Kotaku has managed to get hold of an internal Microsoft memo sent out by CEO Steve Ballmer, stating that both Xbox chief, Robbie Bach, as well as ‘father’ of the Xbox, J. Allard, have decided to leave the company.

This news comes amid rumours of a ‘shake up’ in the Entertainment & Devices Division, which houses Microsoft’s games business, where “major organizational changes” are on the way for the organisation.

After 22 years with Microsoft, Bach (who most recently served as President of the Entertainment & Devices Division) has decided to retire “this Fall” after having done “amazing things”:

In a statement Bach said:

“At Microsoft, I’ve been so fortunate to spend more than two decades of my life working with incredible people and doing amazing things like launching Office, Xbox and Xbox Live, the ‘Halo’ franchise, Windows Phones, Zune and more.

“I’m at the time in my life where I want to dedicate more time to my family and my nonprofit work, including my work with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. I have the utmost confidence in Steve, Don and Andy and their ability to see through our mission of bringing extraordinary entertainment and mobility experiences to life for people around the world.”

Allard, on the other hand, is leaving Microsoft after 15 years and most recently serving as the Chief Experience Officer and Chief Technology Officer in the Entertainment and Devices Division.

Allard will continue on as an advisor to Ballmer, “helping incubation efforts, looking at design and UI, and providing a cross-company perspective on these and similar topics.”

Source: Kotaku