Get ready for some hot and heavy Windows Insider action. Dona Sarkar has just revealed that things are going to get very busy as we get close to a final RTM Windows 10 Fall Creators Update release.  Unlike previous builds, though, there will be no build teasers, no major features, and only mostly bug fix releases in the coming days ahead.

#WindowsInsiders things are going to get VERY busy the next few days. No build teasers, no major features, mostly bug fix releases.

— Dona Sarkar at #MBAS #a11y (@donasarkar) September 22, 2017

Given that the release of the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is just a few short weeks away, this is not a real surprise. As you may recall, Microsoft was busy this week too, pushing out two new builds which were fairly minor and mainly focused on improving stability and fixing the small bugs which Windows Insiders reported.

Build 16291 rolled out on Tuesday, with just one new Cortana related feature in tow. Then, shortly after, on Wednesday night, Microsoft pulled a surprise and pushed out build 16294, mainly to fix some issues which were plaguing Surface Pro 3 users.

You can expect more of the same in the next few days, as Microsoft get itself ready to release the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update to a wider audience. Be sure to keep it tuned in right here to OnMSFT, as we will be following all the Microsoft news carefully over the next few days!

Panasonic has unveiled the new rugged, detachable Windows 10 2-in-1, the Touchbook CF-33, in India. The CF-33 is world’s first rugged laptop with 3:2 aspect ratio for display.

An evolution of the bestselling Panasonic Toughbook CF-31 and CF-20, this 7th generation rugged Toughbook laptop is aimed for police, emergency services, government agencies, defense, and field service workers.

The Toughbook CF-33 is a detachable laptop for mobile workers and offers a fully rugged laptop with detachable keyboard as well as a larger display tablet. It sports a magnesium chassis and comes with IP65 rating for water and dust resistance. It includes an IP55-rated digitizer pen for workers in toughest of weather conditions.

With the evolving needs of enterprise and government sectors, we are transforming with times to offer best computing solutions for our customers. Old bulky laptops present safety concerns, portability issues and are not very resilient to damage. We at Panasonic are constantly looking to offer products that not only improve the efficiency, but enhance productivity and bottom-line performances for a number of years.

– Vijay Wadhwan, Business Head System and Solution Business, Panasonic India

Panasonic Toughbook CF-33 Key

• Operating System: Windows 10 Pro
• Display: 12-inch 10-finger capacitive touch QHD (2160 x 1440)
• Processor: Intel Core i5-7300U vPro 2.6GHz (with i7-7600U option)
• RAM: 8GB (with 4GB and 16GB options)
• Internal Storage: 256GB SSD (with 128GB and 512GB options)
• Camera: 2MP webcam | 8MP rear camera
• Weight: 2.76 kg in laptop mode | 1.53 kg for tablet
• Ports: 2 x USB 3.0 | USB 2.0 | HDMI | LAN | micro SD-XC | Serial | VGA

The Panasonic Toughbook CF-33 is priced at ₹270,000 ($4167). According to the company, Panasonic Toughpad devices enjoy 65% market share in India, and with the introduction of new products in the Toughbook and Toughpad series, the company aims to increase the market share to over 70%.

Last week, Microsoft announced during its Edge Summit that Progressive Web Apps would soon hit the Windows Store, with Microsoft Teams being first in line. All sessions from the event are now available on demand, and the one called “PWA, HWA, Electron, oh my! Making sense of the evolving web app landscape” includes interesting information about what seems to be one of the biggest features of Windows 10 version 1803, the next major revision to Windows 10 after the soon to be released Fall Creators Update, coming next spring .

As spotted by Thurrott.com, Microsoft’s Senior Program Manager Kirupa Chinnathambi reveals in this session that Progressive Web Apps support will be enabled in the next major version of Windows 10 (which likely be named version 1803), but Windows Insiders should get early access to these new type of hybrid apps before everyone else.

If you’re not familiar with Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), they’re expected to become an excellent alternative to full native apps on Windows 10. PWAs are much more than a simple web app wrapped in an .appx container, meaning that they can work across a variety of devices (including phones, Xbox One consoles, Windows Mixed Reality headsets, etc.). Additionally, PWAs run over HTTPS, and they can work offline and send you push notifications.

To be clear, PWAs on the Windows Store will behave and look like native UWP apps, and Windows 10 users should not see any difference. Microsoft Teams is a perfect example of a PWA done well.

