J Allard, one of the key architects behind the original Xbox, has now joined Amazon, though it remains uncertain whether he will be involved in any video game-related projects. Allard confirmed to The Verge that he is the vice president of Amazon's devices and services team. He refrained from divulging specific details about his current work, but mentioned that he will be contributing to "new ideas." According to GeekWire, Allard's supervisor at Amazon is Panos Panay, who previously held leadership roles at Microsoft in Windows and Surface.
Allard is a revered figure in the Xbox community, having spent nearly two decades at Microsoft. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in assembling the team that developed the original Xbox. He also spearheaded the creation of Xbox Live and the Xbox 360. Furthermore, Allard managed the team responsible for Microsoft's iPod rival, the Zune. He departed Microsoft in 2010.
Prior to joining Amazon, Allard worked as a contractor for Tommy Tallarico's Intellivision, assisting in the finalization of the hardware design for the retro-inspired Amico console. He left the company in summer 2020, citing a lack of alignment with his role.
Amazon does have a video game division, but it is unclear whether Allard will be contributing to it. The devices and services team he is joining oversees Alexa and Echo products, as well as the game-streaming service Luna. Additionally, this team is involved in the Project Kuiper initiative, which aims to deploy thousands of satellites into low-earth orbit to enhance global broadband access.
Meanwhile, Microsoft is in the process of developing a next-generation console that promises to deliver the "largest technical leap" in console history. However, Microsoft has yet to provide any details on how this leap will be achieved or a timeline for the console's release.
