In this candid, story‑rich conversation, Robbie Bach opens up about the twists that shaped his 22‑year Microsoft career. From chaotic early‑days product teams and unforgettable Office launch mishaps… to the audacity of building a gaming division from scratch… to the personal reckoning that reshaped his leadership style. In this Microsoft Alumni Voices video, Robbie reflects on the inside story of Xbox’s creation, lessons in leadership, culture, reinvention, and resilience, and how Microsoft’s values inspired his second act of philanthropy and civic impact. Discover the serendipity, struggle, and spark behind the stories.

Photo courtesy of Robbie Bach

Kevin Bachus, one of the original creators of Xbox, reveals how a tiny “rogue” team inside Microsoft went on to build one of the most influential gaming platforms in history. From early DirectX battles to the Valentine’s Day meeting that decided Xbox’s fate, Kevin shares candid stories of pitching Bill Gates, outmaneuvering Sony, shaping the first‑ever Xbox hardware, and convincing skeptical game studios that Microsoft could compete. This Microsoft Alumni Voices interview captures the creativity, risk‑taking, and relentless belief that transformed a wild idea into a global gaming brand.

Photo courtesy of Microsoft Alumni Network

From launching Legend of Zelda cartridges at Nintendo to joining Microsoft’s hardware group, Don Coyner soon became one of the early rebels behind the creation of Xbox. In this Microsoft Alumni Voices conversation, hear how he was recruited by Seamus Blackley and Kevin Bachus to help make Microsoft’s unlikely leap into video games, how chaotic six‑to‑nine‑month sprints built the foundation of the brand, and how early gamers reacted (“Ew, Microsoft?”). Follow his behind‑the‑scenes stories about shaping the original Xbox and leading the design reboot that defined Xbox 360.

Photo courtesy of Microsoft Alumni Network | Dan DeLong

In this candid Microsoft Alumni Voices conversation, Leonardo “Leo” Del Castillo shares how a childhood passion for taking things apart led to a 26‑year career shaping products from ActiMates interactive toys to the original Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. Hear the inside story of midnight problem‑solving, bold hardware bets, legendary team culture, and the “Red Ring of Death” crisis that transformed how Microsoft builds hardware. Leo also opens up about leadership, mentorship, cross‑disciplinary engineering, and the thrill of jumping from consoles to quantum computing—and eventually to startup life.

Photo courtesy of Microsoft Alumni Network

Step into the origins of one of the world’s most iconic and addictive computer puzzle games—Minesweeper—and the Microsoft era that shaped it. In this Microsoft Alumni Voices interview, Robert Donner shares how a side‑project built over a weekend spread through Microsoft, caught the attention of Bill Gates, eventually shipped worldwide, and quietly became a global phenomenon. Robert also shares stories from the early days of Word for Windows, the quirks of 1990s software culture, and a 25‑year career that stretched from game creation to reinventing Office licensing.

Photo courtesy of Microsoft Alumni Network

Ed Fries is a developer who helped shape Microsoft Excel and Word and later became a driving force behind Xbox. Ed shares his recollections of shipping Excel 2.0, rescuing Word for Windows, building Microsoft’s first game studio, and the tense, legendary meeting where Xbox was finally approved. In this Microsoft Alumni Voices conversation enjoy a candid look at innovation, leadership, and the birth of a gaming revolution—from someone who was there every step of the way.

Photo courtesy of Ed Fries