Microsoft has made a new round of layoffs within its Xbox organization, affecting 268 employees across game development, publishing and support teams. Employees reportedly learned of the decision on 22 September, while the distribution by role and country was not disclosed.
The possibility of closing Ninja Theory, the developer of the Hellblade series, is also being considered. Microsoft did not share details about the studio’s future or its ongoing projects. The developments are reportedly a continuation of the organizational changes Xbox has been carrying out following its acquisitions of Bethesda’s parent company ZeniMax and Activision Blizzard.
Why it matters
The impact of the decision is not limited to headcount; it also creates uncertainty over how Xbox will structure its game development, publishing and support operations. The uncertainty surrounding Ninja Theory raises questions about the fate of ongoing projects and whether the studio’s production capacity will be preserved. The lack of disclosure about which countries and roles have seen the most layoffs makes it more difficult to assess the scale of the affected teams and the operational consequences. The developments show that the changes carried out following the acquisitions of Bethesda’s parent company ZeniMax and Activision Blizzard are not an isolated decision, but part of a broader reorganization of the Xbox organization. Microsoft’s failure to provide details about the studio’s future and projects leaves fundamental uncertainty for employees and players.
Background
Microsoft is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: We have published 21 reports mentioning the name in the last 90 days; the most recent is dated 19 September 2026.