Microsoft Teams is now a PWA coming soon to the Windows Store @MicrosoftTeams #msedgesummit pic.twitter.com/DPWFuXETwQ

— Microsoft Edge Dev (@MSEdgeDev) September 13, 2017

Interestingly, Chinnathambi revealed that Microsoft is already piloting a limited set of PWAs, and Windows 10 users can now test PWAs in Edge by enabling “Service Workers” under about:flags in the settings. Later this year, Microsoft will turn on Service Worker functionality by default in Windows 10 preview builds, and full PWA support will roll out to everyone with the next major Windows 10 release.

Microsoft is already courting developers to bring their PWAs to the Windows Store, but the company will also crawl the web to automatically add reputable PWAs to its digital store. Time will tell if this can be a good solution for the lack of quality apps on the Windows Store, but this could definitely help make Windows 10 S a more viable option for many consumers. However, it’s still not clear if PWAs could help Windows 10 Mobile in any way.

Project Cars 2 is now available to play on Microsoft’s Xbox One family of consoles. This sequel to the original Project Cars game features over 180 cars to drive, a 24-hour day and night cycle, and gameplay that was tested by real car racers. Here’s the official game description and link.

Project CARS 2 delivers the soul of motor racing in the world’s most beautiful, authentic, and technically-advanced racing game. Features 180+ licensed cars from iconic manufacturers, largest track roster on console, dynamic surface & weather physics, full 24-hour cycle featuring real-time atmospheric conditions and seasonal ambience, state-of-the art physics model, all-new Online Championships mode and more.

Buy Project Cars 2 on Xbox One

Are you going to play Project Cars 2 or is there another new title like The LEGO NINJAGO Movie Video Game that’s caught your eye? Let us know in the comments below.

The LEGO NINJAGO Movie Video Game is now available to play on the Xbox One in most regions. The game, as its title suggests, is based on the new LEGO NINJAGO movie which also debuts in cinemas this week. The film is a reboot of the popular NINJAGO animated TV series and features a host of celebrity actors lending their voices to the different LEGO characters. Here’s the official game description and shopping link:

Find your inner ninja with the all-new LEGO NINJAGO Movie Video Game! Play as your favorite ninjas, Lloyd, Jay, Kai, Cole, Zane, Nya and Master Wu to defend their home island of Ninjago from the evil Lord Garmadon and his Shark Army. Master the art of Ninjagility by wall-running, high-jumping and battling the foes of Ninjago to rank up and upgrade the ninja’s combat skills. Only in the LEGO NINJAGO Movie Video Game will you experience the film across 8 action packed locations each with its own unique Challenge Dojo. And with the Battle Maps, play against friends and family in competitions for up to four players!

Buy The LEGO NINJAGO Movie Video Game on Xbox One

This latest LEGO video game differs from previous ones in that it allows for characters to level up with different skill sets and also supports four-play local multiplayer in a special battle mode. Are you planning to buy The LEGO NINJAGO Movie Video Game? Let us know in the comments.

Microsoft has announced that the next Xbox Live Sessions will feature James Corden, host of the host of The Late Late Show. Corden will be playing FIFA 18, and viewers definitely are in for some jokes and humor during the entire session.

As usual, the session will be hosted on the Xbox Mixer Channel, this time on Sunday, September 24 at 12:00 PM PDT. Xbox fans will also have a chance to get an early look at the game before it launches on September 29th, ask Corden questions, or enter to win codes for FIFA 18 and EA Access.

Aaron Greenberg, GM of Games Marketing at Xbox, remarked on having Corden as a guest.

Xbox One is the only console with EA Access, which allows fans to play FIFA 18 first starting today and what better way to celebrate that than with James Corden who will undoubtedly entertain fans globally during his Xbox Live Session,”

Previous guests for Xbox Live Sessions included DJ Khaled and Marlon Wayans. Microsoft is saying that other guests will be doing Xbox Live Sessions soon, including athletes, actors, and some of the best musical talent.

Earlier this month, we learned that Microsoft was preparing to upgrade Skype for Business users to Microsoft Teams, a transition that would be opt-in while the company continues to enhance the Microsoft Teams experience. There are definitely a lot of synergies between the two products, and a new feature that lets users join Microsoft Teams Meetings using their Skype for Business dial-in number is apparently in public preview.

