Following Nintendo and Sony’s lead, Xbox is setting up a division exclusively dedicated to movies and non-games partnerships

Microsoft has announced a new Xbox division called XP (Experience Points), consolidating existing franchising and entertainment efforts across multiple teams. The division is organized around four key investment areas: Xbox Pictures (film and television), Xbox Products (merchandise and consumer goods), Xbox Places (live events and experiences), and Xbox Partnerships (creator collaborations and sponsorships).

The new division is led by Kayleen Walters, the former president of Minecraft developer Mojang Studios. Walters brings extensive franchise development experience, having previously spent 13 years at Lucasfilm as vice president of franchise marketing and integrated planning, followed by eight years at Microsoft overseeing franchise development. Under her tenure at Mojang, Minecraft grew from 350 million to over 425 million units sold, while the recent Minecraft Movie achieved the highest opening weekend for any video game film adaptation.

Xbox’s move mirrors similar efforts by Nintendo and Sony to extend gaming franchises into adjacent entertainment mediums. The company emphasized that XP is not a production company but rather a partnership-focused division that will work with external studios and producers. Recent successes include the Fallout television series and planned theme park expansions, with Minecraft World theme parks launching in 2027. Xbox’s stated ambition is to become “the number one entertainment and gaming company in the world” by helping franchises reach broader audiences beyond traditional gaming.

Following Nintendo and Sony’s lead, Xbox is setting up a division exclusively dedicated to movies and non-games partnerships

Sources