Xbox Plans 1,000-Plus Layoffs, Weighs Arkane Sale or Closure in July Reset
Updated
Updated · Game Developer · Jun 30
Xbox Plans 1,000-Plus Layoffs, Weighs Arkane Sale or Closure in July Reset
3 articles · Updated · Game Developer · Jun 30
Summary
July 6 is the target date for Xbox redundancies that could top 1,000 roles, with cuts expected across the division under CEO Asha Sharma's planned reset.
Arkane is among the studios at greatest risk because its Blade game, slated for 2027, is reportedly over budget and behind schedule, making both the project and the studio potential casualties.
Double Fine, Compulsion Games, Ninja Theory and Undead Labs are also being considered for sale, while Microsoft could close Arkane if no buyer emerges.
The move would mark Xbox's fifth major layoff round since Microsoft's nearly $69 billion Activision-Blizzard deal, after earlier cuts and closures including Arkane Austin, Alpha Dog Games and The Initiative.