After creating a new Microsoft Teams Meeting yesterday, Skype for Business Technical Consultant Jeff Brown spotted the dial-in conferencing information in the meeting description, with a new “Join by Phone” section including dial-in number and conference ID details. When a participant joins the Teams Meeting using PSTN, he will be identified by his phone number in the participant list, explained Brown.

“The dial-in conferencing is a welcome feature and only goes to show that Microsoft Teams is rapidly taking on Skype for Business features,” shared Brown in a blog post yesterday. “One noticeable feature missing from meetings is the ability to dial-out or the “call me at” feature to dial out to a phone.” Despite the Dial In Conference ability being in public preview, it looks like Microsoft has yet to officially announce the new feature. There are a couple of Ignite sessions dedicated to Microsoft Teams and Skype for Business next week, and we expect to learn more about dial-in conferencing in Teams on this occasion.

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite is now available to play on the Xbox One family of consoles in all major regions. The game is the latest in the popular Marvel vs. Capcom fighting franchise and features a new art style, new characters, and the complete removal of any character whose movie rights currently belong to FOX. Here’s the official description, shopping link, and trailer:

The epic clash between two storied universes returns with Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, the next era of the highly revered action-fighting game series. Marvel and Capcom universes collide like never before as iconic characters team up for action-packed player-versus-player combat. Ultron Sigma has begun the systematic eradication of all biological life. Against all odds, heroes arise from the rubble, form new alliances and stand together against the ultimate threat, their only hope laying with the all-powerful Infinity Stones.

Buy Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite on Xbox One

Have you played Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite and would you recommend it to others? Let us know why or why not in the comments. Did it meet your expectations?

The Scoria Gaming Headset is a relatively new headset designed for gamers. It boasts 7.1 audio for a more immersive gameplay experience and also features a built-in mic for multiplayer chat or online streaming.

Due to its USB connectivity, the Scoria Gaming Headset unfortunately isn’t compatible with Microsoft’s Xbox One family of consoles however it works perfectly fine on Windows 10 PCs and impressively sets itself up automatically within minutes after the initial connection is made. No manual installation of software is required to get it running.

An Impressive 7.1 Surround Experience

When it comes to sound quality, the Scoria really impresses with a clear separate focus on each individual audio channel that effectively creates a truly immersive experience when playing supported games or watching a movie or TV show. The bass, while not the deepest, works completely fine and few will find much to complain about here.

LED Lightshow

Arguably the main feature of the Scoria Gaming Headset is its LED lighting which can be set as either one of five available color options or left to cycle through the spectrum on an automated basis. The lights aren’t as bright as most would expect when turned on in a well-lit environment though which could disappoint some users who play games with the lights turned on. They really are designed to be used in a dark room while playing games on a PC and they suit this situation just fine.

Comfort Level & Practicality

The Scoria Gaming Headset is fairly well designed with both of its earpieces fitting into place comfortably. Its double-headband (or whatever you’d call it) creates a form factor that quickly and conveniently adjusts to the user’s head size automatically without requiring any trial-and-error manual fixing as is the case with most rival headsets.

The headset’s microphone is also worth mentioning due to its ability to extend to a fully-functional mic form or be quietly pushed back into the left earpiece when not being used.

What lets the Scoria Gaming Headset down is its weight which is surprisingly heavier than one would expect. At 14.4oz (or 408g for everyone not in the U.S.A.), the Scoria is the heaviest of Enhance Gaming’s headsets and it definitely feels like it. It’s not heavy enough to cause any neck pain or be made unusable but it does cause a strain when looking down or when sitting in any position that isn’t completely upright. This extra weight appears to be a side effect of the metal headband which, while making the overall device look cool, does make it heavier than it should be. This may be a headset worth trying on in a store before buying.

Overall Impressions

The Scoria Gaming Headset is fantastic value for its current price (under US$50) with its very solid 7.1 surround sound experience that really elevates the gaming and movie-watching experience on a PC. The customizable LED lights are a very attractive feature that could be a major selling point for many gamers though will likely appeal more to those who stream on services such as Twitch and Mixer due to their added visual flair. Worth checking out.

Available on Amazon & Enhance Gaming

Microsoft has joined General Dynamics and Dell in a contract with the U.S. Air Force, granting the collection of companies $1 billion to build a Cloud Hosted Enterprise Services (CHES) program. The program will be part of an ongoing effort by the United States Government to implement more cloud technology into their infrastructure, driving efficient and less costly work.

