| HIGHLIGHTS • Kevin LaChapelle leaves Microsoft after 37 years amid Xbox layoffs. • He helped build Xbox Backward Compatibility and Cloud Gaming. • His emotional farewell thanked colleagues and praised Xbox’s future. |
Microsoft’s latest wave of layoffs has claimed another high-profile employee, marking the end of a remarkable career spanning nearly four decades. Kevin LaChapelle, a senior executive in the Xbox division, has confirmed that he is among those leaving the company after serving Microsoft for 37 years.
The layoffs are part of Microsoft’s ongoing restructuring efforts within its gaming business. The company has announced plans to eliminate approximately 3,200 positions across the Xbox division. Of these, around 1,600 employees have already been affected, while the remaining workforce reductions are expected to be carried out gradually during the 2027 fiscal year.
LaChapelle’s departure has drawn attention across the gaming industry, as he was one of Microsoft’s longest-serving leaders and played a significant role in the growth of the Xbox business over the years.
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Following his departure from Microsoft, Kevin LaChapelle took to LinkedIn to share a heartfelt farewell, reflecting on his nearly four decades with the company. In his post, he looked back on the defining moments of his career and expressed gratitude to the colleagues, mentors, and teams who had been part of his journey.
Confirming that he was among those affected by Microsoft’s latest layoffs, LaChapelle wrote, “I will add my name to the list of people who were laid off today at Xbox. In his farewell post, LaChapelle revealed that Microsoft’s latest layoffs had brought his long career at the company to a close, writing, “This ends my 37 years at Microsoft.” The message reflected on the end of an era, as he thanked the people he had worked with over nearly four decades and looked back on the projects that defined his career leadership and contributions to the Xbox brand.
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During his 37-year career at Microsoft, Kevin LaChapelle contributed to a wide range of teams and projects across the company. Looking back on his journey, he said the most rewarding chapter of his career was leading the engineering team behind Xbox’s Backward Compatibility program.
In his farewell message, LaChapelle praised the talented engineers he worked alongside, describing the project as one of the highlights of his time at Microsoft. He wrote that, despite working in many different areas of the company, his strongest memories were of helping build the Xbox Backward Compatibility initiative, a feature that allowed players to enjoy games from previous console generations on newer Xbox systems.
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After contributing to Xbox’s Backward Compatibility initiative, Kevin LaChapelle went on to lead the team responsible for developing Xbox Cloud Gaming, one of Microsoft’s most ambitious gaming projects. Reflecting on the future of the industry, he said he believes cloud streaming will play a central role in how people experience entertainment, allowing users to access games and other content from virtually anywhere. He also expressed confidence in Xbox’s future and said he is excited to watch the platform continue to grow and innovate.
LaChapelle concluded his farewell message by paying tribute to someone who had a significant influence on his career. He thanked former Xbox executive Kareem Choudhry for his guidance and support, describing him as the best manager he worked with during his time at Microsoft. Beyond being an exceptional leader, LaChapelle said Choudhry became a close friend whose impact on his professional journey will always be remembered.
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Kevin LaChapelle began his journey at Microsoft in 1989 as a software engineer before steadily rising through the ranks to take on several key leadership positions within the company. Over the course of nearly four decades, he played an important role in shaping some of Xbox’s most significant initiatives. His exit highlights that Microsoft’s latest round of restructuring has not only affected employees across various teams but has also resulted in the departure of experienced senior leaders with decades of service.