GoKawiilMicrosoft cuts 268 more Xbox jobs, shifts Halo development to Activision
Xbox has laid off 268 employees across Halo Studios, other first-party teams and Xbox Game Studios management, part of a previously announced plan to cut 1,600 jobs through July 2027. As part of the restructuring, Activision will take over development of the next Halo game and also manage Rare and World's Edge, while Obsidian continues working under Bethesda on Fallout and Grounded 2, and Playground and Turn 10 merge to handle Forza and Fable together.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The reshuffle suggests Microsoft is trying to consolidate overlapping studios and reduce duplicated work rather than simply shrink output, folding smaller teams into larger publishing arms like Activision and Bethesda. The unresolved fates of Ninja Theory and Arkane Lyon indicate further closures or sales could still follow, which would signal deeper contraction in Xbox's first-party lineup beyond this announced round of cuts.
- 268 more Xbox jobs cut as part of a 1,600-job reduction plan running through July 2027
- Activision now oversees the next Halo title's development, plus Rare and World's Edge
- Ninja Theory's sale attempts have failed and Arkane Lyon's sale process continues through year-end
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Published there as: “Xbox lays off 268 more people as Activision takes over Halo and Bethesda absorbs Obsidian”
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