. For instance, Fallout games on Game Pass saw a 5x increase in hours played during Fallout Season 1, and Minecraft saw over a 75% increase in weekly active users year-over-year since the movie release.
This ambitious vision is supported by strong leadership. Maria Angelidou-Smith, who joins Xbox as CEO of Mojang, brings nearly a decade of high-level experience from Meta and other major platforms, ready to guide the franchise through this evolution. She is tasked with learning from the communities that know Minecraft best, ensuring that the exciting direction of the brand remains rooted in authenticity.
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