Former Xbox community head Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb joins Commodore

Larry Hryb, the former Xbox icon best known as Major Nelson, has been appointed as Community Development Advisor for Commodore, the recently revived 1980s computer brand.

The details:

• As announced this week, in Hryb’s new role as Community Development Advisor, he will "help support and expand the global community" and introduce the classic brand to an entirely new generation. "I've always believed the best thing a company can do is partner with its community—and with a passionate fan base carrying the torch for 31 years, Commodore’s situation is truly unique when it comes to community engagement," Hryb said. "The community didn't wait around – instead they built something remarkable. Players, hardware hobbyists, developers, content creators, and publishers are all a part of the Commodore community, and now we get to build what’s next together."
• Hryb, who spent over 22 years at Microsoft, served as the public face of Xbox and was instrumental in the development of Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Live, and more. He later left the company in September 2023, before taking on the role of Director of Community and Advocacy at Unity until he was laid off in January 2026.
• Iconic gaming brand Commodore reemerged in 2025 after being acquired by current CEO and President Peri Fractic, releasing the Commodore 64 Ultimate, which recreated the original system from over 30 years ago. “Through blogs, podcasts, social media, and events, Larry pioneered direct communication with players long before that kind of engagement became standard across the industry,” Frantic said about Hryb. “Bringing Larry in to help support continued engagement with the fans that kept Commodore alive while also welcoming a new generation of fans is a natural next step for us in rebooting the brand.”