Xbox Community CEO Larry ‘Major Nelson’ Hryb is leaving Microsoft after 22 years

Larry Hryb, better known by his gamertag Major Nelson, is leaving Microsoft after 22 years. He has been frequently featured in Xbox videos and events since 2003. He also spent years working on industry-leading Xbox Live features.

Larry Hryb announced his departure on Twitter On. He writes that he has decided to “take a step back” and work on “the next chapter in my career.” He does not give a reason for his departure. It is also not clear what this next chapter will entail.

‘Major Nelson’ started at Microsoft in 2001 as editor-in-chief of MSN Music. He has been with the Xbox division since 2003 and regularly appears in marketing videos. For example, he conducted interviews and unboxings on Xbox’s YouTube channel. He also presented at various Xbox events. Most recently, he has been the host of the Official Xbox Podcast. He is also very active on Twitter, where he mainly shares Xbox news with his million followers.

Although Hryb has been a public figure within Xbox since its inception, his official role was initially senior Project Manager for Xbox Live. In their own words he has played an important role in the development of several leading online features, such as Achievements, party chat and cloud saves. From 2012 he was Senior Director of Communications at Xbox.