The program is meant to be rolled out to 776,000 users, and is planned to be ready to go in under a year. “The CHES contract extends the ability of the Air Force to collaborate across the enterprise,” explained Leigh Madden, General Manager for U.S. Defense at Microsoft. “We aren’t just delivering a secure productivity solution, we’re freeing up resources, so our airmen can focus on mission critical tasks,” he added. On top of the US Air Force, the CHES will also benefit the Defense Logistics Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

One of the biggest contracts that the U.S. Government has ever struck in terms of its communications technology, the design of the new CHES is something that can make serious leaps and bounds in the efficacy of the American government. Depending on how this works out in the long run, it could also mean that more aspects of the government will be moved over to the cloud for faster and less expensive operation.

Microsoft announced in a blog post that the Redmond-based company has joined the Coalition for Better Ads. The Coalition helps provide a better, more streamlined online experience for consumers so that they are not inundated with online ads while browsing.

Here is Microsoft’s full statement:

“At Microsoft, we believe in supporting and collaborating with the online advertising industry to develop standards that make the digital ecosystem function better for consumers, marketers and publishers.

In this spirit, we are excited to announce that Microsoft has joined the Coalition for Better Ads (CBA). Through our advertising platforms, and our multitude of consumer services, we believe we can make an important contribution to improving and safeguarding advertising standards on the web.

Microsoft is committed to working with our industry partners and the Coalition for Better Ads to continue the development and implementation of standards that will have a positive impact on consumers and the entire online advertising community.”

By joining the Coalition for Better Ads, Microsoft wants to make sure its own ads platform, Bing Ads, stays within consumers’ rights and expectations for online advertising.

Since Microsoft launched Windows 10 and “Windows as a Service,” Windows 10 users now get two major updates every year which bring several new features as well as under the hood improvements. And if the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update will start rolling to all users on October 17, Microsoft is describing today the current Windows 10 version (aka the Creators Update) as “the most performant and reliable version of Windows 10 ever.”

If the timing of the announcement is quite interesting, Microsoft penned a lengthy blog post to detail all the performance, battery life, reliability and security improvements introduced by the Creators Update. Highlights include the new power slider, which allows user to prioritize battery life over performance, and vice versa. Many stock Windows 10 apps such as Movies & TV, Outlook Mail and Microsoft Edge are now more battery efficient (though other browsers vendors may disagree).

If performance matters to you, Microsoft also shared the following data proving that Creators Update is significantly faster than the Anniversary Update:

• Booting up your device is now 13% faster, and logging in after boot is up to 18% faster.
• Unlocking your device with Windows Hello Facial recognition is up to 30% faster.
• Microsoft Edge is also up to 53% faster in the Creators Update thanks to efficiency improvements that make scrolling pages and loading pages faster, and website rendering and interaction more responsive.
• Two features used daily are the Start Menu and Windows Search, and we’ve improved both – the Start Menu opens faster, and we’ve optimized Windows Search performance.
• For devices on which multiple users log-in (e.g., classrooms) the first user log-in is up to 47% faster in the Creators Update.

Microsoft also says that its close relationship with its OEM partners really helps to make Windows 10 more reliable across the vast ecosystem of devices running the OS. “With well over 400 thousand ecosystem drivers on Windows 10, we work closely with device manufacturers to test and ensure the reliability of their device drivers,” explained John Cable, Director of Program Management, Windows Servicing and Delivery. As a result, Microsoft claims that it saw a 18% reduction in users seeing certain system stability issues in the Creators Update compared to earlier versions of Windows 10.

Likewise, Microsoft and its OEM partners saw reduced customer support volumes since last year. “Our close collaboration with our ecosystem partners has resulted in a 39% total reduction in operating system and driver stability issues between the Anniversary Update and Creators Update,” explained Cable.

“By listening to user and partner feedback, we evolve Windows to make each quality update and each feature update better than the last,” added Cable. “It also assures we continue to keep Windows 10 the most reliable, performant and secure version of Windows ever.”  Overall, it seems that Windows as a service as come a long way since the days when Microsoft was aggressively pushing the Windows 10 update to Windows 7 and 8 users. AdDuplex recently noted that the Creators Update was rolling out to all users at a slower pace compared to the Anniversary Update, and it’s also worth noting that Microsoft no longer hesitates to delay major updates that are not fully baked (My People, Timeline, etc). Quality is always better than quantity, and Microsoft obviously agrees with that.

