Phil Spencer

@MatthewJones215 Happy Birthday Matt.

I’M OFFICIALLY 38 YEARS OLD

@GIBiz I've learned a lot from so many of the leaders listed and I'm thankful for that. I've always appreciated how this industry supports each other, whether on rival platforms or competitive games so many just want to learn from each other and grow our artform.

"He truly cared about games, about the industry, and about the people making them." Senior games industry figures including Strauss Zelnick, Peter Molyneux, and Patrick Söderlund share their memories of working with former Xbox head Phil Spencer. bit.ly/478B4yz

@Kate_JRayner Thanks Kate. Many years being a part of you and the team doing amazing work. Always got a thrill when you had that look on your face that you were going to show something special, you'd boot a dev kit, hand me the controller and just smile. I'll miss those days. Be well.

@XboxP3 Phil, your steadiness and advocacy made space for people to do their best work—myself included. Your player‑grounded approach shaped how I lead tech at Xbox. From studios to platforms, the impact will be felt for years. Wishing you a joyful next chapter. 💚

It’s rare in life to know when a chapter is closing, but after 38 years at Microsoft, that moment has arrived for me. I’ve made the decision to retire and begin the next chapter of my life. It’s a milestone that’s given me a chance to reflect on the incredible journey I’ve been fortunate enough to share with so many of you.

@Reggie Thank you Reggie. Looking forward to catching up.

Congrats @XboxP3 on a fantastic career. The games industry is better because of your contributions. I look forward to celebrating this milestone with you.

@lulumeservey Thanks Lulu.

@XboxP3 Congratulations and thank you, Phil 🫡

@minliangtan @Xbox Thanks, appreciate all the work together over the years.

@XboxP3 Congrats on your retirement and the incredible work that you’ve done at @Xbox over the years. You’ve brought joy to millions of gamers all over the world and you’ll be missed! Thank you for all that you’ve done and enjoy the next chapter!

@Joh_Burg Thanks Johanna, really great to see the momentum you and the teams are building at Blizzard. You know me and Diablo, I'll forever be a fan.

@XboxP3 what an epic run on so many fronts, @XboxP3. thanks for your support of what we are building at Blizzard, and for me personally. see you in the lobbies and best of luck in your next adventures! 👏🏽

@therealcliffyb Thanks Cliff, all the best to you and Lauren.

@XboxP3 Enjoy your next chapter, good sir. You've always been a gentleman to me and a tireless leader. Bravo.

@NickelLynx @BondSarah_Bond Such nice memories, thanks for posting. The energy and passion of the teams was always the best part of the job. Keep being great.

Thank you @XboxP3 and @BondSarah_Bond for everything you have done for Xbox. It was an absolute privilege to be able to work and learn from you both. Cheers to your next adventures!! 💚🎮💚 #xbox

@Chris_Dring Thanks Chris. And all the best with TGB, good discussion that's important for this industry. Keep going.

Happy retirement to @XboxP3. It only feels 5 minutes since our first interview when he took the big Xbox job (12 years ago). He’s been so supportive in setting up TGB, offering advice and pointers. I have no idea how he did it all. His legacy stretches beyond Microsoft’s walls

@klobrille Thanks Klobrille, I've always appreciated your commitment to the community and the brand, thank you for that and for all the input over the years.

Phil, congrats on your career at Xbox and thanks for everything!💚 On a personal level, thanks for our talks over the years. As a fan, we weren't always of the same opinion, but your dedication to Xbox and its community remains at the core of what needs to define Xbox.

@LordCognito Thank you. Always appreciated how you showed up, your words of encouragement and your guidance.

End of an era.. @XboxP3 epitomized 1)Gamer sensibilities 2)Empathy 3)Consistency. Phil was so refreshing/fun to talk gaming with. He respected when I challenged him on things I disagreed with, yet always provided proper nuance. He didn't owe me that. Solid Human. All The Best🙏

@LadieAuPair @steinekin And like a pro @steinekin didn't miss a beat.

