Helen Chiang is leaving Microsoft after 21 years at the company. She spent about three months as Xbox's first chief operating officer. The Verge, Polygon, and GamesRadar all reported the exit. Chiang led Minecraft at Mojang before Xbox CEO Asha Sharma named her COO in July. That move was part of a wider Xbox reset.

Sharma announced the exit in a short internal memo. The Verge said it saw the memo. "Helen Chiang is leaving Microsoft today. I'm grateful for her years of service and wish her well," Sharma said. The memo said Chiang's duties are being split among other Xbox leaders for now. Sharma also said Xbox will "share more on COO leadership as plans are finalized."

Polygon said the exit adds to a year of Xbox leadership change. GamesRadar traced Chiang's path from a 2005 Microsoft hire through Xbox and Minecraft roles. The COO post itself was new when Sharma created it in July. Publicly, Xbox said it does not discuss individual personal matters, The Verge reported.

Planned job cuts remain part of the same reset story. GamesRadar noted Microsoft still plans large Xbox workforce reductions into the next fiscal year. None of the outlets named a successor.

Chiang's exit lands in the middle of Xbox's push to simplify its operating model. Sharma had cast the COO job as a way to join content, hardware, platform, and services under one plan. Polygon said that plan is still taking shape. GamesRadar said Xbox has not named an interim COO. Fans and developers now wait for the next leadership note.

What we know: Chiang is out as Xbox COO after a brief tenure, with duties split while succession plans firm up.
What we don't: Why she left, and who will hold the COO job next.