Report: J Allard "unlikely" to return to Microsoft

Online reports claim that original Xbox evangelist J Allard is currently on sabbatical from Microsoft and may not return to the company.

Citing unnamed sources, Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet suggests that Allard took a leave of absence from the company after the recent closure of the Courier Tablet project he had been working on.

Although only one of Foley's sources suggests that Allard was encouraged to leave by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, there seems to be general agreement that he was unhappy about Courier's cancellation and increasing keen to leave the company.

Allard was one of the original champions of the Xbox brand, undergoing a radical makeover to take centre stage at a number of press conferences and public events. After overseeing the launch of the Xbox 360 though Allard disappeared from public view and was never again seen to be publically involved with the Xbox brand.

Instead he became involved in research and development for a number of secret projects, including Courier and what eventually became the Zune media player.

Microsoft has refused to comment on Allard's current whereabouts or status, although his corporate profile still lists him as chief experience officer and chief technology officer.