Larry Hryb, most well-known in the gaming community as Major Nelson, departed Microsoft on July 14 after spending over 20 years with the company—but Xbox fans will never forget the work he put in for the console.
Major Nelson arrived at Microsoft in January 2001 to be the editor-in-chief of MSN Music but moved to the gaming department in June 2003 after taking on the role of senior project manager. The executive shipped three different video game consoles—Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S—and contributed to the creation of some of Xbox’s most known features: the achievement system, the in-game chat, and cloud saves.
Major Nelson had a huge influence over Xbox and the Xbox Live service and his efforts didn’t go unnoticed after he informed the community of his departure from Microsoft. Several prominent members of the gaming community thanked Major Nelson for the work he did for Xbox and gaming in general.
“Thanks for all you have done over all these decades for our industry—still fondly remember hosting many Xbox launches with you,” gaming journalist and TV host Geoff Keighley wrote. “Thanks for all the chats, on camera and off, and sharing your broadcaster wisdoms with me,” Diablo‘s general manager Rod Fergusson said.
Although many gamers want to know what Major Nelson is planning for the future, all that he’s going to do next is rest and spend time with his family.
“As many of you know, I never really took time off….so now I will take that opportunity,” he wrote on Twitter briefly after announcing his departure from Microsoft.
Major Nelson’s departure from Xbox comes at a pivotal moment for Microsoft. Earlier this week, the company took a huge step toward finalizing the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. A California judge dismissed the Federal Trade Commission’s request for a preliminary injunction, which was the biggest stepping stone in Microsoft’s plans.