Would you also say that Windows 10 is becoming more reliable after every major update, or did you encounter any major issues after installing the Creators Update? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Microsoft has released an update for the Windows 10 Maps app for those who have opted to Skip Ahead (via Aggiornamenti Lumia.) The update is fairly minor but adds in bus, ferry, train schedules and more.

After updating, the latest version of the Windows 10 Maps app gets pushed to version 5.1708.2511.0. Other notable features delivered in this update are some Fluent Design elements, and user interface changes. A rough translation of the changelog for the update can be seen below.

• It is now possible to check the schedules of Bus, Metro and ferries: Simply click or “tapping” on the icons that symbolize the vehicle and automatically you will see the list of all upcoming departures
• Improvements with Fluent Design
• Improvements and minor fixes

As has been the case in the past, you can expect for this update to roll out to the standard Windows 10 Mobile and Windows 10 Mobile users very soon. If you’ve already received this update on your device, let us know your thoughts by dropping us a comment in the section below.

Apparently, Overwatch is no longer governed by Xbox Live’s reputation system, allowing “Avoid me” players (AKA trolls) to be able to be put in matchmaking with anyone (via Reddit). As outlined in the Reddit post, Overwatch players will be all be grouped from the same matchmaking pool, regardless of reputation in competitive play.

The Reddit post comes after an Overwatch patch update yesterday (full patch notes available here), which includes a number of general, interface, and other updates that include the aforementioned “Avoid me” players on Xbox Live:

[XB1] Players whose Xbox Live reputation has been downgraded to “Avoid Me” will remain in the same matchmaking pool as other Overwatch players. However, they will no longer be able to use the in-game voice communication.

In other news, Overwatch will be free to play on Windows, Xbox One, and PS4 this weekend, starting September 22 and running until September 25, 2017. While Overwatch will be available free to play for Xbox Live Gold members in all regions, Windows 10 PC users will only be able to participate in the following regions: “Americas, Europe, and Asia gameplay regions—excluding Korea.”

Xbox One gamers with Xbox Live Gold memberships will be able to play as one of the 25 heroes available in Overwatch. There are also 4 different game modes and 16 different maps available to play, including:

• Assault: Hanamura, Horizon Lunar Colony, Temple of Anubis, and Volskaya Industries
• Escort: Dorado, Junkertown, Route 66, and Watchpoint: Gibraltar
• Assault/Escort Hybrid: Eichenwalde, Hollywood, King’s Row, and Numbani
• Control: Ilios, Lijiang Tower, Nepal, and Oasis

Any progress made in Overwatch this weekend will be saved and carried over if you decide to purchase the game. Xbox Live Gold members are also offered a special discount and can get Overwatch for $38.99, down from its regular price of $59.99!

Download Overwatch today from the Microsoft Store and get ready to start playing for free this weekend!

Microsoft announced yesterday the appointment of Hugh Johnston, vice chairman and chief financial officer of PepsiCo, to its board of directors and to the board’s audit committee. The 56 years-old exec previously worked as a director and audit committee chair for Twitter Inc. and AOL Inc, and will bring his valuable experience to Microsoft’s board.

“Hugh is an accomplished financial and business leader who brings a depth of experience from his successful career at PepsiCo where he has oversight of finance, IT, e-commerce and the company’s digital transformation,” said John W. Thompson, independent Microsoft board chairman. “He is a great addition to Microsoft’s board of directors, and we look forward to working with him.”

Johnson’s addition is effective immediately and will make the board reach 13 members. However, the Redmond Giant also announced yesterday the upcoming departure of ValueAct Capital President G.Mason Morfit, who chose not to seek re-election to the board. Morfit will leave the board at Microsoft’s annual shareholders meeting set for Nov. 29, 2017. “Mason has been a valuable adviser at an important time in Microsoft’s transformation, and we are grateful for his contributions,” Thompson said.

Microsoft has revealed that the next Windows Insider Webcast will be later today on September 20th at 10:00 AM PDT. This webcast is set to focus on Microsoft’s flighting system and will feature familiar faces including Jason Howard, Program Manager on the Windows Insider Engineering Team.

Tomorrow @ 10am PDT (5pm UTC)! Tune in at https://t.co/WUEQi1oJeW

— Windows Insider (@windowsinsider) September 19, 2017

For those who are unsure, 10 AM PDT is 5 PM in UTC, and you can convert this time to your specific time zone by checking here. The webcast is a great way to connect with the Windows Insider team and have them answer your burning questions about the company’s flighting system. As usual, you can watch on Mixer or check later in the day on demand if you happen to miss it live.

