A few months ago during the search for a new Microsoft CEO, former Nokia head and candidate Stephen Elop made headlines throughout the tech world by saying that he would consider selling healthy businesses that weren’t central to his strategy if he were put in charge –  most notably Bing and Xbox. Satya Nadella ended up with the job instead, and Elop has now been made been head of company’s devices and studios division, which, somewhat ironically, includes the Xbox.

The transition is detailed in an internal memo acquired by Tech Crunch, where current head Julia Larson-Green announces she will be leaving to lead the My Life and Work Group. Larson-Green took over for Don Mattrick, who left the company for ailing social gaming giant Zynga in July.

“I’m very proud of what we have accomplished during such a short timeframe.  We launched Xbox One, Surface 2 & Pro 2, blockbuster games like Forza and Ryse, a brand new Xbox Music and Video service, PPI, and some amazing unannounced innovations just to name a few – incredibly impressive!” she writes in the memo.

I don’t think that Elop’s public comments will be the last time the idea of selling off Xbox comes up at Microsoft. In a certain sense, the decision of what to do with that brand sits close to some the most basic decisions of what to do with Microsoft as a whole. Does the leadership continue its attempts to face the consumer with phones, tablets, game consoles and other angles into the profitable worlds of devices and entertainment? Or does it cede those categories to more established companies and pull back a little bit, instead focusing on its profitable enterprise products?

For now, I expect Microsoft will stick to its guns with products like the Xbox, despite recent leadership changes. The One is selling exceptionally well at present, even if it does trail the PS4. Xbox is a shot at the living room prize — the unified experience of TV, streaming, games, social media, Skype, and whatever else the company can imagine. That’s been the brand’s goal more or less since it was established, and this generation is the first time it may actually have a chance of being realized. If Microsoft does indeed want to push forward with consumer-facing devices, the Xbox brand is one of the few facets of its business widely associated with fun, and that alone may make it worth hanging on to.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2014/02/25/new-head-of-xbox-considered-selling-the-business/

Not worried, this same piece of news just keeps getting regurgitated as if it's a constant at Microsoft.

He doesn't get the say so of if Xbox is sold, not even remotely.

How many of these do we need a day?

Ugh. Xbox needs to be in the hands of people who care about games, period. People in charge of Xbox seem to care less and less as time goes by, but I still shudder to think what it would become in the hands of some other corporation.

One thing is concidering to sell it off, but I'm (almost) more concerned if it stays, with that man in charge.

But if they end up selling, Nintendo should try to get Rare back, and scoup up the rights to Halo, fable, gears and forza along the way. Never gonna happen, but at least I can dream.

I wonder if a company like Samsung will buy the Xbox division if MS were to sell it cause if that was the case, I kinda fear for Nintendo and Sony since Samsung has been dominating in virtually every division they lay their foot in

Like Nintendo?

There is no science here. Someone with no gaming background and come and be very succesful or they could do terrible.

No, im sure the division leader has nothing to say on the matter. /rolleyes

I swear this is like the 6th thread I've seen over this. Kind of pointless.