Compulsion Games Hit by Staff Departures Amid Rumors of Further Xbox Restructuring
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
At least a dozen staff members have left South of Midnight developer Compulsion Games amid reports that Microsoft is planning further layoffs and restructuring across its Xbox division.
A wave of departures has hit Compulsion Games, the studio behind the award-winning South of Midnight, as at least a dozen employees announced they are leaving the developer. According to reports published by Eurogamer, these LinkedIn updates arrive alongside broader industry rumors that Microsoft is preparing for another round of significant structural changes and potential studio closures across its Xbox division. While some team members remain at the studio, the sudden exit of so many developers points to clear turbulence behind the scenes.
Compulsion Games joined the Xbox first-party ecosystem back in 2018 following Microsoft's major acquisition spree. The Canadian studio recently earned widespread acclaim for South of Midnight, a stylized folklore adventure that picked up both a Peabody award and a BAFTA for best new intellectual property. Alongside Compulsion, reports suggest other prominent Microsoft-owned developers, including Double Fine and Ninja Theory, could be impacted by the upcoming shifts in corporate strategy.
For players and the broader community, these recurring reports of instability at major publishers remain deeply concerning. When corporate restructuring consistently targets the creative teams building our favorite worlds, it threatens the long-term health of the entire medium. We will continue to monitor how these reported changes affect ongoing projects and keep our focus on the developers caught in the middle of these shifting corporate priorities.
Tags: Xbox, Compulsion Games, South of Midnight, Industry News, Microsoft
Original article: Eurogamer