Xbox Live first debuted on the original Xbox back in November 2002, which really set a precedent for online console gaming. There were obviously many people involved with this process, but easily one of the most important was Eric Neustadter, who has now announced he is leaving Microsoft.
Neustadter has served as an Xbox Live architect since 2002, helping to bring online gaming into the console market more than it ever had before. He has remained working with Xbox and Xbox Live ever since, but he has now revealed that he is stepping away.
Neustadter used his Twitter account to announce the news that he was departing from Microsoft.
“After 14.5 years working at Xbox (18.5 at MS) today is my last day. It’s been an amazing ride. So Long, and Thanks for All the Gamerscore!”
Neustadter did not indicate anything about what he would be doing moving forward, but if he is taking a break, it certainly is a well deserved one for all his hard work helping to maintain Xbox Love over the last nearly 15 years.
While he was part of a crew, he also got the lucky distinction of having the first Xbox Live gamertag, the simply named “e.” This is a really neat thing for him, which he will always have.
