Microsoft's Xbox Bloodbath: Are They Cancelling Everything Except Phil Spencer's Retirement?
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Microsoft's having a proper clear-out at Xbox, cancelling games left, right, and center, and laying off thousands. Feels a bit like they're rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic, but hopefully those affected can land on their feet.
Right, buckle up, mates, because this week's Xbox news is a proper downer. Eurogamer's been all over it, tracking the fallout from Microsoft's latest round of layoffs, and fair dinkum, it's a mess. Apparently, over 9,000 employees across the whole company got the chop, with a hefty chunk hitting the Xbox division hard. Microsoft's calling it "necessary to position the company and teams for success in a dynamic marketplace." You know, the usual corporate jargon that translates to "we need to save a few quid."
But here's where it gets spicy (and depressing). Remember *Everwild*, Rare's fancy adventure they announced back in 2019? Gone. Cancelled. *Poof*. And with it, apparently, goes studio veteran Gregg Mayles, who's clocked up 35 years there. That's gotta sting. The *Perfect Dark* reboot, that's been a bit of a shambles since its unveiling in 2020, has reportedly also been scrapped, and The Initiative, the studio making it, is now closed. Ouch.
Microsoft also binned its partnership with Crystal Dynamics, who were brought in to help with *Perfect Dark* back in 2022. So, reckon they're feeling peachy? Elsewhere, whispers of an unannounced ZeniMax MMO getting the axe are floating around, plus 200 layoffs at King (the *Candy Crush* crew) and nearly half the staff at Turn 10 (Forza Motorsport). Bloody hell, that's a lot of folks.
And get this – it's not just internal projects. Romero Games, Brenda and John Romero's little Irish studio, had the funding pulled for their new shooter. All milestones met, apparently, but no dice. Ouch doesn't even cut it. Even Avalanche's *Contraband* is looking shaky; the trailer vanished from Xbox's YouTube channel, leaving everyone wondering if it's joined the graveyard of cancelled games.
Of course, Microsoft's denying rumours that Phil Spencer's offski anytime soon. Someone's gotta steer this ship, even if it feels like it's heading straight for an iceberg. But here’s a truly wild bit – an Xbox exec actually suggested laid-off staff use *AI* to find new jobs. Ironic, innit? Considering the layoffs probably have something to do with the bean counters trying to replace actual humans with algorithms.
So, what's the takeaway? Well, it's a reminder that the games industry, for all its shiny graphics and grand promises, can be a brutal place. And while we all love our consoles and games, it's worth remembering the real people behind them – the ones who are now facing the stress of job hunting in a market that's already overflowing with talent. Hopefully, some good comes out of this mess, but right now, it's hard to see past the grim reality.
Tags: Xbox, Layoffs, Game Development, Microsoft, Industry News
Original article: Eurogamer