Microsoft Announces Layoffs in Xbox Division

The Microsoft confirmed earlier this week and began announcing on Wednesday layoffs in the Xbox division. Among the affected teams in this round of layoffs is the King studio in Barcelona, responsible for the Candy Crush games, which will lose 10% of its staff, or around 200 jobs, according to Bloomberg. Other European studios, like ZeniMax, are also being informed today about new layoffs. According to recent reports, Microsoft is planning even more extensive cuts, potentially affecting as many as 9,100 employees, or about four percent of its workforce. These layoffs come less than two months after Microsoft announced it was cutting more than 6,000 employees. The exact divisions affected in the Xbox division are yet to be confirmed. This is the fourth round of mass layoffs in the Xbox division over the past 18 months and is part of Microsoft’s plan to balance its finances following a $69 billion investment in acquiring Activision Blizzard in October 2023. Other European studios, like ZeniMax, are also being informed today about new layoffs.