Microsoft Xbox broadens entertainment push with new XP division

Microsoft’s (MSFT) Xbox is creating a new division to develop its game franchises across movies and television, merchandise, partnerships and in-person entertainment.

The unit, XP, will be headed by Kayleen Walters, who currently leads Minecraft studio Mojang. Walters, who previously spent 13 years at Lucasfilm and served as an executive producer of A Minecraft Movie, will become XP’s president. Maria Angelidou-Smith, most recently Reddit’s chief product officer, will succeed her as CEO of Mojang and Minecraft, starting October 19.

XP will oversee four areas: Pictures, covering film and TV adaptations; Products, focused on licensing and merchandise; Partnerships, spanning sponsors and brand relationships; and Places, encompassing broadcasts, live events, attractions, theme parks and other physical experiences.

The division will work across Xbox (MSFT) properties including Minecraft, Call of Duty, Fallout, Warcraft, Gears of War, Candy Crush, Diablo, Forza, The Elder Scrolls and Halo.

Projects already in the pipeline include a sequel to A Minecraft Movie, a third season of Fallout (AMZN), a Call of Duty film (SKYD) and a Netflix (NFLX) animated series based on Diablo. Xbox (MSFT) also has plans for a Minecraft (WBD) theme park and is exploring screen opportunities around Hideo Kojima’s PHYSINT.

Chief Strategy Officer Matthew Ball said the new structure combines capabilities that had been spread across Xbox (MSFT) teams.