Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer may be considering replacing former interactive business president Don Mattrick, who left Microsoft this week to become CEO of Zynga, with current Windows boss Julie Larson-Green, according to Bloomberg. Ballmer plans to restructure much of the company to focus business units around specific devices and services, and as part of that restructuring, Larson-Green will gain oversight of all hardware engineering, including the Xbox One. Ballmer could announce the plan as soon as next week.
Sources also claim that Mattrick’s departure may have been influenced by the restructuring plan. Ballmer reportedly considered the former Xbox head for the hardware oversight position before he left, but it’s unclear how, if at all, this factored into Mattrick’s decision to leave. The position may go to Larson-Green, who has worked at Microsoft for almost two decades. In addition to Xbox engineering, she could be put in charge of Microsoft’s Surface tablet and any other hardware the company creates.
With a controversial new game console right around the corner, this restructuring could either be very good or very bad for Microsoft. Either way, Larson-Green—or whoever does replace Mattrick and take charge of Xbox—will certainly have his or her mettle tested over the coming months.
