Microsoft is cutting 268 jobs across its Xbox division as part of a sweeping reorganization of its studios, including charging Activision to make the next Halo game.
The cuts affect Halo Studios, other first-party developers, and management and central functions within Xbox, according to an announcement posted this morning by Matt Booty, Xbox’s chief content officer. The company is now about 75 percent finished with a restructuring announced earlier this year.
Activision, purchased by Microsoft in 2022, will now oversee the Xbox studios Rare and World’s Edge, and will create a new team to develop the next game in the Halo series. A smaller Halo Studios team will remain to support existing games.
Bethesda Softworks, purchased by Microsoft in 2020, will oversee Obsidian Entertainment, which is developing a new Fallout game. King will take over Microsoft Casual Games, while Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios merge into a single studio overseeing the Forza and Fable franchises.
Undead Labs will be returned to management along with its State of Decay brand. Booty said two proposed deals to divest Ninja Theory fell through, and the company may close “while continuing to explore other paths forward.” Discussions over the future of Arkane Studios will continue through this year.
Catch up quickly every weekday morning with a rundown of the 7 most important and interesting stories. Sign up for The 7 newsletter.
The post ‘Halo’ to move under Call of Duty publisher as Xbox announces layoffs appeared first on Washington Post.
