Microsoft lays off 650 more Xbox employees

Sep 12, 2024 05:49 PM - 7 months ago 280034

Microsoft is laying disconnected astir 650 labor successful its gaming section today. The latest cuts travel months aft Microsoft laid disconnected 1,900 Activision Blizzard and Xbox employees, and aft nan closure of respective crippled studios, including Redfall developer Arkane Austin.

Xbox main Phil Spencer announced nan layoffs to labor successful an soul memo this morning, seen by The Verge. The cuts are related to nan Activision Blizzard deal, and Spencer makes that clear successful his email.

“As portion of aligning our post-acquisition squad building and managing our business, we person made nan determination to destruct astir 650 roles crossed Microsoft Gaming — mostly firm and supporting functions — to shape our business for agelong word success,” says Spencer.

Microsoft completed its $68.7 cardinal acquisition of Activision Blizzard successful October, pursuing months of battles pinch regulators successful nan UK and US. Here’s Phil Spencer’s memo successful full:

For nan past year, our extremity has been to minimize disruption while welcoming caller teams and enabling them to do their champion work. As portion of aligning our post-acquisition squad building and managing our business, we person made nan determination to destruct astir 650 roles crossed Microsoft Gaming — mostly firm and supporting functions — to shape our business for agelong word success.

I cognize that this is difficult news to hear. We are profoundly grateful for nan contributions of our colleagues who are learning they are impacted. In nan US, we’re supporting them pinch exit packages that see severance, extended healthcare, and outplacement services to thief pinch their transition; extracurricular nan US packages will disagree according to location.

With these changes, our firm and supporting teams and resources are aligned for sustainable early growth, and tin amended support our workplace teams and business units pinch programs and resources that tin standard to meet their needs. Separately, arsenic portion of moving nan business, location are immoderate impacts to different teams arsenic they accommodate to shifting priorities and negociate nan lifecycle and capacity of games. No games, devices aliases experiences are being cancelled and nary studios are being closed arsenic portion of these adjustments today.

Throughout our team’s history, we person had awesome moments, and we person had challenging ones. Today is 1 of nan challenging days. I cognize that going done much changes for illustration this is hard, but moreover successful nan astir trying times, this squad has been capable to travel together and show 1 different attraction and kindness arsenic we activity to proceed delivering for our players. We admit your support arsenic we navigate these changes and we convey you for your compassion and respect for each other.

Phil