Ed Fries, vice president of games publishing at Microsoft Game Studios, has resigned from the company he had joined 18 years ago. No reasons were given for the departure. Until a permanent replacement has been found, Microsoft Game Studios COO Kim Shane will temporarily fill in Fries' position. Since being appointed vice president of the Redmond, Washington-based software giant's game division, Fries has become one of the industry's most prominent figures. Apart from overseeing Microsoft's entry in the game console market with the Xbox launch in November 2001 and the acquisition of Bungie, the developing studio behind the system's most popular title Halo, Fries also lured Bruce Shelley and Brian Reynolds to join Microsoft.

• GameSpot