Xbox's Larry Hryb aka 'Major Nelson' leaves Microsoft after 20 years

Larry Hryb, also known by his Xbox Live Gamertag "Major Nelson", has announced that he is leaving Microsoft after 20 years to work on the next chapter of his career.

"After 20 incredible years, I have decided to take a step back and work on the next chapter of my career. As I take a moment and think about all we have done together, I want to thank the millions of gamers around the world who have included me as part of their lives," Hryb tweeted on Friday.

"Also, thanks to Xbox team members for trusting me to have a direct dialogue with our customers. The future is bright for Xbox and as a gamer, I am excited to see the evolution," he added.

Hryb spent many years as one of the most prominent public faces of the brand as Director of Programming for the Microsoft gaming network Xbox Live.

He joined the company as editor-in-chief of MSN Music in 2001, but in 2003, when he joined the Xbox division, he found his identity with the company.

His activities included hosting Microsoft's Official Xbox Podcast and regularly sharing Xbox team news with his more than 1 million Twitter followers.

Hryb hasn't said where he'll be going next, but he plans to spend some time with his family and enjoy the summer in Seattle in the US.

"What's next? Going take some time to spend time with my family (no really!) and enjoy the Seattle Summer. As many of you know, I never really took time off... so now I will take that opportunity," he tweeted.