As
was
reported
as
far
back
as
last
month,
and
reiterated
just
a
week
ago,
Microsoft
has
begun
its
latest
culling
and
if
the
reports
are
accurate
layoffs
could
be
substantial,
including
entire
studios
potentially
being
in
danger.

I’ll
update
this
article
where
and
when
I
can
as
news
continues
to
roll
in
about
impacted
studios
and
departments.

Zenimax
and
King
have
been
the
first
to
feel
the
wrath
of
Microsoft’s
budget
cuts.

Windows
Central
reports
that
sources
have
told
them
that
Zenimax’s
media
marketing
teams
have
been
hit,
although
exact
numbers
are
unknown.

Meanwhile,
Bloomberg
claims
that
10%
of
of
King,
around
200
employees,
have
been
laid
off

An
internal
Email
sent
by
Xbox
head-honcho
Phil
Spencer
has
been
passed
to
multiple
outlets,
and
it
seems
to
hint
that
certain
departments
or
studios
may
be
shuttered
entirely:
“To
position
Gaming
for
enduring
success
and
allow
us
to
focus
on
strategic
growth
areas,
we
will

end
or
decrease
work
in
certain
areas
of
the
business
and
follow
Microsoft’s
lead
in
removing
layers
of
management
to
increase
agility
and
effectiveness.”

Just
days
ago,
I
also
reported
on

George
Broussard
saying
that
people
had
told
him
that
Xbox
staff
“fear
entire
studios”
being
shut
down.
At
the
same
time,
The
Verge
published
an
article
which
stated
Turn
10
staff
were
bracing
for
cuts.

Phil
goes
on
to
address
that
these
cuts
come
during
a
time
when
Xbox
apparently
has
more
players,
games
and
gaming
time
than
ever.

“I
recognize
that
these
changes
come
at
a
time
when
we
have
more
players,
games,
and
gaming
hours
than
ever
before,”
Phil
says.
“Our
platform,
hardware,
and
game
roadmap
have
never
looked
stronger.
The
success
we’re
seeing
currently
is
based
on
tough
decisions
we’ve
made
previously.”

He
claims
that
this
stronger
position
is
due
to
the
hard
decisions
made
previously.
Keep
in
mind,
this
is
the
4th
round
of
layoffs
at
Microsoft
and
Xbox
within
just
18
months.
He
then
goes
on
to
aknowledge
that
they
are
only
where
they
are
due
to
the
hard
work
of
those
same
people,
in
what
feels
like
a
blatant
contradicition.

“Simply
put,
we
would
not
be
where
we
are
today
without
the
time,
energy,
and
creativity
of
those
whose
roles
are
impacted.
These
decisions
are
not
a
reflection
of
the
talent,
creativity,
and
dedication
of
the
people
involved.”