Based mostly on an inner memo from Xbox chief Phil Spencer, Microsoft has seemingly shedding 650 employees from throughout Xbox. These affected are largely within the company and help features.
The information comes by means of IGN who state they’ve acquired an inner memo despatched by Phil Spencer himself. If true, it would imply Microsoft has reduce a complete of two,550 jobs throughout its gaming workforce this yr. These cuts resulted within the closure of a number of studios, together with that of Tango Gameworks, though that studios has fortunately discovered a brand new lease on life via Krafton.
There may be no less than a tiny sliver of fine information; based on the memo, no studios have been closed nor any video games canceled. Phil says the roles have been reduce to “set up our enterprise for long run success.”
“As a part of aligning our post-acquisition group construction and managing our enterprise, we now have made the choice to remove roughly 650 roles throughout Microsoft Gaming — largely company and supporting features — to prepare our enterprise for long run success.” mentioned the inner memo.
Curiously, Phil Spencer refers to “Microsoft Gaming” somewhat than Xbox. Whereas I might be studying an excessive amount of into this, the wording suggests what we’ve all been pondering: Xbox is now not allowed to do its personal factor beneath the stewardship of Phil now that Activision-Blizzard are a part of Microsoft. For the reason that Activision-Blizzard deal was accomplished, it has begun more and more clear that Microsoft needs to be straight concerned in the whole lot taking place at Xbox.
As all the time, it’s tough to find out precisely what has pushed the necessity for these cuts. It might be so simple as lowering prices to generate much more cash, or it might be one other signal that Microsoft is shifting away from the console manufacturing enterprise and into the function of the world’s greatest writer of video games. It may be the development of assorted AI applied sciences making an increasing number of roles redundant. It might be all of these items or none of these items.
What do know for a truth is that it sucks. 650 folks now should undergo the stress and fear of shedding their jobs, and I want all of them the most effective find new positions the place they’ll hopefully thrive and prosper.
