Microsoft’s Shocking Layoff Spree: Who’s Next?

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Summary

  • Microsoft has reportedly laid off more employees across its gaming, security, and sales divisions.
  • It’s unclear how many employees have been impacted.
  • These new layoffs are also unconnected to a previous round of cuts announced earlier in January.

As a passionate gaming enthusiast, I’ve learned that Microsoft has reportedly let go of more employees across its gaming, security, and sales divisions this year. The past few years have been challenging for video game employees, with many companies like Microsoft announcing significant layoffs, especially in 2024. Notably, studios such as the developer of Predator: Hunting Grounds, IllFonic, and Outriders studio, People Can Fly, have faced cuts. Recently, Rocksteady announced another round of layoffs following the divisive reception of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.

It’s been reported that Microsoft, one of the largest companies, has been reducing its workforce in its Xbox division since early 2024. Back in January, Microsoft disclosed that approximately 1,900 employees, including those from acquired subsidiaries like Activision Blizzard and ZeniMax, would be let go within its gaming division. More recently, in September, another 650 employees were laid off from corporate and support roles at Activision Blizzard, which is owned by Microsoft.

According to recent reports from Business Insider (via GamesIndustry.biz), there’s speculation that Microsoft has carried out another round of layoffs. A Microsoft representative supposedly mentioned that these recent dismissals would primarily affect a limited number of employees, without providing an exact figure. It’s also important to note that these latest layoffs are not related to the earlier cuts announced this month, which focused on underperforming workers who may or may not have been associated with Xbox.

Microsoft Could Be Laying Off More Xbox Employees

The significant job reductions ongoing at Microsoft are notable given their recent acquisitions of gaming giants such as Bethesda and Activision Blizzard, along with the announcement that Microsoft surpassed $3 trillion in market value following the extensive layoffs in January 2024. This initial round of downsizing sparked criticisms from the FTC, who aimed to utilize the layoffs at Activision Blizzard as a potential reason to block or reverse Microsoft’s high-profile merger with the publisher of popular game series like Call of Duty.

Previous Microsoft job cuts impacted the physical retail teams related to Xbox, along with many members of Blizzard’s customer service team, internal developers such as Sledgehammer Games and Toys for Bob. Additionally, an unnamed survival game project by Blizzard, known as Project Odyssey, was scrapped following these layoffs. The exact number of employees impacted by this latest round of Microsoft layoffs is yet to be verified, and it’s uncertain what effect it will have on the Xbox gaming division.

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2025-01-15 21:43