After 20 years of service atXbox, Major Nelson is leaving the company to start a new chapter. Major Nelson was a major part of theXboxmarketing department and has amassed a following of dedicated fans of his work over the years.
Major Nelson’s real name is Larry Hryband his history with Xbox’s marketing efforts stems all the way back to the original Xbox. Hryb was one of the first people to promote Xbox Live when it was first announced, as well as one of the first to show the world the power of the Xbox 360 by introducing the Achievement system, party chat, and cloud saves. In 2012, Hryb became senior director of corporate communications for Xbox, which eventually led to a hosting position on theOfficial Xbox Podcast, where he shared his inside knowledge with the company with the rest of the world. His moniker and Xbox Gamertag, Major Nelson, is actually a reference to the classic 1960s sitcomI Dream of Jeannie.
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In a recent series of tweets, Larry Hryb confirmed that his days ofrevealing the newest Xbox announcementsare over, as he will be leaving the company after two decades of service. In the series of tweets, he reflected on his time at the company and how much he appreciated his time there. He also took a moment to thank the fans for everything they’ve done for him. From the tone of the tweets, there doesn’t seem to be any ill will between Hryb and his former employer.
Hryb wasn’t just appreciated by Xbox fans but also by his peers in the industry, and he wasn’t afraid to make friends with the competition. For example, there was the timeMajor Nelson had Nintendo’s Reggie Fils-Aime sign his DS. After Hryb’s most recent announcement, some of the biggest names in the video game industry have been thanking him, including Geoff Keighley and Phil Spencer.
Much like howBill Gates is the face of Microsoft, for some people, Major Nelson is the face of Xbox. Hryb did not directly spell out what his plans are now that he’s left Xbox, just that he would be taking time off with his family to enjoy the Seattle Summer. He also mentioned that theOfficial Xbox Podcast,which he will no longer be the host of, will also be taking a hiatus for a short period and will return “in a new format.”
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