Even historical figures change jobs. Or for those who prefer to see it from a war perspective, they switch sides. People don’t exist just as figures to sell products and ensure that a certain brand has a presence on social media and in the minds of consumers. They also have a life. People must make the best decisions for their own existence. That’s why, from time to time, we see shocking situations where a historical figure goes from the position we’ve always known them to have to a completely different one.
This occurred with Larry Hryb, better known as Major Nelson. Host of the Official Xbox Podcast and also known for posting Xbox information on his official Twitter account, he was the company’s official hype man on social media. The public face of the Xbox brand for many years, since its first console. But last year, in 2023, Hryb confirmed he was leaving the company to pursue new job opportunities. And now, finally, we know where he’s landed.
Last Monday, June 17th, on his LinkedIn, he listed his new job as Community Director at Unity. A job that seems to be some kind of brand ambassador for the famous game engine, which is currently not going through its best moment of credibility towards users. Or creators.
It seems Hryb wanted to highlight Unity’s mission to “empower creativity and success in the businesses of creators around the world in video games, applications, and experiences that align with my vital passion for innovation and community building.” His statement confirms that he will work as a brand ambassador, building community and improving Unity’s brand image. Which is not experiencing its best moment.
Unity certainly needs this kind of clear and inspiring communication, and Hryb is an expert at that. After last year, the company managed not just to anger the entire community of video game developers, but to cause an exodus of many of them; its credibility has been greatly damaged. In addition, it hasn’t helped that, among the wave of layoffs in recent years, Unity has recently laid off 25% of its workforce as recently as last January. Therefore, as much as we appreciate Major Nelson, we fear that Hryb has a very, very difficult challenge ahead.
