Age of Empires Studio World's Edge Hit Hard by Xbox Layoffs and Project Cancellation
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
Xbox studio World's Edge has reportedly canceled its next unannounced game following a wave of layoffs that affected nearly half of its staff.
World's Edge, the dedicated Microsoft studio overseeing the Age of Empires franchise since 2019, has reportedly suffered severe layoffs and the cancellation of its unannounced next game. Reports surfaced after Xbox Chief Content Officer Matt Booty outlined a new wave of structural cuts affecting several major internal teams. Industry insiders and affected developers confirmed that nearly half of the studio's workforce was let go, including key creative leads.
Public statements from departing staff members on professional networks shed light on the sudden downsizing, noting that the studio's upcoming project was scrapped entirely in the process. The cuts arrive as Microsoft shifts several long-standing teams under the Activision umbrella, raising fresh questions about the future roadmap for classic real-time strategy properties and other historical franchises managed by the group.
For strategy fans and community members, the news deals another heavy blow to developer stability within major platform ecosystems. While World's Edge primarily functioned as a management hub coordinating partner studios for entries like Age of Empires 4 and Age of Mythology Retold, the loss of experienced talent highlights the ongoing volatility facing development teams across the industry.
Tags: Age of Empires, Xbox, PC Gaming, Industry News, Strategy Games
Original article: Game Rant