Chris Early moved from MS Casual Games to G4W Live

by Christopher Grant { Jul 3rd 2007 at 12:56PM }

Microsoft just announced that Chris Early, studio manager for Microsoft Casual Games – they're the group that does that whole Xbox Live Arcade and MSN Games thing – is being moved to a new, arguably more challenging position, inside the Redmond behemoth: General Manager of Games for Windows Live. Like an awkward teenager, the nascent online service is still struggling to identify itself while everyone else waits; meanwhile, its sibling Xbox Live service enjoys widespread acclaim and a strong brand identity.

But Early's no online gaming rookie, he previously served time with Gamespy and MPlayer.com before moving to Microsoft. While this move – effective July 9th just after the beginning of Microsoft's latest fiscal year which began on the 1st – should bring some much needed clarity to the G4W Live product, we're nervous the now (more or less) smoothly operating XBLA service may suffer yet another executive setback.

Tags: CasualGames, ChrisEarly, G4WLive, Microsoft, XBLA

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Nushio @ Jul 3rd 2007 1:04PM

Nintendo should hire him and make him work for their online strategy

Nushio @ Jul 3rd 2007 1:04PM

Gah, my comment was cut off...

[Flame on!]

FrankTheCrank @ Jul 3rd 2007 1:12PM

What's up with his shirt?

He looks like some sort of cult leader.

kingofwale @ Jul 3rd 2007 1:17PM

how about help me get my Devil May Cry 3 to work on my Vista laptop? eh?

Dot @ Jul 3rd 2007 1:28PM

GFW Live equals "do not care"
And why should I, especially considering how Steam is going to have all of its features, and more, but for free and combined with the best DD service out there?

razer @ Jul 3rd 2007 1:40PM

Wow the XBLA Manager seems to be a revolving door nowadays. I really like the direction that Chris was taking it after the very rocky start. It seems once again the Xbox 360 takes a backseat to G4WL. Gaming has always thrived on the PC without the need for this concept, I think MS are trying to "rein in" gaming on the PC and in the end find will find that it was a waste of time, money, resources. PC gamers won't let you control them like you control Xbox 360 players and then charge them for the priveledge.
People buy consoles for different reasons than people buy games on the PC. Without going into the details they are in 2 different worlds that don't necessarily play well together or even want to for that matter.

DVersion @ Jul 3rd 2007 2:19PM

This guy is strange. I remeber seeing him on gamespot and he refused to acknowlage that it was possible to play boom boom rocket with a dance pad. he completely ignored the question and when he mentioned that people dance to the game, he quickly corrected himself and said "dancing with your fingers". What's up with that?

Joe Smith @ Jul 3rd 2007 2:24PM

In my experience, the fewer executives involved, the MORE smoothly things run. According to some MS friends of mine, Chris never actually had anything to do with Arcade other than having it in his overall organization. Arcade was run by Canessa and then by a guy neamed Brian Trussel.