XBOX wants its biggest gaming worlds to reach fans in more places than the games themselves. On October 8, the company announced XP, a new division bringing together its work in film and television, consumer products, strategic partnerships, and live experiences.
Newly appointed President Kayleen Walters will lead the division. According to an introductory XBOX Wire post from Matthew Ball, Chief Strategy Officer at XBOX, the goal is to help the company’s franchises reach more people while giving existing fans new ways to enjoy the worlds they already love.
“Our ambition at XBOX is to be the number one entertainment company in the world,” Ball wrote.
That is a big ambition, but the announcement outlines a specific approach: bring capabilities that already exist across XBOX under one division, then work with its studios and outside partners to expand those franchises beyond games.
What is the new XBOX XP division?
XP is not being presented as a replacement for XBOX’s game-development efforts. Ball explicitly said that “great games remain at the center of these franchises and at the heart of XBOX.”
Instead, the division will build on those games through four investment areas:
- XBOX PICTURES: Film, television, and other forms of linear storytelling that introduce XBOX worlds and characters to new audiences.
- XBOX PRODUCTS: Merchandise and other products designed to help fans celebrate and express their favorite franchises.
- XBOX PLACES: Live events, immersive experiences, attractions, broadcasts, and destinations that bring communities together.
- XBOX PARTNERSHIPS: Collaborations with creators, brands, and communities, including sponsorships and new experiences.
In other words, XP gives these efforts a shared home and mission. Rather than treating a movie, merchandise collection, or live attraction as an isolated project, XBOX wants them to help its franchises build lasting connections with fans.
Kayleen Walters brings Minecraft and Lucasfilm experience
Walters takes the leadership role with experience growing entertainment properties across multiple formats.
Ball highlighted her 13 years at Lucasfilm, where she helped grow and relaunch one of the entertainment industry’s most influential franchises. He also pointed to her work at Mojang as evidence of how a gaming property can expand without leaving its original audience behind.
According to the announcement, Minecraft grew from 350 million units sold to more than 425 million during her tenure. Its merchandising business also became one of the top 20 globally.
Ball additionally cited A Minecraft Movie’s record-setting opening weekend for a video game adaptation and Mojang’s first theme park placements as examples of that broader expansion.
Those achievements help explain why Walters was selected: XP’s mission spans the same combination of games, storytelling, products, and real-world experiences.
What does XP mean for XBOX players?
For players, the announcement signals a more coordinated push to bring XBOX franchises into entertainment beyond the console or PC.
It does not, however, announce a specific slate of new movies, television shows, products, or attractions. There are no project release dates in Ball’s introductory post, and the four investment areas should not be mistaken for individual product announcements.
The key development is organizational: XBOX is putting these efforts under dedicated leadership, with its games serving as the foundation.
Ball said Walters understands that franchises grow by staying true to what made them special while creating new ways for fans, creators, and communities to participate.
“We are just getting started imagining what it will build,” he wrote.
For now, XP establishes how XBOX plans to pursue its entertainment ambitions. The next test will be the projects it announces—and how well those projects connect with the people who made these gaming worlds successful in the first place.
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