Microsoft last held a Windows Insider Webcast last month on August 29th, and it was focused on the mechanics of the Windows engineering systems. So, be sure to tune in again this time, as you no doubt will learn more about how the Windows Insider team works to get those new builds to your desktop!

It looks as if the beta for Minecraft’s Better Together Update has no finished and the full, proper, public launch of the new unified Minecraft is ready to rollout.

https://twitter.com/Chupacaubrey/status/910213343528419328

According to Mojang’s Aubrey Norris, the update has already begun to roll out to Xbox One consoles and will continue in waves throughout the rest of the week while the Windows 10 and mobile versions will update tomorrow. The Nintendo Switch version will apparently update later in the year as Mojang is still testing this new version on that console.

After the update has been installed, all versions of the game will be renamed as simply, Minecraft (i.e. no Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition-type titles), and a load of new changes will be implemented. You can read a comprehensive of what will be new here. The biggest new feature will be the ability to play with other players on different platforms. As long as they’re running the latest version of the game that is.

Minecraft will be getting another big update later in the year with its Super Duper Graphics Pack which will add 4K graphics and higher resolution imagery (pictured above).

Are you excited to play this new version of Minecraft? Let us know in the comments below.

Microsoft’s Phil Spencer has confirmed in a tweet that the popular Xbox 360 video game, Fable Anniversary, will indeed be coming to the Xbox One family of consoles via the system’s backwards compatibility feature. While no estimated release date was announced, Spencer did state that it’s being worked on right now so fans shouldn’t have to wait too long.

This should come, it's being worked on now.

— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) September 19, 2017

Fable Anniversary was a re-release of Fable: The Lost Chapters for the Xbox 360 and contained a variety of improvements such as better graphics and Xbox Achievements. The game came out relatively recently in early 2014.

Do you enjoy playing Xbox 360 games on your Xbox One via backwards compatibility? Let us know your favorites in the comments below.

Today, September 19th marks International Talk Like a Pirate Day, and of course, Microsoft is getting into the fun. A temporary ‘Pirate Speak’ mode is now showing up on Outlook.com Beta accounts, allowing you to have a couple of laughs and celebrate the day dedicated to pirates (via Windows Central.)

If you’ve enabled the Outlook.com beta, you can find the button to toggle the Pirate Speak mode by looking for the skull and crossbones icon in the upper right-hand side of your inbox. After you click and toggle this switch, the text in Outlook.com will transform into a Pirate-type language. Here is a list of what you can expect if “ye be so brave enough” to toggle the button and “walk the plank” down into the world of Pirate talk.

• Your Favorites heading will be marked as “Loot.”
• Your Folders will be marked as “Treasure Troves.”
• The search button will be labeled as “hunt for.”
• New mail will be marked as “New Slavo.”
• Delete will be “Throw Overboard.”
• Send will be “Fire away.”
• CC will be “Expand Crew”
• BCC will be “Stow Away”

Several other areas of the Outlook.com Beta experience also see language changes when “Pirate Speak” mode is enabled. And, if you don’t like the mode, you can disable it by clicking on the skull and crossbones icon again.  We’ll let you explore the other changes on your own, so have fun, and let us know your favorite part of the Pirate Speak mode by dropping us a comment below.

Phil Spencer has just received a promotion to Executive Vice President of Xbox, and a seat on the Senior Leadership Team. First noted by Microsoft watcher Mary Jo Foley, the promotion suggests that Microsoft may be taking its Xbox and gaming incentives more seriously moving forward.

Now that Phil Spencer has moved up to an EVP position, Microsoft has a total of 16 members in the Senior Leadership team— including CEO Satya Nadella, Terry Myerson, Brad Smith, and others. Spencer will continue to be responsible for Microsoft’s gaming incentives across all of its platforms, such as Xbox HoloLens, and Windows. He is well known by Xbox fans and was previously the head of Microsoft Studios before he was promoted to Executive Vice President of Gaming at Microsoft.

The change in position is effective immediately was shared with employees today by Satya Nadella. Along with this, he also shared the news that the Enterprise Mobility and Security (EMS) team is moving from the Cloud and Enterprise unit to Windows and Devices. The new team is being renamed to “Enterprise Mobility and Managment” and members will report to Corporate Vice President Brad Anderson and Windows and Devices chief Terry Myerson.