Stephen Toulouse quits Microsoft

Microsoft’s Xbox Live policy and enforcement director Stephen Toulouse is to quit the firm after 18 years.

He resigns on February 15th to explore other opportunities”.

Known as StepTo to many Xbox gamers, Toulouse has for many years been the face of Xbox to much of its social networking community and primarily dealt with bans and suspensions for those who violated Xbox Live’s T&Cs.

Over the past year I’ve been doing quite of bit of thinking. I turn 40 this year. Despite the wonderful ability in Microsoft to change careers pretty dramatically inside the company, I’ve been there nearly 18 years and it’s the only world I’ve really ever known. I feel too strangely comfortable, and too strangely tied, Toulouse wrote on his blog.

So over the past several weeks I’ve made the decision to resign and have been working with my management for an orderly transition. I have no other plans beyond that. I’m a free agent.

For anyone wondering, I want to make sure I am clear: This is a positive thing. I have nothing but confidence in the future of Microsoft and specifically Xbox and Xbox LIVE. I have enormous gratitude for my time there. I want to finish my next book, and explore other opportunities.

I have no idea what the future holds, for the first time in my life. This ought to be interesting.”