Microsoft’s huge round of XBOX layoffs is set to fall short of the figure stated earlier this year, amid strategy changes that will see some employees moved to different studios.
Back in July, Microsoft announced plans to reduce its gaming workforce by around 3,200, but the latest reports indicate that figure won’t be hit.
XBOX Layoffs Won’t Hit 3,200 Figure
Windows Central’s Jez Corden states sources have indicated the total figure “will fall short of that previous estimate,” with Microsoft opting for restructuring and moving employees to other departments.
It’s added that one approach has been divestitures, including Double Fine and Compulsion returning to independent game studios, with Undead Labs, which is developing State of Decay 3, making a similar move.
While the 3,200 total figure will be reduced, it’s not evident how much, and total Microsoft layoffs in the gaming division this year are still set to be in the 1,000s.
The latest slew of layoffs includes a significant amount at Halo Studios, with the franchise being moved to Activision’s stewardship, including a director being promoted one day, then laid off the next.
Fresh layoffs this week also included The Coalition, World’s Edge, Treyarch, and general XBOX Game Studios, and its possible that more studios were also impacted by the changes.
There’s more to come too, with XBOX’s chief content officer Matt Booty stating in the announcement of the latest layoffs that the company is “roughly three-quarters of the way through” its planned restructuring.
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In other news, read Xbox’s Matt Booty’s full memo to staff on the latest changes at the company, including more layoffs, and don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter.
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