Microsoft has announced Phil Spencer is the new Head of Xbox, taking over from the recently departed Marc Whitten , who served as Xbox corporate VP.

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“ Games and gamers have always been at the core of Xbox and the core of my work - and gaming will be our core as we take Xbox forward

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The former head of Microsoft Game Studios has explained in a statement the extent of his new role, which will see him heading up the Xbox, Xbox Live, and creative teams including Xbox Music, Xbox Video and Microsoft Studios."I will now be leading the Xbox, Xbox Live, and creative teams including Xbox Music, Xbox Video and Microsoft Studios as we deliver the next generation of games and entertainment," he wrote. "Combining these teams will strengthen the connection between some of the world’s most innovative creators and those building the Xbox itself. I am incredibly proud of the talented Xbox employees around the world and believe, like they do, in the power of technology to bring games and entertainment to life across console, PC, tablet and mobile devices."This past year has been a growth experience both for me and for the entire Xbox team. We’ve taken feedback, made our products better and renewed our focus on what is most important, our customer. Our mission is to build a world-class team, work hard to meet the high expectations of a passionate fan base, create the best games and entertainment and drive technical innovation. As we continue forward, this renewed focus and mission will be a foundational part of how I lead the Xbox program."Meanwhile, new Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella gave his reasons for the promotion, explaining "Combining all our software, gaming and content assets across the Xbox team under a single leader and aligning with the OSG team will help ensure we continue to do great work across the Xbox business, and bring more of the magic of Xbox to all form factors, including tablets, PCs and phones."Spencer has "much more as we head into E3". As always, we'll be on the ground to bring you all the latest news as it's announced.

Luke Karmali is IGN's UK News Editor. You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on Twitter