THE BUZZ: Xbox Live’s Director of Policy and Enforcement, Stephen Toulouse, has confirmed his resignation from Microsoft after 18 years.

He revealed the news on his personal blog:

“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 ever known. I feel too strangely comfortable, and too strangely tied. 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.”

Toulouse is set to leave February 15.

EGM’s TAKE: This is a big loss for Microsoft as Toulouse has been spearheading enforcement for quite some time now, banning many pirates and resetting a lot Gamerscore cheats among many other things. He was also the face of the division, appearing at many conferences and panels to discuss future protection systems and chat with users regarding the reasons behind bans and resets. Although he did receive a lot of hate from users that he had banned or reset, with one hacker going as far as breaking into his Xbox Live account and changing his personal details. The question is, who will fill his shoes?

What are your thoughts on Toulouse leaving? Leave your comments below.

Source: Stephen Toulouse Blog