Longtime Xbox ambassador Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb is leaving Microsoft

Larry Hryb, affectionately known to the Xbox community as Major Nelson, has announced his departure from Microsoft.

According to Hryb, he is leaving the firm to work on "the next chapter" of his career.

"After 20 incredible years, I have decided to take a step back and work on the next chapter of my career," said Hryb on Twitter. "As I take a moment and think about all we have done together, I want to thank the millions of gamers around the world who have included me as part of their lives.

"Also, thanks to Xbox team members for trusting me to have a direct dialogue with our customers. The future is bright for Xbox and as a gamer, I am excited to see the evolution."

Hryb joined Microsoft in 2001 as the editor-in-chief of MSN Music before moving on to director of programming for Xbox Live. Penning the Major Nelson Blog, he provided an inside look at operations at the Xbox division, and was also highly involved with the development of Microsoft's early consoles, Xbox Live, Kinect, and more.

He also hosted a weekly podcast called Major Nelson Radio, where he conducted interviews and discussed consoles, tech, gadgets, and all things Xbox.

Hryb said with his departure, the official Xbox Podcast will take a hiatus this summer, after which it will return with a new format.