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Microsoft alum Larry 'Major Nelson' Hryb joins Unity as community director

As Unity's new community director, Hryb will be working directly with game developers once more on their projects.

Justin Carter, Contributing Editor

June 17, 2024

1 Min Read
Xbox's Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb at a 2006 press event.
IMAGE FROM WIKIPEDIA VIA PHOTOGRAPHER DEREK BAUER.

Nearly a full year after leaving Xbox, Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb has found a new position at Unity.

As he revealed on social media, Hryb will serve as director of the engine maker's community team. "Building on my long history as a developer advocate at Xbox," he wrote, "I'm excited to collaborate again with developers, harnessing our collective creativity to shape the future of real-time gaming and experiences."

During his 20-year Xbox tenure, Hryb served as a senior programming director and help guided Xbox Live's evolution on both the Xbox 360 and Xbox One, and the development of Kinect peripherals.

He was also one of the console brand's biggest faces, which puts some extra weight behind his new Unity job. As he called it on LinkedIn, this isn't so much a career shift as it a "leap into a realm where creativity and technology converge."

"At Unity, I see a horizon brimming with potential," Hryb continued. "I am eager to collaborate with the talented developers and creators who use Unity's tools to bring their visions to life.. [...] Here's to the next adventure—let's build the future together."

The new job caught the attention of former coworker and current Xbox head Phil Spencer, who commended Spencer for "continuing your tradition of helping developers and the industry."

About the Author

Justin Carter

Contributing Editor, GameDeveloper.com

A Kansas City, MO native, Justin Carter has written for numerous sites including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. In addition to Game Developer, his writing can be found at io9 over on Gizmodo. Don't ask him about how much gum he's had, because the answer will be more than he's willing to admit.

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