On October 8, Xbox announced the creation of XP, a division dedicated to developing experiences based on its franchises outside of video games. Kayleen Walters will leave her role at Mojang to lead it. The move also includes Maria Angelidou-Smith joining as CEO of Mojang and Minecraft, with her start date set for Monday, October 19, 2026.
The four areas XP will bring together
The name XP refers to experience points, but its work will focus on other forms of entertainment. Xbox Pictures will handle film and television adaptations; Xbox Products, licensing and merchandise; Xbox Partnerships, sponsors and brand collaborations; and Xbox Places, major broadcast or in-person events, theme parks, and other experiences in physical spaces.
The reorganization formalizes four investment areas under a single division. LEVEL UP also describes the initiative as an expansion toward audiences who don’t necessarily discover the franchises through a console or video game. For now, the announcement defines responsibilities, not a slate of offerings: it does not detail new audiovisual titles, specific products, or experiences confirmed to be available in Mexico.
Minecraft is Walters’ track record
Walters’ background helps explain why Xbox chose her for the role. Before joining the company, she spent 13 years at Lucasfilm, where she helped develop Star Wars through films, products, and partnerships. According to Xbox, she later helped expand Minecraft’s consumer products business, which has more than 250 licensees.
Walters was also an executive producer of A Minecraft Movie and is involved as a producer on its sequel, according to the announcement. That experience brings together two of the fields she will now oversee: audiovisual adaptations and products tied to a franchise. Xbox describes her appointment as a bet on expanding those experiences without losing the elements that draw their communities.
The transition at Mojang begins October 19
Angelidou-Smith will join Mojang with experience in community platforms. Xbox says she worked at Meta for nearly a decade, where she led Facebook Groups and areas such as events, creators, and monetization. She later led product and technology at Personio and was chief product officer at Reddit. Both she and Walters will report to Asha Sharma, who signed the message addressed to Xbox staff.
In its search for Mojang’s new leader, Xbox highlighted that Minecraft brings together activities that go beyond playing: building, teaching, creating mods, managing servers, and developing businesses. The company says it was looking for technical experience and the ability to lead community products at scale. Angelidou-Smith’s first announced priority will be to learn from the teams and communities that know Minecraft.
The next step with a confirmed date is her joining on October 19; she has not yet started in the role. For those who follow Minecraft, the announcement identifies the studio’s next leader, but does not establish any changes to the game or its servers. It’s worth distinguishing this transition from XP: one decision changes Mojang’s leadership, while the other organizes Xbox’s experiences beyond its games.
