Larry Hryb, known in the gaming community as Major Nelson, has joined Unity as its new Director of Community after leaving Microsoft.

Major Nelson was at Microsoft for more than 22 years, serving as Senior Director Corporate Communications for the last 11. In that role, Major Nelson was often seen as the public face of Xbox. The executive announced in an X post that he was joining Unity, after leaving Microsoft nearly a year ago.

I am thrilled to announce that I’m joining the Community team at @unity! Building on my long history as a developer advocate at @Xbox, I’m excited to collaborate again with developers, harnessing our collective creativity to shape the future of real-time gaming and experiences. Let’s make magic happen!

Larry Hryb, Gamer Emeritus (@majornelson) | June 17, 2024

Major Nelson provided more information in a LinkedIn post, saying how excited he is about Unity’s future potential.

At Unity, I see a horizon brimming with potential. Unity’s mission of empowering creative and business success of creators around the world across games, apps, and experiences aligns with my lifelong passion for innovation and community building. I am eager to collaborate with the talented developers and creators who use Unity’s tools to bring their visions to life. Together, we’ll continue to transform the way stories are told and experiences are shared. I step into this new role with a heart full of memories and a spirit charged by the possibilities ahead.

Unity has had a rough year following a disastrous price change that led to widespread backlash from the developer community. While the company ultimately rolled back many of the changes, CEO John Riccitiello and CTO Marc Whitten both resigned in the aftermath.

Given Major Nelson’s status within the gaming community, he is a natural choice to head up community relations for a company that desperately needs to repair its relationships with its developer community.