Microsoft's Another Wave of Layoffs: Over 9,000 Employees Affected

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Microsoft has once again implemented efficiency measures, laying off 9,100 employees, or approximately four percent of its current workforce. This move is part of a series of layoffs that have occurred throughout the past year.

As reported by The Verge, Microsoft's Gaming Division, including Xbox, has been among the units most severely impacted by these recent layoffs. Although the exact number of affected employees and specific units has not been fully disclosed, reports indicate that the King division, developer of "Candy Crush" and now under Microsoft, has cut about 10 percent of its workforce, impacting around 200 people.

Other units, such as ZeniMax, have also experienced reductions. The Turn 10 studio, responsible for "Forza Motorsport," has lost over 70 employees. Additionally, Microsoft has canceled the development of two games, "Perfect Dark" and "Everwild," and closed The Initiative studio, which was previously working on "Perfect Dark."

A Pattern of Reductions

This massive wave of layoffs comes less than two months after Microsoft announced over 6,000 job cuts, followed by an additional 305 layoffs in early June.

Over the past year, Microsoft has conducted several rounds of layoffs, including:

- January 2024: 1,900 employees from Activision Blizzard and Xbox.

- May 2024: Closure of several game studios and further layoffs.

- June 2024: 1,000 employees from the HoloLens and Azure cloud teams.

- September 2024: Another 650 Xbox employees as part of the post-acquisition restructuring of Activision Blizzard.

Xbox Head Addresses the Changes

"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," said Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox, in a memo to his team.

Spencer acknowledged that these decisions were made despite significant achievements within the Microsoft gaming division, highlighting the growing number of players, games, and playing hours. "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 added.

Spencer also emphasized that this decision does not reflect on the quality of the affected individuals. He concluded his message with gratitude: "We will move forward with deep appreciation and respect for all who have contributed to this journey."

Editor’s Choice: Jobstreet Unveils 10 Jobs Most Affected by Layoffs in Indonesia for 2024

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