Xbox Veteran Albert Penello Has Passed Away

Some sad news to start the new year. Albert Penello, a member of the Xbox team at Microsoft from 2000 until 2018 has sadly passed away after a battle with cancer.

Ex-Microsoft and Blizzard employee Mike Ybarra was first to break the news on Twitter, sharing the news to his followers and paying tribute to Albert’s legacy. “I found out today that Albert Penello passed away from cancer. Incredibly sad to hear this. Albert was a long time Xbox employee and gaming fan. I spoke to Albert about a month ago, checking in to see how he was. His spirits were high, his attitude was remarkable given the situation. I will remember Albert as a kind person, sharing, and having an incredible passion for the hobby we all love…. gaming. His energy and commitment were second to none. His impact on Xbox was noteworthy. Always debating for the right answer and striving to keep players first. I pray for his wife and 12 year old daughter during this difficult time. RIP Albert – and thanks for everything you did for your family, friends, and gaming.“

As the news spread, many people – be they colleagues who had worked with Albert, or members of the community who had engaged with him have shared their tributes and paid their respects. Ryan McCaffrey at IGN shared a link to an old Podcast Unlocked episode that featured Albert being interviewed about the Xbox One X.

“I’m devastated to hear about the passing of longtime Xbox exec Albert Penello from cancer,” said McCaffrey. “He was an incredibly sweet, enthusiastic guy who loved games & loved building consoles at Xbox. Here’s an old Unlocked episode w/him on the origins of the Xbox One X.”

Larry Hyrb, Xbox Live’s Major Nelson shared his tribute, saying “Devastated by the loss of my close friend, Albert Penello – Albert was a pillar of gaming at Microsoft and Amazon, a brilliant, trusted voice in our industry, a loyal friend, and most importantly a husband and father who was profoundly loved by his wife, Dara and daughter, Lily.” He also shared a Kickstarter project Albert had been working on.

This is a live Kickstarter project that clearly Albert had intended to see through, and it’s heart-breaking that he passed away before the project was funded fully. The team he was working with have vowed to press on however, in his honour, sharing the below message in an update to the Kickstarter page.

This project has always been a labor of love, driven by a singular vision to bring the Mighty Orbots to life. Today, we want to be fully transparent with you about the heart of this campaign.

Our lead and dear friend, Albert, had been facing a very serious health battle with cancer. While we had hoped he could be here to share this journey with you daily, his health took a quick turn, and Albert passed away on December 31st.

We wanted you to know because Albert’s greatest wish was to see this ‘holy grail’ figure finally reach the hands of fans. The rest of the team who have been working alongside him for the last year are more committed than ever to making this happen. We are fully prepared to take the reins on production, tooling, and fulfillment to ensure his vision is realized exactly as he intended.

We only have 10 days left to reach our goal, and we need your help to get us the rest of the way. We’ve started paid advertising hoping to help give us a good push. We’ve also opened up the tees and the art print to all countries that have pledged. 

This isn’t just a campaign anymore; it’s a mission to complete a legacy. Please help us spread the word. Let’s make Albert’s dream come true together.

Albert worked at Xbox for nearly two decades, from the early days of the original Xbox console all the way to the Xbox One X, before leaving Microsoft and joining Amazon in 2018. Our hearts go out to Albert’s family and friends at this difficult time, and we wish you the very best.

Rest in peace, Albert.