Microsoft has recruited game industry analyst Matthew Ball as Xbox chief strategy officer. Ball publishes an annual state of video gaming report, which is a popular read across the game industry, and he's "widely respected across gaming, media, and technology," according to Xbox CEO Asha Sharma. Sharma announced Ball is joining Microsoft in a memo to Xbox employees this morning, seen by The Verge. She described Ball as a "longtime gamer," who has held strategy and leadership roles at Illuminatio