Xbox Lays Off 268 People and Changes Studio Structure
Xbox has laid off 268 people, merged Forza studios, and given Activision new responsibilities. Here are the details of the major restructuring at Xbox.
Xbox, a giant in the gaming world, announced today in an official statement that it has made a fundamental change in its operational processes. As part of its global restructuring strategy, the company announced that it has laid off 268 employees. In addition to these layoffs, extensive changes have been made to the studio structure.
Confirming rumors shared by industry sources earlier in the morning, Xbox management is implementing a major strategic transformation focusing particularly on the Forza series and Activision’s new areas of responsibility. The changes in question will directly affect the company’s production capacity and game development processes in the coming years.
- Xbox terminated the employment of a total of 268 employees as part of its restructuring process.
- Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios, which developed the Forza series, were merged under a single umbrella.
- Activision studios took over the development processes of the Halo, Sea of Thieves, and Age of Empires series.
A New Era Begins for the Forza Series
One of the most notable steps in this extensive reorganization by Xbox was the merger of the two giant studios representing the Forza brand. Playground Games, which has been operating independently until now and created the Forza Horizon series, and Turn 10 Studios, the creator of the Forza Motorsport series, will now operate under a single umbrella. This move aims to use resources more efficiently in the future development processes of the Forza series.
The new unified structure will not be limited to existing Forza projects. While studio management will primarily focus on the Forza Horizon series, they will also work intensively on the highly anticipated Fable game, scheduled for release in 2027. This strategic merger is expected to improve production quality and strengthen internal studio communication.
Activision’s Area of Responsibility Expands Significantly
The restructuring within Xbox is not limited to studio mergers; it also brings about a major change in operational management.
The large company Activision will now manage the development processes of some of Xbox’s most important and successful brands. According to the announcement, Activision will now be responsible for the development of massive series such as Halo and Sea of Thieves, as well as the legendary Age of Empires series in the strategy genre.
This decision is seen as part of Xbox’s efforts to make its internal studio ecosystem more agile. Gamers are eagerly anticipating how Activision’s vast resource pool and experienced development team will bring innovation to future games of these valuable brands. It appears the company aims to extend its experience, particularly in live-service games, to all its platforms with these steps.
What are your thoughts on these layoffs and studio mergers by Xbox? How do you think these strategic changes will affect the future of legendary series like Halo and Forza? Don’t forget to share your comments with us.
