The Studio Behind the Best-Selling Game of All Time, Minecraft, Gets a New Boss

The Vice President of Microsoft Gaming, Kayleen Walters, is taking over Mojang as Åsa Bredin plans to exit the studio this February. Walters will retain her position as Microsoft Gaming’s Vice President.

Reported first by Variety, the transition from Bredin to Walters will happen immediately. However, Bredin will stay with the company until the end of February to ensure a smooth transition. The cause for Bredin’s departure is to “focus on personal goals outside of work”.

Walters was the head of Minecraft’s Franchise development from 2018 to 2018 before becoming the Vice President of Minecraft’s Brand & Entertainment in 2023. In 2024, she joined Microsoft to be the Vice President of Franchise Development.

Before this, she worked in Lucasfilm for 13 years ultimately becoming the studio’s Vice President of Franchise Marketing & Integrated Planning. Her background in theatre and production might be a boon for the studio ahead of the Minecraft movie’s release in April 2025.

Aside from taking over as the head of Mojang, Walters will also continue to work as the Vice President of Microsoft Gaming. This means that Walters will travel from Redmond, where she is currently based, to Stockholm quite frequently to attend to her duties in Mojang. She will be reporting to Helen Chiang, the studio head of the Minecraft Franchise.

Mojang is the studio behind Minecraft, the most sold game in the world. To date, Minecraft has sold over 300 million copies. Mojang was bought by Microsoft in June 2014 and has been under the Xbox Gaming banner ever since.