My favorite part about this photo is like 5 minutes before this, @steinekin was interviewing someone else and as @XboxP3 and I stood just off stage, Phil thought it would be funny to try and distract him and I think we even ended up throwing small pieces of paper at him. 😂

@michalnowakow Games will definitely continue to be a passion, was true before Microsoft and will be after. Thanks for the nice note and all the guidance over the years.

Hey @XboxP3! It has been a wild journey, and I wish you nothing but the best in whatever lies ahead of you. Had a pleasure meeting you many times in person over the years, also in our Warsaw studio. Games were always a passion of yours. Hope it stays that way and I certainly hope our paths would cross again.

@thetruebowser Thanks Doug. See you at Crystal Mountain :-)

Congratulations @XboxP3 on an incredible run! You’ve had a lasting impact on gaming and I appreciated our partnership and friendship over the years. You know what this means now … we can ski/ride and golf on weekdays 😉!

@nhamaguc Thank you. Really great to see FF fully on Xbox and the amazing support you and your teams are showing the community.

We had only just begun working together, and I was truly looking forward to accomplishing many more things side by side.Thanks to your presence and leadership, the partnership between the FF franchise and Xbox truly came together. I’m deeply grateful for that.Wishing you all the best as you begin this new chapter. You have my full support.😊 - 一緒に仕事をスタートしたばかりで、これから先、もっと多くのことを一緒に実現できると楽しみにしていました。 しかし、あなたの存在とリーダーシップがあったからこそ、FFフランチャイズとXboxのパートナーシップは形になったのだと思います。本当にありがとうございました。 新たなスタートを迎えるあなたを、心から応援しています😊 #xbox

@davidscottjaffe Thanks David, appreciate the nice note. And not blocked :-).

Never met @XboxP3 and I musta done something to get blocked by him at some point. But I always loved his vision for XBOX (even tho a lot of Sony fans attacked me for it). I imagine Gamepass as we know it is dead BUT I just loved what he was trying to do. Visionary. Thx Phil!

@PeterMooreUSA Thanks Peter. I really appreciate the kind words. I learned so much watching you lead Xbox and I've always appreciated your perspective and insight.

News that @XboxP3 has stepped away marks the end of a significant chapter for Microsoft Gaming and in particular Xbox. It is easy, especially in today’s climate, to critique decisions, debate strategy, and judge outcomes with the benefit of hindsight. What is harder is to sustain leadership over decades in an industry that reinvents itself every few years. Of that, I’m only too painfully aware. Phil did that. From the early days of Xbox through console transitions, studio acquisitions, platform wars, and the rise of subscription and cloud, he was a steady presence in what has often been a turbulent environment. Gaming at Microsoft has never been a quiet assignment. Expectations were immense. Competition was relentless. The spotlight was constant. I had the privilege of working alongside him during formative years for the business. What I saw was commitment to players, loyalty to teams, and resilience when the noise was loudest. Phil was,and is, a gamer at heart and that showed in everything he did during my time with him. Leadership in this industry means making imperfect decisions with incomplete information, under extraordinary pressure. It means standing in front when things go wrong, and sharing credit when they go right. That is not easy work. Whatever opinions swirl today (and I see the boo birds are out in flocks) history tends to be kinder and more balanced. Sustained contribution matters. Building institutions matters. Showing up year after year matters. A long career in gaming, particularly at the scale of Microsoft, deserves respect. Wishing Phil good luck for whatever comes next. All the best, mate.

@TheGennadiy @thegameawards @Xbox @OriTheGame Thanks Gennadiy, what a nice moment to remember.

Phil, I still remember the moment - our very first award at @thegameawards 2015! Moon and myself personally will always be deeply grateful to @Xbox. Without your support and the team you've built there would likely be no @OriTheGame and likely be no Moon Studios. Thank you for believing in us and supporting many more small and upcoming devs like us. We owe you a lot. It's been a pleasure @XboxP3!

@Reggie Thanks Reggie, really appreciate you and the impact you have.