J Allard, one of many chief designers of the unique Xbox, has joined Amazon, but it surely’s too quickly to say if he’ll be engaged on something associated to video video games.
Allard confirmed to The Verge that he’s the vp of Amazon’s units and companies workforce. He declined to enter specifics on what he is engaged on, however mentioned he’ll contribute to “new concepts.” Allard’s boss at Amazon is Panos Panay, the previous Home windows and Floor boss at Microsoft, in response to GeekWire.
Allard is an Xbox legend, having labored at Microsoft for almost 20 years. Throughout his time there, he was instrumental within the formation of the workforce that created the unique Xbox. He additionally led the event of Xbox Reside and the Xbox 360. Moreover, Allard ran the workforce liable for Microsoft’s iPod competitor, the Zune. Allard left Microsoft in 2010.
Allard joined Tommy Tallarico’s Intellivision as a contractor who labored with the corporate to finalize the hardware design of the retro-inspired Amico console. He left in summer season 2020 as a result of it was “not a very good match.”
Amazon has a online game division, but it surely’s unknown of Allard will contribute to it. The devices and services team he is becoming a member of runs the Alexa and Echo merchandise, together with the game-streaming service Luna. This workforce additionally runs the Undertaking Kuiper venture that goals to launch 1000’s of satellites into low-earth orbit to extend broadband entry all over the world.
As for Xbox, Microsoft is making a next-gen console that goals to supply the “largest technical leap” in console historical past. These are simply phrases for now, as Microsoft has supplied no data on the way it may obtain this or any timetable for this console’s launch.